Armenia attractive for foreign investments, LSE expert says (video)

 October 11, 2016 - 16:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - European investors are interested in investing in emerging markets, including Armenia, Ayuna Nechayeva, head of Primary Markets of Russia, Mongolia & CIS at London Stock Exchange, said Tuesday, October 11 in Yerevan.

Nechayeva has arrived in Armenia to participate in a seminar on international capital as a business growth engine, organized by Ameriabank for its strategic business partners.

According to her, interest rates in the UK and Europe's capital markets are quite low today and sometimes even negative, so investors with large investment funds want their portfolios and investment to work.

"They are looking for interesting projects in which they can invest and which will bear fruit. Such projects in current conditions can be found in emerging markets, including Russia and CIS countries," Nechayeva said.

She said that investors are now considering not only the region, but also concrete companies, their growth rates, and the prospects.

“As for the Armenian market assessments, although there are no specific figures, there are some leading industries like mining, finance and infrastructure, and we would like to know more about the players in these sectors,” Nechayeva said.

Speaking at the same event, Arno Mosikyan, Ameriabank director for investment banking operations, said Armenia can serve as a bridge between Iran and the West, saying also that lifting of sanctions against Tehran opens up new opportunities for Armenian businesses.

"Now Armenian businesses may promote themselves as a platform of opportunities and a bridge between Iran and the West," Mosikyan said, stressing that it will also have a positive impact on the Armenian market.

According to him, some Armenian companies can use this potential and the opportunity to attract foreign investment.

Asked on Ameriabank’s role in the capital raising process by a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent, Mosikyan stressed that the bank is well aware of the international, regional market development trends, showing individual approach to companies with the capacity to attract capital and ready to provide consultations.

Apart from Ayuna Nechayeva the Ameriabank-organized seminar was attended also by Olga Plevako, KPMG Associate Director, Transaction Services, Moscow CIS Metals and Mining Sector Executive.

In response to a PanARMENIAN.Net question, Plevako said that Armenia is an attractive country in terms of investments compared with other member states of the Eurasian Economic Union.

“We have considered the matter and all the member countries, creating a special rating of risks and investment attractiveness. Armenia is among the top three, boasting rather favorable legislation, investment facilities, and we thus think there is great potential here,” she said.