responsAbility, Ameriabank join forces for loan securitization project

PanARMENIAN.Net - responsAbility Investments AG, the international impact asset manager headquartered in Switzerland, is launching a $175 million securitization of loans to SME-finance institutions in emerging markets. It allows investors to access a pool of assets that offers attractive market return, is less correlated to traditional public debt and equity investments and creates high development impact.

The private Swiss enterprise has partnered with Ameriabank as financial intermediary for Armenia

The arranger and placement agent of the transaction is JP Morgan, while key investors in the blended finance vehicle include the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), who provided the catalytic capital necessary to mobilize the private institutional investment in the deal.

“This securitization shows that the fast-growing microfinance and SME finance space in emerging markets has now reached a maturity that allows it to access financing from mainstream capital markets”, commented Thomas Müller, Co-Head Financial Institutions Debt at responsAbility.

“We are delighted to be part of global pool of quality microfinance and SME finance players, participating in an innovative, global capital markets transaction managed by responsAbility, arranged by JP Morgan, and invested in by OPIC and other high quality investors in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals”, commented Gevorg Tarumyan, CFO, Deputy General Director of Ameriabank.

The first investment bank in Armenia, Ameriabank has been providing a large package of innovative banking services since 2007. Now Ameriabank CJSC is a universal bank offering corporate, investment and retail banking services in a comprehensive package of banking solutions. Ameriabank is the leading bank in Armenia as measured by all key financial indicators (assets, liabilities, loans portfolio, net profit and equity) according to the 2018 year reportable data.