LSR Group, Akbank, Romgaz and Folli Follie Group (FF Group) recognised as outstanding companies at the 11th annual East Capital Awards, 2014
East Capital, the specialist asset manager in emerging and frontier markets, today announces that LSR Group, Akbank, Romgaz and FF Group have been named the winners of the 2014 East Capital Awards and will receive their accolades at the annual Awards ceremony held in Stockholm today.
This is the 11th year that the East Capital Awards honor remarkable companies in East Capital’s investment universe. The categories are Best Growth, Best IPO, Best Corporate Governance and Discovery of the Year.
Peter Elam Håkansson, Chairman of East Capital, said: “These awards recognise noteworthy achievements of companies that are part of East Capital’s investment universe. Our consistent research and extensive company visits in emerging and frontier markets enable us to identify companies each year that have achieved impressive results and demonstrated exciting potential. We are delighted to be honouring those companies today.”
The Best Growth Award is presented to LSR Group, one of the largest real estate developers in Russia. The company is vertically integrated in both building materials and construction. Andrey Molchanov is one of the main shareholders and Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has been instrumental in establishing LSR Group’s strong market position, large dividends and substantial growth. In 2013 new contract sales grew by an impressive 69%, and the company doubled its dividends, paying out almost 80% of net income, implying a dividend yield of 6.7%.
Romgaz, the largest natural gas producer in Romania, is awarded the Best IPO Award. The IPO of Romgaz was a landmark IPO on the Romanian stock market. With a total size of USD 500m, it was the largest in Romanian history. Dual listings in London and Bucharest made Romgaz the first Romanian stock with a GDR line which helped attract several new portfolio investors to the Romanian market. The deal, run by the consortium of domestic and international investment banks, was more than four times oversubscribed, with the stock gaining 15% on the first trading day.
FF Group, one of the largest international luxury goods companies headquartered in Greece, has been awarded the Discovery of the Year Award. FF Group designs, produces and markets at a global level its own brands: Folli Follie and Links of London. The Group maintains a leading presence in the retail and wholesale segment within Greece, the Balkans and Asia, with high-profile brands in its portfolio (Ermenegildo Zegna, UGG Australia, Nike and Converse, among others). Recently, FF Group acquired the exclusive wholesale and retail distribution rights for Juicy Couture in continental Europe, UK, Ireland and Cyprus. In addition, the Group is active in the Beauty & Cosmetics sector, while it also continues to have a key role in the global travel retail sector through a strategic alliance with Dufry AG. Today the company is getting closer to becoming a key player in the fashion world, now operating in 28 countries globally.
The Best Corporate Governance Award is presented to Turkish Akbank. Akbank has impressed year after year with their clear and consistent aim to create value for all shareholders. This includes a strong respect for the rights of minority shareholders, a stable dividend policy and a transparent and open approach to communicating with external stakeholders on all relevant and material issues. Akbank’s solid corporate governance standards, management team and board of directors have successfully contributed to positioning Akbank as one of Turkey’s most valuable and innovative banks, serving over 13 million customers.
-Ends-
Notes to editors
The East Capital Awards were established in 2004 to reward the progress of outstanding companies in East Capital’s portfolios. This year's winners will receive their awards at a gala ceremony and dinner at Grand Hotel in Stockholm on 5 November 2014.
The award for Best Growth is presented to a company that has demonstrated outstanding growth in the areas of sales, market share and profit margins in recent years. The Best IPO Award is presented to the company that has carried out the most successful floatation in the region. The Discovery of the Year is awarded to a company discovered by our investment team that is expected to demonstrate unique performance. The Best Corporate Governance Award is presented to a company that demonstrates exceptional standards in the area of corporate governance and addresses the opportunities and risks related to environmental and social concerns.
For further information about the winning companies, please visit:
Best Growth Award 2014 – LSR Group
Best IPO Award 2014 – Romgaz
Discovery of the Year Award 2014 – Folli Follie
Best Corporate Governance Award 2014 – Akbank
Contact information
Vesna Lucca, Head of Communications, East Capital
+46 70 601 92 20
About East Capital
East Capital is a specialist in emerging and frontier markets. The company, founded in 1997, bases its investment strategy on thorough knowledge of the markets, fundamental analysis and frequent company visits by its investment teams. East Capital actively manages EUR 2.9 billion in public equity, private equity and real estate. It is headquartered in Stockholm, with offices in Hong Kong, Kyiv, Luxembourg, Moscow, Oslo, Paris and Tallinn www.eastcapital.com