Sumitomo Corporation
Sumitomo Corporation is amongst the world’s oldest and largest integrated trading and investment enterprises with annual turnover of ¥706 trillion for the fiscal year ending March 2006, and not only conducts commodity transactions in all industries utilizing worldwide networks, but also provides related customers with various financing, serves as an organizer and a coordinator for various projects, and invests in businesses from the information industry to the retailing industry, thus showing great diversification as an Integrated Business Enterprise. Sumitomo Corporation is headquartered in Japan, and has offices in 69 other countries around the world. Sumitomo Corporation began its activities in Russia over 40 years ago where it has 5 offices. www.sumitomocorp.co.jp/english
Baring Vostok Capital Partners (BVCP)
Baring Vostok Capital Partners is the manager of three private equity funds. The NIS Fund (1994 with $160 million) was one of the first or largest shareholders in a number of Russian or CIS companies including: Burren Energy, Syktyvkar Forestry, Golden Telecom, Vimpelcom, Sladco, Borjomi, and Rogan Brewery. To date, the NIS Fund has been the number one performing Russian private equity fund and its results place it in the top quartile of global private equity funds over the same period. BVCP raised a second fund in 2000 (the Baring Vostok Private Equity Fund) with $205 million in capital and its third fund in 2004 (the Baring Vostok Private Equity Fund III) with $400 million in capital. Today, BVCP’s funds own significant stakes in Europlan Leasing, CTC Media, Golden Telecom, Burren Energy, Spassk Cement, PPE Group, Yandex, Ozon, Rusfinance, and Caspian Gas Corporation. The Funds’ shareholders are primarily institutional investors from Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia. www.bvcp.ru
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (“EBRD”)
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was established in 1991 to provide project financing for banks, industries and businesses, both new ventures and investments in existing companies. The EBRD is the largest single investor in the former Soviet Union and mobilizes significant foreign direct investment beyond its own financing. EBRD is owned by 61 countries and two intergovernmental institutions including the Government of the Russian Federation. www.ebrd.com