LSEG

Elite Surpasses 1000 Company Milestone: 19 New Businesses Join Today

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  • 19 new companies join ELITE from across Europe
  • New countries: Belgium, Czech Republic and Norway represented
  • Ten companies join through UniCredit CEE Lounge framework 
  • Five Hungarian firms join through the BSE partnership framework
  • More than 1000 companies, 200 advisors, and 200 investors now part of growing ELITE community

London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) today welcomes a further 19 companies to ELITE, its innovative international business support and capital raising programme, bringing the total number of companies in the ELITE ecosystem to over 1000.

For the first time, ELITE welcomes companies from Belgium, Czech Republic and Norway to the community. The 19 new businesses come from across eight countries and represent a diverse range of industries including Technology, Industrials, and Consumer Goods.

Ten new companies from four CEE countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic and Slovakia) have joined today through the UniCredit CEE Lounge model. An agreement between ELITE and UniCredit, the Italian global banking and financial services company, with a strong presence in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), has resulted in close collaboration between the two parties in attracting new companies, specifically from CEE countries, to ELITE.

The five Hungarian companies have joined through the Budapest Stock Exchange (BSE) framework, following the successful launch of a customised ELITE programme for Hungarian businesses in 2016.

ELITE actively partners with the international financial community, including banks, asset managers and  stock exchanges, in line with  LSEG’s Open Access philosophy and customer partnership approach.

Today, more than 1000 companies make up the growing international ELITE community. Companies come from across 35 countries, 35 sectors and are generating €72.5 billion in combined revenues. Together companies account for over 420.000 jobs across Europe and beyond.

Luca Peyrano, CEO, ELITE: 
“I am proud to present the latest international group of companies from across Europe and celebrate with them ELITE’s significant milestone; reaching over 1000 companies in the dynamic ELITE community. In just six years ELITE has become a global programme spanning more than 30 countries, supporting the growth and internationalisation of SMEs around the world.

“ELITE continues to innovate and support the job creators and innovators of today and tomorrow. Together with our partners, we are committed to  supporting the most ambitious companies, allowing them to scale and grow.”

Andrea Diamanti, Head of UniCredit Corporate and Investment Banking and Private Banking in CEE: 
“Supporting the SME client segment, as the growth engine of the European economy, is one of our core activities. That is why I am extremely proud that for the fourth year in a row, we are providing our SME clients with all the benefits that participation in ELITE can offer: the possibility to connect directly to capital markets, have their business reviewed by experts, discover new areas for growth and have the opportunity to network, to name a few. This initiative is a valuable opportunity for us to continue learning about the SME segment and adapt our way of doing business with SMEs to match their needs. It allows us to further strengthen our role as a true partner and advisor to this client segment”

Richárd Végh, President and CEO, Budapest Stock Exchange: 
“Serving as the most important financing platform of competitive, successful Hungarian companies is an important part of BSE’s strategy. Through the Programme, BSE is looking to implement a comprehensive capital market and stock exchange development programme which can contribute in the medium and long term to the growth of the Hungarian economy and to further improving its competitiveness. With the launch of the ELITE Programme in Hungary, the companies participating in the training – all defining actors in their own fields – not only acquire new knowledge, but also expand their networks, and decision makers will receive help in selecting the long-term, external financing mechanism most appropriate to their firm.”

Deatil on the new ELITE international companies are online at www.elite-network.com