CAIRO: Egyptian investment bank EFG Hermes Holding is targeting minority stakes in startups after its acquisition of a majority stake in state-owned Arab Investment Bank (AIB), its chief executive said on Sunday.
The acquisition of the 51 percent stake, approved by the cabinet on Wednesday, will be finalized in the third quarter, CEO Karim Awad told Reuters.
It is Egypt’s first privatization since 2006, when it sold a majority stake in Bank of Alexandria.
EFG Hermes, Egypt’s biggest investment bank, will use internal resources to buy new AIB shares worth 2.55 billion Egyptian pounds ($163 million), Awad said.
The Sovereign Fund of Egypt will also buy new shares worth 1.25 billion pounds, increasing AIB’s capital to 5 billion pounds, while the current owner, state-owned National Bank of Egypt, will retain a 24 percent stake.
“Our share in the bank will be financed through the liquidity available to the company on its own ... We have lots of liquidity,” Awad told Reuters, adding that EFG Hermes began working to fulfil all government conditions and approvals as soon as the cabinet approved the deal.
The central bank will have to approve the deal as well.
“We are not entering the banking sector to compete with the big banks operating in Egypt,” Awad said. “Rather, we are seeking to find a portion of the market to focus on to provide services to help it grow.”
“We can sell the bank’s services to EFG Hermes clients,” he added.
Awad said the new owners would retain all of AIB’s current employees, but would study a possible change in the bank’s name.
EFG Hermes eyes startups after AIB deal, CEO says
https://arab.news/65mk8
EFG Hermes eyes startups after AIB deal, CEO says
- AIB acquisition will be finalized in the third quarter, CEO says
- EFG not entering retail banking to compete with Egypt's big banks
Saudi Arabia, Japan trade rises 38% between 2016 and 2024, minister says
RIYADH: Trade between Saudi Arabia and Japan has increased by 38 percent between 2016 and 2024 to reach SR138 billion ($36 billion), the Kingdom’s investment minister revealed.
Speaking at the Saudi-Japanese Ministerial Investment Forum 2026, Khalid Al-Falih explained that this makes the Asian country the Kingdom’s third-largest trading partner, according to Asharq Bloomberg.
This falls in line with the fact that Saudi Arabia has been a very important country for Japan from the viewpoint of its energy security, having been a stable supplier of crude oil for many years.
It also aligns well with how Japan is fully committed to supporting Vision 2030 by sharing its knowledge and advanced technologies.
“This trade is dominated by the Kingdom's exports of energy products, specifically oil, gas, and their derivatives. We certainly look forward to the Saudi private sector increasing trade with Japan, particularly in high-tech Japanese products,” Al-Falih said.
He added: “As for investment, Japanese investment in the Kingdom is good and strong, but we look forward to raising the level of Japanese investments in the Kingdom. Today, the Kingdom offers promising opportunities for Japanese companies in several fields, including the traditional sector that links the two economies: energy.”
The minister went on to note that additional sectors that both countries can also collaborate in include green and blue hydrogen, investments in advanced industries, health, food security, innovation, entrepreneurship, among others.
During his speech, Al-Falih shed light on how the Kingdom’s pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka achieved remarkable success, with the exhibition receiving more than 3 million visitors, reflecting the Japanese public’s interest in Saudi Arabia.
“The pavilion also organized approximately 700 new business events, several each day, including 88 major investment events led by the Ministry of Investment. Today, as we prepare for the upcoming Expo 2030, we look forward to building upon Japan’s achievements,” he said.
The minister added: “During our visit to Japan, we agreed to establish a partnership to transfer the remarkable Japanese experience from Expo Osaka 2025 to Expo Riyadh 2030. I am certain that the Japanese pavilion at Expo Riyadh will rival the Saudi pavilion at Expo Osaka in terms of organization, innovation, and visitor turnout.”
Al-Falih also shed light on how Saudi-Japanese relations celebrated their 70th anniversary last year, and today marks the 71st year of these relations as well as how they have flourished over the decades, moving from one strategic level to an even higher one.
