Horizon Capital hits hard cap with $200m for its third Ukraine-focused fund, the largest fund raised for Ukraine in a decade

Horizon Capital, a U.S. private-equity firm investing in high growth and export-driven companies in Ukraine and the near region, has closed its third fund, Emerging Europe Growth Fund III, L.P. (“EEGF III”, the “Fund”), at its $200 million hard cap, far surpassing the $150 million target.  In what marks the largest private equity fund raised for Ukraine in a decade, Horizon’s EEGF III received strong backing from existing and new investors, attracted by the excellent value, fast growth and abundance of opportunities that Ukraine offers. Led by Founding Partners Lenna Koszarny and Jeffrey C. Neal and Senior Partner Denis Tafintsev, Horizon manages over $850 million in assets from investors with a capital base exceeding $350 billion.  Its Ukraine-focused funds have invested over $650 million in 140 companies employing over 46,000 people.

“Our fundraising success should send a strong signal that Ukraine offers tremendous rewards for those willing to look past the headlines”, said Lenna Koszarny, Horizon Capital’s Founding Partner and CEO.  “This fund is a testament to our long-term, valued investor relationships, our strong team of talented professionals and export-focused investment strategy, and our solid track record of successful investing in this country.  Since our first close last year, the new fund has already made six compelling investments and will close many more exciting deals in the years to come”.

EEGF III was launched with an anchor commitment from Western NIS Enterprise Fund and attracted investments from the EBRD, FMO, IFC, PROPARCO, DEG, IFU with over one-third of capital raised from institutional investors, foundations, family offices and other private investors. The new fund enjoys strong backing from existing investors of Horizon Capital’s prior funds, who contributed over 55% of total commitments.  U.S. and Europe-based investors contributed roughly 35% each of total capital raised, with the remainder from other international investors.

EEGF III’s investment strategy is focused on fast-growing, export-oriented companies that leverage Ukraine’s cost competitive platform to generate global revenues primarily in IT, light manufacturing, food and agriculture. The Fund will also pursue investments in select, high-growth domestic market segments, including e-commerce, healthcare and pharma, consumer goods and financial services.  Investments will range from $5-20 million and be made over the next 2-3 years.

Jeffrey Neal, Horizon Capital Founding Partner and Chairman of the Investment Committee, said: “Under Lenna Koszarny’s leadership and with our talented deal partners Denis Tafintsev, Vasile Tofan and Konstantin Magaletskyi, Horizon Capital has reached new heights. I am confident in our team’s ability to back visionary founders and deliver solid returns to our investors.”

EEGF III has made six investments to date, five in the core sectors driving Ukraine’s export boom and best-positioned to access global markets, including IT, light manufacturing and food and agro.  The Fund has backed Genesis, global IT product company; Intellias, fast-growing large IT services company; Yarych, leading biscuits producer; MAIB, #1 bank in Moldova, and others.

Horizon’s latest fund builds on the success of its previous funds raised for Ukraine and the near region: $370m EEGF II launched in 2008 and $132m EEGF I launched in 2006, both providing buyout/expansion capital for domestic-focused businesses.  EEGF III is the first Horizon Capital growth equity fund focused primarily on IT and export-oriented companies in their market.

Horizon Capital (www.horizoncapital.com.ua) is the leading private equity firm in Ukraine, backed by over 40 institutional investors with over $850 million under management in four funds.  Horizon Capital is a value-added investor, backing visionary entrepreneurs leading transformational businesses in Ukraine and the near region.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Tetyana Bega

Investor Relations Director

Horizon Capital

Tel. +380 44 490 5580

e-mail: tbega@horizoncapital.com.ua

For the first time in Slovenia, Telemach with the BIGGEST package represents unlimited data transfer

We are proud that today we can offer the users of the only real mobile package in the Slovenian market, which brings an unlimited amount of data transmission.

Telemach has again moved the boundaries of mobile communication and entered 2019 with the upgrade of the MOST mobile package, which now provides unlimited data transmission in Slovenia in addition to unlimited calls, SMS and UNIFI network. At Telemach, we keep our promises and improve our packages for new and existing users alike. Best Bundled User Experience MAXIMUM will now be $ 2 more favorable than before; monthly subscription is € 20 for Telemach fixed line users and € 22 for everyone else. The offer in the package is mostly applicable to business users.

Hargray Agrees to Buy USA Communications Alabama Assets

Hargray Communications has agreed to purchase the Alabama assets of USA Communications. Terms of the deal were not disclosed

The deal, expected to close in early 2019, involves USA Communications systems in Pell City, Ala. and surrounding areas.

“We look forward to building upon USA Communications’ recent network investments and will deliver the fastest Internet service in town, a very high quality residential video service, and superior communications products and solutions to the businesses in the USA Communications’ service territory,” Hargray chairman & CEO Michael Gottdenker said in a statement.

Hargray plans to dedicate additional financial resources over the next year to grow USA Communications’ network to provide next-generation products and services to its residential customers.

“We are proud of what we have accomplished with this system over the last few years, but as we look toward the future of communications and entertainment services, it is our belief that Hargray’s larger scale and unique combination of technological expertise and community focus makes them the best possible choice to provide advanced telecommunications services to our communities,” USA Communications CEO Chris Hilliard said in a statement.

Michael McHugh at B. Riley FBR, Inc. was financial advisor to USA Communications for this transaction.

Dealmakers 2019: RBC Capital Markets Recognized for Leading Total Financings

The Financial Post’s annual Dealmakers feature looks at the top storylines and table rankings across a broad range of Canadian corporate dealmaking. It unveils the big deals and the financial institutions behind them. Last year, Canadian dealmaking saw a pull back as volatility in the markets and adversity in the oilpatch combined to curb sales of shares and bonds.

RBC Capital Markets topped Financial Post's Dealmakers 2019 rankings in the All Financings, Corporate Full Credit and Corporate Debt Full Credit categories.

Milestone Communications Inc. Activities 2018

Press Releases

October 15, 2018

Castle Pines, CO – Milestone Communications, Inc., a leading brokerage firm serving the cable telecommunications industry, served as advisor to Spillway Communications, Inc. and E.T. Communications, Inc. in the sale of their cable television system serving Maringouin, Livonia, Fordoche and portions of Point Coupee and Iberville Parishes in Louisiana.  Sale represented over 1,500 RGU’s.  Michael W. Drake of Milestone Communications, Inc. represented Spillway Communications, Inc. and E.T. Communications, Inc. in the transaction.

July 1, 2018

Castle Pines, CO – Milestone Communications, Inc., a leading brokerage firm serving the cable telecommunications industry, served as advisor to East Texas Cable Co., LLC in the sale of its cable television system serving Canton and portions of Van Zandt County, Texas.  Sale represented over 2,000 RGU’s.  Michael W. Drake of Milestone Communications, Inc. represented East Texas Cable Co., LLC in the transaction.

July 1, 2018

Castle Pines, CO – Milestone Communications, Inc., a leading brokerage firm serving the cable telecommunications industry, served as advisor to Ultra Communications Group, LLC in the sale of its cable television systems serving various communities near Abilene, Texas.  Michael W. Drake of Milestone Communications, Inc. represented Ultra Communications Group, LLC in the transaction.

May 1, 2018

Castle Pines, CO – Milestone Communications, Inc., a leading brokerage firm serving the cable telecommunications industry, served as advisor to Buford Communications I. LLC in the sale of its cable television system serving various communities in Gregg, Rusk and Panola Counties in Texas.  Sale represented over 1,300 RGU’s.  Michael W. Drake of Milestone Communications, Inc. represented Buford Communications I, LLC in the transaction.

February 1, 2018

Castle Pines, CO – Milestone Communications, Inc., a leading brokerage firm serving the cable telecommunications industry, served as advisor to Reynolds Cable TV, Inc.in the sale of its cable television system serving Bolingbroke and portions of Monroe County, Georgia.  Sale represented over 900 RGU’s.  Michael W. Drake of Milestone Communications, Inc. represented Reynolds Cable Tv, Inc. in the transaction.

UBS retains lead as Institutional Investor's Top Global Equity Research Firm of the Year

For the second consecutive year, UBS has been named Institutional Investor's Top Global Equity Research Firm.

Zurich, 27 November 2018 – For the second consecutive year, UBS has been named Institutional Investor's Top Global Equity Research Firm, retaining the #1 spot in the annual ranking and having been in seventh place in 2013. The ranking, based on votes from buy-side analysts and portfolio managers, is a testament to the value that UBS analysts and its Research platform bring to clients globally.

Clients voted for their preferred research analysts and teams in each region. Together, this resulted in UBS holding 157 leading positions across the world, ranking well ahead of peers.

"We'd like to thank our clients for once again recognizing our top-rated analysts and the strength of our Equity Research offering through their votes,” said Juan Luis Perez, Group Head Research, UBS Evidence Lab and Data Analytics. “The results of the Institutional Investor survey underscores how effective our strategy and investments have been in creating a Research platform that is truly differentiated and invaluable to clients everywhere.”

“We are very proud of our analysts and grateful for our clients' continued recognition of the UBS method of question-driven, evidence-based research," said Barry Hurewitz, Global Head of UBS Evidence Lab Innovations and formerly Global Research COO. "We have the best analysts in the industry, and armed with resources such as UBS Evidence Lab, they are in the best position to identify the questions and create the research that has the greatest impact on investors."

Since its formation in 2014, UBS Research has published thousands of Evidence Lab reports. Across 45 specialized areas, UBS Evidence Lab experts harvest, cleanse and connect billions of data items each month.

The move of UBS Evidence Lab into the broader Investment Bank, from within the Research area, allows clients direct access to the same insight-ready datasets that UBS analysts use.

"We are now in prime position to take our offering to the next level,” said Perez. “With the power of our talent and UBS Evidence Lab, we’re confident in our ability to drive further momentum in Equity Research into 2019 and years to come."

About UBS
UBS provides financial advice and solutions to wealthy, institutional and corporate clients worldwide, as well as private clients in Switzerland. UBS' strategy is centered on our leading global wealth management business and our premier universal bank in Switzerland, enhanced by Asset Management and the Investment Bank. The bank focuses on businesses that have a strong competitive position in their targeted markets, are capital efficient, and have an attractive long-term structural growth or profitability outlook.

UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in 52 countries, with about 34% of its employees working in the Americas, 34% in Switzerland, 18% in the rest of Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 14% in Asia Pacific. UBS Group AG employs approximately 61,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

Investment Bank

The Investment Bank provides corporate, institutional and wealth management clients with expert advice, innovative solutions, execution and comprehensive access to international capital markets. It offers advisory services and provides in-depth cross-asset research, along with access to equities, foreign exchange, precious metals and selected rates and credit markets, through its business units, Corporate Client Solutions and Investor Client Services. The Investment Bank is an active participant in capital markets flow activities, including sales, trading and market-making across a range of securities.

UBS AG

Media contact
UK: +44-207-567 47 14
Switzerland: +41-44-234 85 00
Americas: +1-212-882 58 57
APAC: +852-297-1 82 00

www.ubs.com
 

UBS Evidence Lab
UBS Evidence Lab is a separate business to UBS Research. UBS Evidence Lab provides data and evidence related to specific questions; it does not provide research, investment recommendations or advice.

Volia Call Center in Khmelnitsky: two years of successful service development

The catalyst for innovative processes of work with the company's subscribers was the Volia call center in Khmelnitsky.

Two years ago, VOLIA opened its own flagship call center in the regional center in order to ensure high standards of service and to resolve issues as quickly as possible. Best practices in the global service market were introduced here. The company has invested more than $ 1 million into the new call center and also introduced software from an industry leader.

The company was able to ensure stable operation of the first line of communication with subscribers, which is independent of third parties. The Khmelnytsky call-center is developing rapidly, which has allowed to improve the speed of processing of subscriber appeals and to improve their quality. Now all incoming calls are handled independently, and the average waiting time in the queue is reduced to 30 seconds - for telecom - a good result. Two years of work have shown that the calls received by our own call center are processed faster and better than the outsourcing center.

Currently, the Khmelnytsky Call Center handles over 135,000 incoming calls per month. By the end of the year it is planned to reach 150 000. At the same time, the quality of service is increasing: more and more questions are solved in one call.

On the basis of the Khmelnytsky Call-Center VOLIA also organized an innovative project of developing active sales channels of its services - telemarketing. For this purpose, new training programs were introduced, new conversation cards, simulators, tests were developed - all tools that help to become a sales guru. Now there is a service for attracting new subscribers.

New tasks and increased services have become a challenge for the staff of the center, which is constantly updated with young ambitious employees. For them the company opens new opportunities and development zones. Khmelnitsky Center staff has many successful cases, dozens of plans completed, and even several victories.

In particular, Zabolotnaya Nina, the head of the Khmelnytsky Call Center, became the winner of the national award for achievements in the DzWinner contact center industry.

Cargomatic Closes $35 Million Series B Financing Round Led by Warburg Pincus

Investment will fuel expansion efforts both in the U.S. and internationally

Long Beach, Calif – Cargomatic, Inc. (“Cargomatic”), a leading technology platform that connects shippers and carriers, today announced the closing of a $35 million Series B financing round. The financing is led by funds affiliated with Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing, along with Canaan, Genesee & Wyoming, Xplorer Capital and Muse Family Enterprises. The investment will support Cargomatic’s forthcoming geographic expansion efforts and plans to hire key employees to support its next phase of growth.

Founded in 2013 and based in Long Beach, California, Cargomatic is a highly automated, touchless technology-enabled transportation provider focusing on the fragmented short-haul and drayage trucking markets. Through its mobile application, Cargomatic connects shippers, receivers and carriers and eliminates the volume of calls, emails and faxes traditionally needed to book a transaction. Cargomatic enables customers to track information in real-time, quickly access or list untapped trucking capacity within the market, improve service levels – including pick up time and delivery rates – and effectively manage outsourced vendors within one platform.

“Local trucking is a $70 billion industry in the U.S., and small-fleet trucking companies handle 80 percent of deliveries in metropolitan markets. Cargomatic is revolutionizing the current trucking transportation logistics space by addressing its largest pain points through a unique combination of deep mobile and enterprise technology and the robust logistics support necessary for managing the intricacies of shorthaul trucking,” said Richard Gerstein, CEO of Cargomatic. “We are pleased to have the support of Warburg Pincus, whose extensive experience in logistics and technology-based logistics businesses will be pivotal as we embark on Cargomatic’s next chapter, and work to bring our solutions to more customers around the world.”

“Now more than ever, the use of technology is critical for the logistics industry to increase efficiency, reduce costs and create more coordinated, streamlined operations,” said Alex Berzofsky and Vishnu Menon, Managing Directors, Warburg Pincus. “Cargomatic’s unique and effective technology platform is a key differentiator, as it standardizes driver onboarding and is quickly deployable into new markets.

Parag Gupta, Vice President, Warburg Pincus, added, “We see meaningful opportunity to continue delivering value for customers and expanding the platform to new cities. Rich and the experienced Cargomatic leaders are have a strong focus on culture and team rooted in integrity, and we look forward to partnering with them in this new phase of the business.”

Cargomatic currently operates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Florida, Seattle, Dallas, Houston and New York, and has thousands of trading partners using its platform, including shippers, manufacturers, retailers and third-party logistics providers.

About Cargomatic

Headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., Cargomatic is a technology-based transportation company and marketplace focused on first and last mile transportation. For more information, visit www.cargomatic.com

About Warburg Pincus

Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing. The firm has more than $45 billion in private equity assets under management. The firm’s active portfolio of more than 165 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value. The firm has been an active investor in logistics businesses with current and former investments including BlueGrace Logistics, MercuryGate, Coyote Logistics, New Breed Logistics, Ecom Express, Rivigo, and ZTO Express. Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 17 private equity funds which have invested more than $68 billion in over 825 companies in more than 40 countries. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.warburgpincus.com.

Media Contact

Mary Armstrong

Warburg Pincus

+1 212 878-9207

Telemach continues to invest in the GIGA network

As the leading provider of digital services in Southeastern Europe, United Group continues to be at the forefront of the digital transformation of the region with the construction of the next generation GIGA network.

Today, through our existing infrastructure, we can already provide Internet users with up to 1 Gbps Internet connection speeds while continuing to upgrade our hybrid optical coax network. With the further development of Docsis 3.1 technology, Telemach will be able to provide Internet access at up to 10 Gbps on the same network in the future.

Telemach is ready to offer an additional 1 Gbps packet in certain parts of the network from October 18th. Further investments will ensure that by the end of 2019, Telemach will have the largest new generation network with the largest number of households in Slovenia with access to GIGA speed.

From the outset, United Group investments have been focused on building a network of the future. As a result, it now manages the largest new generation network in the region, ready to support all future needs of its users.

Enterprise Investors to invest in Unilink

Warsaw, 18 July 2018 – Polish Enterprise Fund VIII, a private equity fund managed by Enterprise Investors, has signed an agreement to acquire a 38% stake in Unilink, the number one insurance multiagency in Poland.

• The value of the transaction was undisclosed;

• The deal will consist of a capital increase and a partial buyout;

• The transaction is conditional upon obtaining antimonopoly approval.

Unilink started distribution of insurance products in 2010, entering a market already occupied by sizeable competitors. Today, just eight years later, it is the leading integrator in the multiagent channel in Poland. As domestic market leader and consolidator in the largest distribution channel of the retail insurance market, it benefits from the ongoing consolidation and professionalization of Poland’s insurance distribution. The company is targeting to write insurance contracts worth close to EUR 230 million this year. It works with 10,500 insurance agents, helping them sell insurance products of all the major insurance companies operating nationwide. Unilink also operates via the dealership channel.

“Unilink surpasses all its peers in terms of growth, size, operational performance, organizational development and strategic vision. The company has always been very user-oriented and focused on creating value both for its independent sales agents and for the final customers. It offers its fast-growing network of cooperating agents a strong, sophisticated platform to help them sell the products best suited to the final customers’ needs”, said Enterprise Investors managing partner Dariusz Prończuk, who is responsible for this transaction. The company’s dynamic growth was possible thanks to its very skilled and entrepreneurial management team, which has a proven track record of achieving strong organic growth, identifying, securing and executing acquisitions and introducing innovation”, he added.

Commenting on the transaction, Unilink’s CEO Igor Rusinowski said: “Unilink’s ambition is to become the largest insurance distribution company in Central and Eastern Europe. To achieve this we need a very strong financial partner with appropriate experience who will support our further growth. As the market leader in Poland, we decided to team up with Enterprise Investors, the leading and most experienced private equity firm in the CEE region. We truly believe this partnership will enhance our development thanks to EI’s solid experience in growing businesses in the financial services and distribution sectors and their track record in completing international acquisitions. No less significant is the overall credibility such a partner brings. This move gives our agents clear-cut assurance that we will continue to invest in our service model, IT systems and people. Moreover, it demonstrates to agents and insurance companies that our financial and organizational capabilities are the best in class”.

Enterprise Investors was advised in this transaction by EY Corporate Finance and Gide. The sellers were advised by TDI Corporate Finance and SSW Pragmatic Solutions.

Enterprise Investors is one of the largest private equity firms in Central, Southern and Eastern Europe. Active since 1990, the firm has raised nine funds with total capital exceeding EUR 2.5 billion. These funds have invested EUR 1.8 billion in 142 companies across a range of sectors and exited 127 companies with total gross proceeds of EUR 3.7 billion. Unilink is EI’s 20th investment in the financial services sector in the CEE region.

For further information please contact:

Dariusz Prończuk, Managing Partner
Anna Czywczyńska, Communications & Public Affairs Director
tel.: +48 22 458 8500
www.ei.com.pl