Blackstone completes the acquisition of €1 billion majority stake in Luminor

2019-09-30

Luminor announced today the acquisition of a 60% majority stake in the bank by a consortium led by private equity funds managed by Blackstone. The bank’s current owners, Nordea Bank Abp (“Nordea”) and DNB BANK ASA (“DNB”), will each retain a 20% equity stake in Luminor.

The consortium, which includes a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”), as well as other co-investors, has now completed the transaction having received the relevant approvals.

Nordea and DNB will continue to support the bank with long term funding, expertise and on-going representation on the Board of Directors. Blackstone has agreed with Nordea to purchase their remaining 20% stake over the coming years.

Blackstone was uniquely positioned to manage this complex acquisition and is well-placed to support Luminor and the wider Baltic economy going forward.

Nadim El Gabbani, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, said: “We are excited by the long-term partnership with management, Nordea and DNB and look forward to working together to create a stronger platform to further economic growth in the Baltics. We will continue to support local businesses and strongly believe that Luminor is well positioned to continue to lead the market as an independent provider of financial services.”

Nils Melngailis, Chairman of the Supervisory Council of Luminor, said: “The Baltics benefit from a strong macroeconomic climate and a stable operating environment, and are among the most dynamic economies in the European Union. This transaction represents one of the largest investments in Baltic history and I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the regulators in the approval process and our teams in completing the transaction. I look forward to our strategic partnership with Blackstone.”

Erkki Raasuke, CEO of Luminor, said: “Blackstone is an ideal partner for Luminor as it undertakes one of the most extensive corporate transformations in the Baltics. Their demonstrable track record in transformations, strong financial standing and network of global talent will support Luminor in growing as the largest local independent bank; a bank which will be dedicated to supporting sustainable growth of the Baltic region by providing long term commitment to businesses and individuals.”

For more information, please contact:

Blackstone
Ramesh Chhabra
+44 (20) 7451 4053
Ramesh.Chhabra@Blackstone.com

Luminor
Ivi Heldna
+ 372 52 31 192
Ivi.Heldna@luminorgroup.com

About Luminor
Luminor was established as an independent Baltic bank in autumn 2017, built on the Baltic businesses of Nordea and DNB and combining the experience and knowledge from the Nordic countries. We are the third-largest provider of financial services in the Baltics, with approximately 1 million clients, 2,500 employees, and a market share of 16.4% in deposits and 20.2% in lending as at the end of the second quarter of 2019. Total shareholders’ equity amounts to €1.6 billion and Luminor is capitalised with a CET1 ratio of 18%. On 13 September 2018, Moody’s assigned Luminor long and short-term, foreign and local currency deposit ratings of Baa1/Prime-2.

About Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies in which we invest, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our asset management businesses, with $545 billion in assets under management, include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone.

About ADIA
Established in 1976, ADIA is a globally-diversified investment institution that prudently invests funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi through a strategy focused on long-term value creation. ADIA has invested in private equity since 1989 and has built a significant internal team of specialists with experience across asset products, geographies and sectors. Through its extensive relationships across the industry, the Private Equities Department invests in private equity and credit products globally, often alongside external partners, and through externally managed primary and secondary funds. Its philosophy is to build long-term, collaborative relationships with its partners and company management teams to maximize value and support the implementation of agreed strategies. For more information: www.adia.ae