Driving through the rain towards brighter economic future of Ukraine

About a month ago, during a Washington round-table on Ukraine hosted by the US-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), someone asked me what do my colleagues and I expect from the new President of Ukraine and his administration? My answer, which was picked up by the Voice  of America and other publications, was essentially – I have no idea. But since we have been and continue to be bullish on the Ukraine for almost twenty five years, our strategy is to move forward despite the political climates, as we always hope for sunny investment weather, but carry a sturdy umbrella in case it starts to rain. 

Well, it is raining now.  Raining hard and much sooner than expected.

The events of this passed week have created a vicious firestorm with  “Ukraine” being mentioned practically non-stop.  In this post I will not address the politics of the situation, as this has been done by practically every major media outlet in the world ad nauseam. My focus will be on business opportunities and financing tools available to those wishing to invest into the Ukrainian economy, as despite this week’s “torrential downpour” nothing has fundamentally changed to make Ukraine a less attractive place to invest.

First, some basic assumptions under which we have been operating in Ukraine for almost quarter of the century:

• Massive institutionalized corruption exists in Ukraine and it will probably take two-three generations for it to be rooted out;
• Ukraine is a very risky place to do business;
• Many people who accumulated capital in the ’90’s played by the “fast and loose rules” and cut multiple corners;
• As business in the country evolves, most astute business people understand that by playing by the transparent and well-defined rules set out by the western markets they can unlock the value of their holdings, obtain access to low-cost financing and protect their assets for the generational asset transfer;
• Ukraine has fantastic potential for economic growth in multiple sectors;
• Terrific opportunities exist for US, Canadian and European companies to supply goods and services to Ukraine and to bring world-class Ukrainian goods into the Western markets;
• Ukraine has a superb pool of smart and educated labor force;
• Country is of a strategic geopolitical importance and will always be a subject of political pressure and outside influence;

Given the above, it is important to take a long view and not be terribly concerned with current politics, because by definition Presidents, Ministers, Ambassadors and Senators change every few years. Once such long-term philosophy is accepted, then it is necessary to construct one’s proverbial umbrella. Namely, risk mitigation, corruption resistant mechanisms must be incorporated into one’s approach to doing business in the country.  What this means in practice is the following:

• Targeting for investment and financing primarily those sectors where corruption is either low or  non-existent. From our standpoint exports of Ukrainian natural foodstuffs, renewable energy, electro-transport production, IT, nuclear waste containment are some of those.
• Utilizing US Government financing tools, such as those offered by OPIC and US-EXIM  Having these tools part of a business transaction not only provides low-cost, long-term financing, which improves economics of practically any project, but having government-backed financing in a deal, also improves quality of due diligence and acts as fantastic corruption deterrent and protection for investors.
• Obtaining political risk, trade credit, or breach of contract insurance for every significant deal or trade transaction. US  Government and certain well-rated global  insurance companies offer protection to investors from such perils as expropriation, creeping expropriation, currency  inconvertibility, non-payment for goods supplied, or services rendered and for breach of contract.  Such insurance is not terribly expensive, but  de rigueur for anyone looking to invest into the Ukraine, or into any  foreign market, for that matter.
• Creation of a so-called Grey2White® program to allow investment where original capital, or business formation had murky roots, but can be fully re-mediated with application of strict compliance procedures, financial restructuring and accounting oversight.
• Finally, despite of the current rainy weather, we are moving hard to add one more extremely effective tool, which has been missing in Ukraine’s economic development. Creating a safe umbrella for individual American-Ukrainian, Canadian-Ukrainian and members of Ukrainian diasporas in other countries to invest into the future of Ukraine.

What this means is a focused investment platform listed on a stock exchange and subject to a recognized US, or Canadian authority such as Securities Exchange Commission (USA), or Canadian Securities Administration (CSA). Such platform would will further be secured by protection of the political risk insurance and will, for the first time since Ukraine’s independence, allow individual investors with as little as $500! to invest,  to participate in Ukraine’s economic development, while having the umbrella of protection of the western laws, rules and regulations.  We call this platform “Develop UA”™ and expect to formally roll it out to the world in the middle of October, 2019 regardless of whether it is raining, or sunshine in Kyiv and Washington, DC.

relevant links

http://www.usubc.org/site/recent-news/doing-business-in-ukraine-now–usubc-roundtable-in-washington

https://ukrainian.voanews.com/a/amerykanksy-biznes-ukrayina/5051657.html

 

Lots of financing options, yet modest results

How to successfully develop and finance more quality projects in emerging markets?  (Part 1)

Problem:

Last week, at a financing round-table organized by the US-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) – representatives from the IFC, EBRD, OPIC and US EXIM bank reaffirmed their commitment to financing projects and trade with Ukraine.  They also demonstrated a whole host of very effective financing and insurance tools, available for use in Ukraine and other emerging markets.

At the same event, these esteemed organizations mentioned multiple success stories and yet each only named half a dozen, or so, of the largest Ukrainian companies (a few were the same names repeated by several institutions).  They also addressed fairly effective wholesale funding arrangements with local banks to serve local small and midsize businesses (SMEs).

Yet, each of representatives has acknowledged a serious problem, which acutely manifests itself in Ukraine and in other emerging markets: lack of strong bankable projects in the $10-75 mil. range, a segment widely considered the main economic driver and job generator in emerging market countries such as Ukraine.

Also noted were lack well-developed and bankable public sector projects in segments such as healthcare.

Thus given widespread availability of interested project sponsors, along with multiple public financing tools and risk mitigation products, what can be done to bridge the gap and convert more deal concepts into real deals with realistic financing and true economic impact?

Solution:

It is all about proper packaging.   Although the institutions are willing and able to lend,  they each have very specific goals and requirements.  Yet, the project sponsors/borrowers, oftentimes are not able to conform to those requirements, despite the fact that their financials and business plans are often sound.   (To Be Continued)

Financing projects in Ukraine – USUBC round-table announcement

INVITE:  “FINANCING FOR BUSINESS” – US EXIM OPEN FOR UKRAINE, EBRD, OPIC ROUND-TABLE

               Tuesday, March 12, 2019, 3 p.m to 5 p.m. Law Offices of McCarter & English,   
1301 K St., NW, Suite 1000 West Tower, Washington DC 20005

INVITATION: The U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), www.USUBC.org, invites you to attend a “FINANCING FOR BUSINESS – US EXIM OPEN FOR UKRAINE, EBRD, OPIC ROUND-TABLE, on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., with a light reception, in the offices of USUBC member, McCarter & English, 1301 K St., NW, Suite 1000 West (10th Floor), Washington, DC 20005.  The following panel of experts will make presentations followed by a discussion/Q&A session.

PROGRAM: PANELISTS FOR THE ‘FINANCING FOR BUSINESS’ ROUND-TABLE INCLUDE:

(1)  Douglas Frye, Senior Business Development and Loan Officer, Global Infrastructure, Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)
          (2)  Alexander Gordin, Managing Director, Broad Street Capital Group, merchant bankers, specialist in US EXIM & OPIC type project transactions
(3)  Bruce Drossman, Senior Vice President, Global ECA Advisory and Execution, General Electric, GE Energy Financial Services/Global Capital Advisory (with US EXIM for four years)
(4)  Michelle Small, Head of North American Representative Office, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
          (5)  Kenneth Angell, Managing Director, Project Finance & Tara Blake, Director, International Project Finance, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) 
          (6)  John Strayhorn, President, Global Insurance Services, EXIM approved insurance broker
(7)  Morgan Williams, President, U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), Moderator

RSVP:  Registration is required for attendance at the USUBC Financing for Business Roundtable. Please register by sending an e-mail to mwilliams@usubc.org. There is no charge for the meeting. Photo ID is required. USUBC thanks McCarter & English law firm, a new member of USUBC, for hosting the USUBC Business Luncheon in Washington.

“FINANCING FOR BUSINESS” – US EXIM OPEN FOR UKRAINE, EBRD, OPIC ROUNDTABLE
Tuesday, March 12, 2019, 3 p.m to 5 p.m. Law Offices of McCarter & English,
1301 K St., NW, Suite 1000 West Tower, Washington DC 20005. followed by a light reception

President of Kazakhstan visits pioneering Center of Tomotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, program managed by the Princeton Healthcare Alliance

(Astana, Kazakhstan)Yesterday, August 29th, President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan visited a newly opened Center of Tomography and Nuclear  Medicine at the National Research Hospital in Astana the capital of Kazakhstan. Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Hon. Bakhytzhan Sagintayev and the Minister of Health Hon. Elzhan Birtanov were also in attendance.

President Nazarbayev expressed his support for the outstanding effort by Dr. Abay Baigezhin, Director of the hospital and praised the Consulting Radiation Oncologist Dr. Daniel Fass, Chief Medical Officer of the Princeton Healthcare Alliance (PHA), for bringing this state-of- art technology to the people of Kazakhstan.  Dr Fass, who is internationally recognized as a pioneer in Radiation Therapy with over ten years of experience utilizing  Accuray’s Tomotherapy HI-HD equipment explained to the President the unique advantages of that system in treating many malignancies. “This is the first Tomotherapy installation in Central Asia. It is expected patients from throughout the region will be treated at the center.” said Dr. Fass

The clinic will begin treating patients in November and currently has staff training in the Madison, Wisconsin. Building on the success of this project the Clinic plans on expanding to other therapeutic modalities including immunotherapy and stem cell treatments harnessing the advances in precision medicine . Princeton Healthcare Alliance is dedicated to bringing US technology, expertise and financial solutions to improve the lives of citizens in emerging markets the world over.  Next week Dr. Fass, along with other members of the Princeton Healthcare Alliance, will travel to Tashkent, as part of the Trade Mission led by the Broad Street Capital Group (www.broadstreetcap.com) to identify, structure and finance advanced healthcare solutions for the Republic of Uzbekistan

Broad Street Capital Group – part of the Project Financing team, which successfully concluded a cutting-edge, OPIC insured, $250 million capital markets transaction, to finance spent nuclear fuel facility construction in Ukraine

Washington, DC, February 15, 2018.

Yesterday, at a historic ceremony near the White House, a Ukrainian State-owned enterprise, NAEK Energoatom, and a special purpose statutory Trust, have concluded a $250 million loan transaction to finance the bulk of a new Ukrainian Centralized Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility being built in the Chernobyl exclusionary zone.

The low-interest, 20-year loan, is notable for a number of important reasons:

• It is the first time i political risk insurance provided by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) – a US Government agency- has been used to issue bonds in the US capital markets, in order to finance a state-owned enterprise.
• Based on the insurance, and its merits, the project received Aa2 credit rating from Moody’s, which in turn allowed the project to benefit from significantly lower financing costs for the financing of the project.
• The project marks unique collaboration between the US and Ukrainian governments, major US public and private companies and a state-owned enterprise.

Broad Street Capital Group proudly acted as the Financial Developer on this transaction and would like to congratulate all participants and thank the entire project team for its professionalism, dedication and perseverance.

As the Financial Developer, Broad Street Capital has provided project facilitation, assembled the financing team , developed the insurance application, and secured financial support for the project.

About the Broad Street Capital Group

Based in the heart of New York City’s financial district, Broad Street Capital Group (www.broadstreetcap.com) is an international private merchant bank, which since 1988 has served several foreign governments, multiple state-owned companies, as well as SMEs in emerging markets. Through its member companies, the Group focuses on arranging project financing in the $50-500 million range, providing political risk mitigation, export management services and cross-border market development advisory. The Group has done business in over 35 countries, spanning the emerging markets landscape from Bangladesh to Ukraine.

The Firm works closely with all trade and development agencies of the U.S. Government and Export Credit Agencies of several European and North American countries. Since its inception, Broad Street Capital Group has been involved in multiple high-profile cross-border transactions in IT/telecom, aerospace, healthcare, energy generation, food security, nuclear safety, hospitality and franchising sectors. The firm’s current advisory and export management portfolio exceeds $630 million.  For more information, please contact Tamara Zykova at tz@broadstreetcap.com,

 

OPIC STATEMENT AT UKRAINE SIGNING CEREMONY FOR ENERGOATOM SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL PROJECT

Happy Holidays and all the Best in the New Year!

We at Broad Street Capital Group are proud to have been an integral part of this amazing cutting-edge project financing. As a Financial Developer, Broad Street Capital has provided project facilitation, selection of the Placement Agent, as well as insurance application development and financial support for the project. This unique transaction provides for a 20-year! low-interest loan to Energotom to help construct a centralized spent nuclear fuel storage facility in the exclusionary zone in Chernobyl Ukraine.  The loan is funded by a US capital markets bond offering, which is insured by OPIC, rated by a major agency and guaranteed by the Government of Ukraine. Press release below describes the transaction in greater detail. For more information on this project, please write

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December 21, 2017

UKRAINE – Today, the government of Ukraine hosted a signing ceremony in Kyiv for the Energoatom Central Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility Project, which helps move Ukraine closer to energy independence by giving Ukraine the capability to domestically store spent nuclear fuel. OPIC is providing $250 million in political risk insurance and Holtec International, based in Camden, New Jersey, is providing the spent fuel storage casts and other equipment.

The documents included the credit agreement, the sovereign guarantee, the arbitration agreement, and the foreign enterprise support agreement. Representatives from Energoatom, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Broad Street Capital Group, and an OPIC trustee were in attendance.

Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Kistion and Minister of Finance Oleksandr Danyliuk delivered remarks. The U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission George Kent read the following statement from OPIC President and CEO Ray W. Washburne, who was unable to attend:

Thank you all for the invitation to attend today’s signing ceremony in support of the Energoatom Central Spent Nuclear Storage Faculty. I regret that I was unable to attend this important milestone. Many of you have worked very hard to get us here today and I thank you for your commitment.

I am very proud that OPIC has been able to support such an important project here in Ukraine. When I became the head of OPIC just a few months ago, the first international trip I took was to Ukraine. I was very impressed with what I saw here. Despite some challenges facing Ukraine, we see the potential for high-impact development projects here – particularly in the energy sector.

It is a pleasure for the United States to help move Ukraine towards energy independence by providing the capability to store spent nuclear fuel in-country, thus eliminating the need to ship the spent fuel to Russia for storage.

With total project costs of $410 million, Energoatom cannot self-finance the entire project. Therefore, OPIC has committed up to $250 million in political risk insurance to support the development, construction, and commissioning of the Energoatom Central Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility in Ukraine.

This storage facility will be developed to store spent fuel from three of Ukraine’s four nuclear power plants, offering an efficient and secure process. The United States-based company, Holtec International – located in Camden, New Jersey – will supply dry storage casks, transportation casks, ancillary equipment, and engineering and training to the facility over an expected five-year period.

I’d like to thank our partners at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch without whom this deal would not be possible. They will arrange for the sale of OPIC’s $250 million commitment in the U.S. capital markets in the form of fixed-rate bond securities. The proceeds will fund the 20-year loan to Energoatom. We are very pleased that Ukraine will support the OPIC-insured loan financing by issuing a sovereign guarantee for repayment of the loan.

This is the first OPIC deal structured in this fashion and we are pleased to partner on an innovatively financed project. By working together, we will help Ukraine meet its energy needs, while supporting the U.S. economy with the creation of manufacturing jobs.

Thank you.

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The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) is a self-sustaining U.S. Government agency that helps American businesses invest in emerging markets. Established in 1971, OPIC provides businesses with the tools to manage the risks associated with foreign direct investment, fosters economic development in emerging market countries, and advances U.S. foreign policy and national security priorities. OPIC helps American businesses gain footholds in new markets, catalyzes new revenues and contributes to jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC fulfills its mission by providing businesses with financing, political risk insurance, advocacy and by partnering with private equity fund managers.

OPIC services are available to new and expanding businesses planning to invest in more than 160 countries worldwide. Because OPIC charges market-based fees for its products, it operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to taxpayers. All OPIC projects must adhere to best international practices and cannot cause job loss in the United States.

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