Prudentia Becomes Certified Adviser on NASDAQ OMX Alternative Market First North in Baltic

05.12.2012 RIG

Riga, December 5, 2012 – NASDAQ OMX Riga is pleased to announce that investment bank Prudentia has been approved as a Certified Adviser on the NASDAQ OMX alternative market First North in Baltic.  

“Companies with revenues of up to 20 million euro often find raising capital more challenging than larger companies. For them to be successful it is paramount to team up with an experienced financial adviser with broad expertise in corporate finance. That includes knowledge of public markets and the alternative market First North in particular, designed primarily for companies that wish to enjoy the benefits of public markets with less stringent regulation. We are happy for Prudentia with its impressive track record and knowledge to join our list of Certified Advisers and extend its services,” says Daiga Auziņa-Melalksne, Head of Exchange Services, NASDAQ OMX Baltic Market.  

Kārlis Krastiņš, Chairman of the Management Board of JSC IBS Prudentia says: “Prudentia is the leading independent investment banking and financial advisory company in Latvia. In 2005 we obtained the Financial and Capital Markets Commission’s authorization to provide investment services. Becoming a Certified Adviser on alternative market First North is a logical step forward in order to broaden the range of our services and to strengthen the relationship with NASDAQ OMX Baltic exchange.” 

First North Baltic provides companies with greater visibility and access to equity capital, combining the benefits of being on-market with less stringent requirements. To join the alternative market First North, a company is required to cooperate with a Certified Adviser. A Certified Adviser has expertise in public markets and corporate finance and serves as a bridge between the company, the stock exchange and investors, enabling the company to exclusively focus on growth. The main task of a Certified Adviser is to support the company in complying with disclosure requirements and other market rules, so that investors have sufficient information in order to take high quality investment decisions. Also, Certified Advisers often act as investment banks, helping companies to raise capital from investors. Altogether there are 15 Certified Advisers on First North in the Baltic countries. 

About Prudentia:

JSC IBS Prudentia is the leading independent investment banking and financial advisory company in Latvia. Founded in 1999 by three partners, Prudentia has been involved in more than 90 different transactions with a total aggregate value of more than 950 million EUR.

Prudentia provides a full spectrum of investment banking and financial advisory services to corporate and private clients. The services include mergers and acquisitions, private placements, management buy-outs and buy-ins, debt and structured financing, initial public offerings, business due-diligence and valuation, and business restructuring.

Prudentia specialists have gained vast experience in many sectors including manufacturing, construction, timber, wholesale, retail, transportation, mass media, telecommunications, IT, financial services, food and beverage production, agriculture and pharmaceuticals.

Clients include: AirBaltic, the Latvian Government, the Treasury of the Republic of Latvia, Depo DIY. , Latvijas Finieris, LNT (Latvian independent television), TVNET, Rīgas piena kombināts, Valmieras Piens , M2 and many more.

Since 2007 Prudentia has been a member of one of the world’s leading partnerships of independent merger and acquisition houses – Global M&A network. Global M&A offers an opportunity to identify potential transaction partners quickly and effectively (strategic investors or possible sellers of companies in foreign markets). In addition, Prudentia has developed a broad network of contacts with financial investors who invest in Central and Eastern Europe and carefully evaluate transactions offered by Prudentia. 

About First North

First North Baltic is regulated as a multilateral trading facility, operated by the NASDAQ OMX Baltic exchange. First North in the Baltic countries has the same business model as First North in the Nordic countries with some country and region-specific adjustments and differences. It does not have the legal status of an EU-regulated market. Companies at First North Baltic are subject to the rules of First North Baltic and not the legal requirements for admission to trading on a regulated market.

Contacts:

Aris Dreimanis, Communications Manager
NASDAQ OMX Riga
Phone: +371 67 212431
Mobile: +371 261242824
aris.dreimanis@nasdaqomx.com

Ieva Lukše, Administrative Director
IBS Prudentia, Global M&A Latvia
Phone: +371 67212324
Mobile: +371 29821402
ieva.lukse@prudentia.lv