Top Romanian businessmen planning to establish banks

Two of the most powerful businessmen in Romania – Ioan Nicolae, owner of Interagro and Romeo Pomponiu, general manager of Steilmann Bukarest, are thinking about entering the banking system.

They are planning to establish a bank together with other businesspersons or to launch separate banks if they cannot strike an agreement, according to sources in the banking sector.

“Plans to establish a bank are more actual than ever, they have become a project. We will take a break now in order to take over and integrate SNTR – the National Company of Romanian Tobacco, and next year we will also focus on the bank,” Ioan Nicolae told Ziarul Financiar.

“The state used to hold a 17% stake in Asirom until recently, but we have operated a share capital increase and now the state only owns about six percent. Now, I can use Asirom to participate with 98% of shares to the establishment of a bank,” Nicolae maintained.

Ioan Nicolae controls the main insurance company in Romania – Asirom, through Interagro company and Astra Romana refinery.

“We already have nationwide coverage through the 230 subsidiaries held by Asirom,” Nicolae stated. The Romanian businessman has been trying for some time to take over or establish a bank. Nicolae last year carried talks with the Turkish shareholders of the Romanian International Bank.

On the other hand, Romeo Pomponiu is also voicing interest in the banking sector. “We are currently in talks with German investors, but there is nothing certain for the moment,” Romeo Pomponiu told Ziarul Financiar.

“The commercial bank, which I hope will be launched some time next year, will have entirely private capital. The Government and the National Bank of Romania have offered us their support for this project,” Pomponiu stated.

The businessman owns seven subsidiaries of the Turkish-Romanian Bank (BTR), which he came to hold following the compensation of some banking deposits he had held at BTR.

When BTR crashed, at the end of last year, the executive had several million dollars in the bank’s accounts. Pomponiu is now trying to make the best of the space he owns.

The two businessmen were significant clients of BTR, therefore the bank’s crash was rather painful, as the services provided by the Turkish-Romanian Bank were deemed as some of the best.

Interagro owner, Ioan Nicolae, runs businesses in insurance, chemical industry, agriculture, alcohol, oil and football.

Pomponiu is the general manager of the Romanian subsidiary of German wear group Steilmann. Steilmann Bukarest last year posted turnover worth 572.675 billion ROL and profit of 67.63 billion ROL.