Jill Dauchy

Banks as a Service: Why Kazakhstan is Rebuilding Its Financial Market Faster Than Anyone Can Write About It BlueScreen has published our new article on the transformation of Kazakhstan's financial system and the growing role of banks as technological infrastructure rather than mere providers of financial products. Today, Kazakhstan is a rare example of a market where regulators, banks and fintech companies are all moving in the same direction, shifting from fragmented solutions to a unified digital infrastructure. This confirms our basic thesis that the future lies in embedded finance and banks as a service that works within familiar business and user services. We recommend reading this article to anyone who wants to understand the current state of the market. #fintech #embeddedfinance #bankingplatforms #kazakhstan #payments #digitalfinance #tarlan

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Ukrainian venture capital firm Flyer One Ventures has announced its new €50 million fund backed by the IFC - International Finance Corporation and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD): https://hubs.la/Q03wPgmQ0

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In Russian Oil Trade: When a buyer signs an SPA with Rosneft/LUKOIL for fuel oil procurement, the refinery submits the SPA to the Russian Ministry of Energy for approval and notarization. Here are my questions for the community: 1. How does the Russian Ministry of Energy verify and approve the SPA (e.g., stamp validation)? 2. How can buyers confirm that the SPA has been approved by the Ministry of Energy? What channels or documents indicate the approval status? 3. Will the approved SPA be stamped by the Ministry of Energy? Or will the PPOP (Product Proof of Product) package include a document with the Ministry’s approval stamp? 4. Who acts as the notary in this process, and how is their role and authorization reflected in the documents? Looking forward to your insights and experiences! #RussianOilTrade #EnergyLaw #CommodityTrading #OilAndGas

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I had the distinct honor of being interviewed by Kazakhstan State TV during the recent Abu Dhabi Eurasian Tuesday: Focus into Kazakhstan. We discussed the rapidly evolving trade and investment landscape between the UAE and Kazakhstan, emphasizing how both nations serve as strategic "bridge countries" connecting global markets and innovation. The collaboration between EurAsia Gulf and the Kazakhstan Business Council is more vital than ever. Together, we are building a robust platform focused on: Expanding Investment, B2B Synergy, Market Transparency

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🛫 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗺 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗸𝗵𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆: 𝘁𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. (версия на русском в комментариях) 📈 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀: • Invest in previously inaccessible opportunities. • Attract fresh capital to industries traditionally underserved by finance. The National Bank of Kazakhstan (𝗡𝗕𝗞) 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: • 🏦 Initiating the development of a cutting-edge National Digital Finance Infrastructure. • 🚀 Accelerating its own Digital Transformation to become a Data-Driven and Agile organization. 📌 𝗡𝗼𝘄, 𝗡𝗕𝗞 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆. 💡 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿? • Improved access to funding for SMEs and industries like agriculture, factoring, and commodities. • Reduced operational and issuance costs compared to traditional financial instruments. • Increased transparency and trust via ongoing asset monitoring. • Enhanced investor protection through independent validation and oracle services. 🤝 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘂𝘀𝗲-𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀? 👇 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆!

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With support from an investment from the Zero Gap Fund, Horizon Capital is catalyzing economic growth and resilience in Ukraine and Moldova. Horizon Capital Growth Fund IV (HCGF IV) invests in innovative, export-oriented, asset-light technology companies that are more resilient to volatile macro environments. As of 2024, HCGF IV has invested over $100 million in portfolio companies, supporting more than 4,800 employees while creating 119 net new jobs. Learn more in our 2024 State of the Portfolio Report: https://lnkd.in/ekqKn9-8

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Our head of Energy Eurasia, Sule Kilic spoke with Report News Agency's Kamran Gasimov on energy transition of Azerbaijan and broader region. As Sule noted, "one big advantage the EBRD brings is that we are actively supporting renewables and energy infrastructure development in all Central Asian countries, so we are well-positioned to engage across borders, supporting preparation with our people on the ground, helping mobilise private capital together with our international partners and financing sustainable infrastructure aimed at further regional integration." Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/d2saEKAT

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Uzbekistan's MIIT minister meets GIP executive to discuss investment cooperation and capital attraction Uzbekistan’s MIIT Minister Laziz Kudratov met with GIP Executive Eric Varvel to discuss expanding investment cooperation, attracting long-term capital to key sectors, and strengthening partnerships with global financial institutions. 👉Link in the comments Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan #Uzbekistan #MIIT #Investment #GIP #GlobalInvestment #EconomicDevelopment #StrategicPartnership #Finance #Infrastructure #InternationalCooperation

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Mobilizing private capital at scale is essential for Ukraine’s reconstruction. From Davos, the EBRD is committing up to €60 million to Amber Dragon Ukraine Infrastructure Fund I (ADUIF) – Ukraine’s first dedicated infrastructure fund – which has already reached a strong first close of around €200 million.    ADUIF will invest in renewable energy, sustainable transport and digital infrastructure – directly supporting energy security, decarbonisation and connectivity – critical foundations for Ukraine’s resilience and long‑term recovery. The fund brings together leading partners – including European Investment Bank (EIB), IFC - International Finance Corporation, Swedfund International and Impact Fund Denmark (formerly IFU) – alongside sponsors Amber Infrastructure and Dragon Capital.    Together with yesterday’s announcement of Horizon Capital Catalyst Fund at Davos on private capital for Ukraine’s real economy, this reinforces a clear message – international investors are ready to engage, and the EBRD remains fully committed to turning confidence into tangible impact on the ground. Greg Guyett

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The new owner of the United Mining and Chemical Company (UMCC) — the Azerbaijani group Neqsol Holding, which acquired the state-owned titanium producer in 2024 for nearly UAH 4 billion — has announced its intention to invest significantly more than required under the privatization terms. https://lnkd.in/dBKyEt95 #UMCC #Neqsol #titanium #Ukraine

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A strong example of how public institutions can leverage Global Database to attract investment and strengthen international partnerships using accurate, registry-sourced data.

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World-renowned investor Jim Rogers has arrived at the Tashkent International Investment Forum to take part in a special panel session: What Makes Uzbekistan a Unique Market for Equity Investment? He was warmly welcomed by Mansur Rasulev, Acting Director of the Investment Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan (IPA). Moderated by CNN International’s Richard Quest, this high-level discussion will spotlight the rise of Uzbekistan as a compelling equity investment destination. With equity markets opening and regulations evolving to attract long-term capital, the country is positioning itself as one of the most promising opportunities in #CentralAsia. We look forward to hearing his perspective on why Uzbekistan may be the next big story in global equity investment. #TIIF2025 #NewUzbekistan #EmergingMarkets #EquityInvestment #UzbekistanTransformation

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🚀 Exciting news for Central Asia's startup community! EBRD is launching the first regional #StarVenture call for applications in Central Asia, bringing together high-potential startups from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan into one cohort. Designed for exceptional innovative startups, Star Venture offers a selective, hands-on growth journey that builds investment readiness and supports international expansion. Through tailored advisory, expert mentorship, and targeted investor access, the programme helps founders address strategic challenges that come after acceleration – preparing them to enter new markets and attract growth capital. Star Venture selects startups through a rigorous, competitive process to ensure the programme benefits those most ready to scale. To date, Star Venture has supported over 450 early-stage companies across 26 markets. In Central Asia alone, 36 participating startups have collectively raised €30 million. Join a select network of founders shaping Central Asia’s innovation future. 👉 Apply now: https://lnkd.in/daQ-Dyj3 More about our offering for startups and eligibility criteria: https://lnkd.in/dVabFK7c Zsuzsanna Hargitai Angela Sax Huseyin Ozhan Ayten Rustamova Holger Wiefel Andi Aranitasi Azim G. Bakai Zhunushov Mustafo Jonmamadov Madi K. Sayan Birimzhan Elaman Saralayev Malika Iskandarova Otabek Timurkhodjaev Behruz Khabibov

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TBY talks to Jeff Erlich, Executive Director of American Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan (#AmCham), about supporting Kazakhstan’s investment ecosystem, engagement at a government level, and opportunities in the economy in 2025. https://bit.ly/4nprs9f With Sofía Souto Hermoso and María Pérez

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Franklin Templeton CEO discusses plans with Uzbekistan's National Investment Fund. They discuss plans for an IPO, a 10% minimum on annual NAV growth, and more. https://lnkd.in/d7BVExeW

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Pleased to see #Azerbaijan advancing from ambition to delivery in its energy transition. At the EBRD , we stand ready to scale up our support—mobilising finance, policy engagement, and private sector participation to accelerate #renewable energy, strengthen #grids, and deploy #storage solutions. Building a #resilient, #lowcarbon energy system requires an integrated approach. We look forward to deepening our partnership with Azerbaijan to deliver bankable, impactful #green investments at scale. Harry Boyd-Carpenter Elisabetta Falcetti Gianpiero Nacci Alkis Drakinos Nataly Mouravidze David Managadze Idil Bilgic Alpaslan, PhD Fuad Ibrahimov Adil Hanif Cristian Carraretto Rezo Bitsadze Dilara Sarı

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It’s not every day that your deal gets featured on Times Square 🌍✨ Very pleased to have supported ILTE Lietuva in its first securitisation issuance, after many years of working together🤝. The transaction was supported by EBRD’s EUR 50 million investment and the notes are now listed on Nasdaq Baltics — a real milestone for sustainable finance in the region. A few highlights of the transaction: ✅ First true-sale green securitisation in the Baltic states ✅ ABS backed by energy-efficiency loans, rated AAA by two international agencies ✅ EUR 112 million unlocked to finance the renovation of multi-apartment buildings across Lithuania 🎉 Huge congratulations to Kristina Vaskeliene, Justinas Bucys, Aurimas Galdikas and the ILTE Lietuva team on this outstanding achievement for ILTE, for Lithuania, and for the wider Baltic region. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eHfd2T7D

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🔔 Daily VC Bulletin Alkis Vrienios Drakinos, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s Head for the Caucasus, announced that EBRD expects to invest more than €300 million in Georgia’s private sector this year. He emphasized that the institution remains committed to Georgia despite the country’s paused EU integration process. Drakinos said the EBRD continues to prioritize support for local banks, SMEs and various sectors of the economy. “We are strongly committed to continuing our support for Georgia’s private sector and the country’s development. For example, this year we plan to invest more than €300 million across various sectors in Georgia, including banks and small and medium-sized enterprises. So we are quite active. At this stage, we are focusing on developing and monitoring existing projects. We have priorities, and we are assessing where and what we should undertake. We will continue researching and developing projects of regional significance,” he said. Source: https://lnkd.in/dGQhU6dV #georgia🇬🇪 #georgiatoday #economy #business

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#Uzbekistan Prepares to List State Assets in London - Financial Times "Move by National Investment Fund [#UzNIF, managed by Franklin Templeton] marks country’s first foray into global stock markets" more: https://lnkd.in/dvgn6Qwy #emergingmarkets #investing #capitalmarkets #IPO #assetmanagement #investmentmanagement

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