GLOBAL BANKING & FINANCE AWARDS 2020: ICU RECOGNIZED AS THE BEST BROKERAGE AND ASSET MANAGEMENT FIRM IN UKRAINE

ICU has received prestigious international awards from Global Banking & Finance in three nominations: "Best Securities Brokerage, Ukraine, 2020", "Asset Management Company of the Year, Ukraine, 2020" and "Best CSR Company, Ukraine, 2020".

Global Banking and Finance Awards were started in 2011 by the United Kingdom based Global Banking & Finance Review magazine to recognize companies of all sizes which are prominent in particular areas of expertise and excellence within the financial world. The awards reflect the innovative and inspirational, achievements, strategies and progressive changes taking place in the financial community from companies all over the world.

“For more than 10 years ICU have been holding a leading position in the securities trading and asset management market, preserving and increasing clients' funds, even during the several crises that our country has been through during this period. Therefore, we are especially pleased that the results of ICU's work are noticed not only in Ukraine, where we have long been well known, but also at the international level,” said Konstantin Stetsenko, cofounder of ICU.

As a brokerage firm, ICU is the undisputed leader in terms of volume and the number of exchange transactions of government bonds in Ukraine. ICU has similar achievements in its asset management business: ICU has the largest volume of investment and pension funds under management, exceeding $70 million. These funds also occupy first place in the market in terms of profitability. The total amount of assets under the ICU management exceeds $500 million.

“The recognition of the group's charitable projects has become an equally important reward for us. Publicity in this direction helps to encourage other companies to perform good deeds and helps them to understand that not everything revolves around business, and without prejudice to themselves, they can also develop the society in which they live in. In this regard, we focus on the economic education of youth: for many years we have been funding the work of the Kyiv School of Economics, CFA projects, and the Center for Excellence in Economic Journalism. Also, at our own expense, we translate into Ukrainian and publish in Ukraine the latest world economic bestsellers, which otherwise would not reach the shelves of Ukrainian bookstores. Alongside our market CSR activities, we also support national health issues, helping “Tabletochki” Charity Foundation to fight childhood cancer. Recently we have helped Ukrainian hospitals in the fight against the coronavirus,” said Konstantin Stetsenko.

To view the full results of the Global Banking & Finance Awards 2020, please follow the link.

About ICU

ICU is an independent asset management and investment advisory firm specialising in the emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe.

Founded in 2006 by senior investment professionals from ING, ICU is Ukraine's leading asset manager with over $500m in assets under management. Our current strategy includes significant allocations to venture capital and distressed debt.

Our veteran investment team has experience in private equity & venture capital, high yield corporate debt, distressed debt, restructurings and other special situations across a number of emerging markets. Investment decisions are supported by robust macroeconomic and sectoral analyses from our in-house team of research economists.

We aim to provide our clients with superior risk-adjusted returns across a number of asset classes. The firm is expanding its reach into key European markets via a combination of organic growth and acquisition and continues to expand the range its investment offerings.

Makar Paseniuk and Konstantin Stetsenko are founding partners of ICU.