BDPST Zrt. has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire 57 per cent ownership in Gránit Bank Zrt. In accordance with the legislation, BDPST Zrt. has submitted the request for financial supervision required for the closing of the transaction to the National Bank of Hungary, and the request is pending now.

BDPST Group is purchasing 57 per cent in Gránit Bank, the fastest-growing bank of the Hungarian banking sector with a digital business model.

“As a committed financial investor, our group of companies intends to support the business strategy of Gránit Bank in the long term. We intend to provide the capital required for the further dynamic growth of the bank in the form of a capital increase. The aim of BDPST Group is to continue to diversify the activity of the group of companies through the investment. We believe in the business opportunities of the financial sector that is undergoing national as well as global transformation, that’s the reason why we have looked for investment alternatives where the recipe for future success has already been present”, highlighted István Tiborcz, owner of BDPST Group.

The transaction does not constitute a change in the management of Gránit Bank; the bank continues to be headed by CEO and Chairwoman Éva Hegedüs, who is to be interested in the increase of the shareholder value of the bank as a minority owner. The new owner has declared to implement further capital increase in Gránit Bank, and they have long-term plans. Furthermore, they support the launch of the New Employee Stock Ownership Programme.

Gránit Bank started its operation as a greenfield bank in May 2010. Its balance sheet total has increased ninetyfold since its establishment, and it almost reaches HUF 700 billion this year, thus, it has become the fastest-growing bank in Hungary by now. The number of client accounts opened in the bank exceeds 80,000 today, and the rate of non-performing loans (NPL) is just 0.03 per cent, being well below average of the Hungarian banking sector. The management of the bank attributes the good results and the dynamic growth primarily to the fact that Gránit Bank has been the first to implement an innovative, specifically digital business model.

Since its establishment, the bank is headed by CEO and Chairwoman Éva Hegedüs, member of the board of the Hungarian Banking Association. The transaction in relation to the 57 per cent ownership is to be implemented by the investor through share purchase, and, in support of the implementation, the preparation of the agreements with third parties and the licensing procedure of the National Bank of Hungary are in progress.

Established in 2015, BDPST Group is a dynamically growing capital investment company with long-term investment perspective, and it has primarily been known for its investments on the real estate market so far. The strategic objective of the group is to become a group of companies with outstanding performance and to be competitive on global markets in line with a clear vision across sectors and borders.

“The acquisition of Gránit Bank satisfies all the criteria that are important for us, as it is a long-term, future-oriented investment with the possibility of digitalisation and innovation in it”, highlighted István Tiborcz.

Furthermore, the owner of BDPST Group emphasized that the principle and practice of economic, social and environmental sustainability are of key importance to the group. BDPST Group is looking for investments that meet all these requirements at the same time. The 100-percent-Hungarian-owned Gránit Bank is an extremely effective financial institution, which can rightly be proud of its low environmental impact, minimised pollutant emissions and digital, paperless solutions, hereby saving hundreds of trees every year.