The 2nd HBOR INVEST Conference organised by the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development was held in Zagreb today. The main topic of the Conference was the capital market as a key driver of the Croatian economy development. The Conference brought together representatives of institutional and private investors, regulators, government and public institutions, as well as many international and domestic experts from the financial industry.
This year, the Conference was dedicated to current topics in the private equity industry, with a special focus on stronger attraction of private investors and establishment of an IPO fund as an innovative tool for financing company growth.
"In recent years, HBOR has positioned itself as a central financial institution on the capital market - an institution that launches key initiatives, encourages the establishment of funds and, most importantly, invests in them. In this way, we send a clear message of trust and security to private investors that we want to encourage to get involved in the development of the capital market, because only through joint action of public and private capital can we build a sustainable market," said Hrvoje Čuvalo, President of the Management Board of HBOR.
As part of the Conference, two interesting panel discussions were held. At the panels, the potential of introducing an IPO fund in Croatia and the possibilities of stronger inclusion of domestic companies in the capital market were discussed. One of the topics was also the role of private capital in the development of venture and private equity investments and mechanisms that can stimulate greater interest from private investors, including tax incentives, co-investment models and partnerships with public institutions.
During the Conference, it was emphasized that stronger development of the capital market is one of the key prerequisites for strengthening investment activity and competitiveness of the Croatian economy, with HBOR playing a very important role by creating a framework for supporting innovative and promising companies.
The conclusions of the Conference confirmed the importance of further developing the domestic investment scene and harmonising public and private interests in order to increase the volume of investments in Croatian companies. In addition, private capital represents a key component of stimulating innovation and growth. However, for its stronger engagement, it is necessary to continue developing regulatory incentives, investment platforms and educational initiatives that will increase investors’ trust.
