Mubadala and Sberbank sign strategic agreement

Business Bureau, Gulf Today

Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), an Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor and Sberbank, the largest bank of Eastern and Central Europe and a leading global financial institution, on Tuesday signed a strategic agreement to explore opportunities of mutual benefits.

The agreement covers cooperation in multiple areas, including co-investments, debt and equity financing, long-term financing of Mubadala projects in Russia and other territories, advisory services, hedging FX and credit risks, among others.

Furthermore, the agreement paves the way for potential cooperation and investments in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, life sciences, venture capital, Islamic finance, telemedicine and education. Sberbank and Mubadala are jointly developing a more detailed roadmap outlining engagement and cooperation plans across these verticals.

The Sberbank-Mubadala strategic partnership will unlock potential co-investment initiatives in both Russia and the Middle East, which are also expected to enhance bilateral trade between businesses in both regions.

Commenting on the partnership, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Mubadala said: “We’re pleased to formalize our relationship with Sberbank and establish a new and exciting platform to unlock investment and financing opportunities in Russia and the UAE.

“We’ve successfully invested in Russia over the last decade, and with the establishment of Mubadala’s Moscow office last year coupled with today’s new partnership with Sberbank, we are in a position to further broaden our presence in Russia.”

Herman Gref, CEO, Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank added, “The signing of an agreement with a reputable international investment company such as Mubadala reflects a deeper interest from Gulf countries’ in opportunities within Russia and vice versa. Today, Russian businesses are showing considerable development potential. We are becoming pioneers in financial collaboration between Russia and the UAE and are confident that the horizons of this partnership will continue to expand.