Sri Lanka’s leading player in the Capital Markets services sphere entered into an investment and partnership agreement with Bangladesh’s BetaOne Investments Limited as it continues with its journey to realize its vision to become ‘The No.1 Investment Bank in Frontier Markets.
Under the agreement, Ajith Fernando-led CAL will own a significant equity interest in BetaOne Investments Limited and will partner with the current group of shareholders which includes a handful of highly reputed family businesses and professionals in Bangladesh. BetaOne expects to roll out a full spectrum of Merchant Banking services over the coming months including Mergers & Acquisitions advisory, Debt Capital Markets, Equity Capital Markets, Wealth Management, and margin lending.
Established in 2011, BetaOne Investments Limited is a leading licensed merchant bank in Bangladesh offering a wide range of financial solutions for both individual and institutional investors.CAL was advised on this transaction by Ace Advisory, a leading advisory firm in Bangladesh providing Corporate Advisory and other financial services.
“We are pleased to announce our second entry-point into Bangladesh, having obtained a TREC from the Dhaka Stock Exchange earlier this month. This is a significant milestone in CAL’s venture into other regional frontier markets” commented Fernando whos the Group CEO at Capital Alliance.
“Bangladesh is expected to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world over the next decade and we are excited to be able to play a part in the evolution of its capital markets. Our partnership with BetaOne will enable us to offer high-quality financial solutions to family businesses in Bangladesh who are seeking fresh avenues for growth whilst also offering our international clientele lucrative investment opportunities in a fast-growing market. Sri Lankan Companies have also historically enjoyed good business relations in Bangladesh and we hope to create greater market access for them as they continue to invest and expand globally” he added.
BetaOne Chairman, Zulfiquar Rahman highlighted that the partnership would bring closer to realizing the shared purpose of two enities.
“What we sought for in an investment partner was a shared purpose to elevate the benchmark for capital markets solutions in the region, founded on a strong set of values that are integral for growth and sustainability in the financial services sector. We are excited to find a like-minded partner in CAL, so that together, we can offer clients a competitive advantage at a regional scale,” he commented.
CAL’s market-leading insights and its focus on building long-term relationships with family businesses set it apart from other market players in this space. BetaOne expects to extend this same emphasis in Bangladesh as well.
CAL first entered the Sri Lankan market in 2000 as a licensed primary dealer, rapidly evolving into one of only five non-bank licensed primary dealers in the country. The company has grown over the past two decades to become the market leader in Investment Banking services, offering a growing list of solutions including Wealth Management, Equity & Debt Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory, Stockbrokering, Fixed Income Trading and Private Equity. It has been lauded with the title of ‘Best Investment Banking Company in Sri Lanka’ among other accolades.