PANAMA CITY, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Banco
Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S.A. ("Bladex", NYSE: BLX),
Citibank N.A. ("Citi", NYSE: C) and Mizuho Bank Ltd. ("Mizuho",
NYSE: MFG) announced today the recent closing of a US$135.5 million, 2-year and 3-year dual-tranche
senior unsecured syndicated Facility for Global Bank Corporation
("Global Bank").
Established in Panama in 1994,
Global Bank is the second largest Panamanian-owned bank in terms of
assets. The bank is rated BBB-, with a stable outlook, from both
S&P and Fitch, and Ba1, with a stable outlook, by Moody´s.
Bladex, Citi and Mizuho acted together as Joint Lead Arrangers
and Bookrunners in the Facility.
The transaction, which attracted several financial institutions
from Japan, Taiwan, the United
States of America, and Latin
America, was upsized to US$135.5
million from an original amount of US$104 million due to strong investor demand.
Jorge Vallarino, Chief Financial
Officer of Global Bank stated: "We are extremely pleased to have
closed this important facility, led by strong financial partners
like Bladex, Citi and Mizuho. While this was not the first
international syndicated loan done by Global Bank, it allowed the
bank to strengthen some of its existing lending relationships and,
moreover, to add new banking relationships—particularly from
Asia, and further diversify its
funding sources."
Bladex is a multinational bank originally established in 1976 by
the central banks of Latin-American and Caribbean countries to promote foreign trade
finance and economic integration in the Region. The Bank,
headquartered in Panama, operates
throughout the Region with offices in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru,
and the United States of America,
to support the expansion and servicing of its client base, which
includes financial institutions and corporations.
Bladex is listed on the NYSE in the
United States of America (NYSE: BLX), since 1992, and its
shareholders include central banks, state-owned banks and entities
representing 23 Latin American countries, as well as commercial
banks and financial institutions, institutional and retail
investors through its public listing.
For further information on Bladex, please access Bladex's
website at www.bladex.com or contact: Mr. Christopher Schech, Chief Financial Officer,
E-mail address: cschech@bladex.com, Tel.: (+507) 210-8630, Head
Office Address: Torre V, Business Park, Avenida La Rotonda, Urb. Costa del Este, Panama, Republic of Panama
Citi, a leading global bank, has approximately 200 million
customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and
jurisdictions, and is one of the best capitalized banks in the
world. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and
institutions with a broad range of financial products and services,
including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment
banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth
management.
In Latin America, Citi has
gained a prominent position in the financial-services industry
since 1904, when it started operations in Panama, through the International Banking
Corporation. In 1914, Citi opened its first international branch in
Buenos Aires, Argentina, also
marking the first foreign-established branch of any nationally
chartered U.S. bank and, shortly after, opened another in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Mizuho Americas comprises several legal entities, which together
offer clients corporate and investment banking, financing,
securities, treasury services, asset management, research and more.
With professionals in offices throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Chile, Mizuho's operations in the Americas
connect a broad client base of major corporations, financial
institutions and public sector groups to local markets and a vast
global network.
The Mizuho Americas companies are an integral part of the
Japan-based Mizuho Financial
Group, Inc. (NYSE: MFG). Mizuho Financial Group is one of the
largest financial institutions in the world, offering comprehensive
financial and strategic services including private banking and
venture capital through its subsidiaries. The group has over 56,000
employees working in 920 offices in nearly 40 countries throughout
the Americas, EMEA, and Asia. At the end of March 2016, its total assets were $1.8 trillion. Learn more about Mizuho Financial
Group at mizuho-fg.co.jp/english.
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SOURCE Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S.A.