Strategic Report Strategic Report Strategic Report Financial Additional Overview Strategy Performance Governance Statements Information Another important project was financing coffee Case study production by Meama. The main goal of the company The village of Akhasheni is to offer its customers high-quality coffee that are In 2018, Bank of Georgia financed a brand new hotel processed in Georgia using modern equipment and in the village of Akhasheni – a micro zone of Georgia’s technologies. Meama has already built the coffee winemaking region in Kakheti, Eastern Georgia. The production plant and administration offices on 5,000m2 hotel was built by Kakhetian Traditional Winemaking of land. The company intends to supply the Georgian – one of the major wine producers and exporters in market, as well as export its products to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Bank of Georgia’s long-term partner, Armenia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan within one to two with whom we have successfully cooperated on a years of production launching. number of projects, starting with a wine factory, later adding spirits production and rehabilitation of a Infrastructure historic wine cellar in Kakheti. With our most recent Infrastructure development remains one of the most project in Akhasheni we helped the company enter the important objectives in Georgia. In 2018, the Bank hospitality sector in the heart of Georgia’s winemaking financed several significant infrastructure projects and region. The hotel has a capacity of 41 rooms equipped among them was the rehabilitation of the Khevi-Ubisa with modern facilities and offering unique cultural segment of Western Georgia’s E60 highway. Bank of experiences in winetasting and local cuisine. The most Georgia supported the project by issuing letters of attractive characteristic of the hotel is its location in guarantee in collaboration with Crédit Agricole, Deutsche Akhasheni, which is one of the appellations for wines Bank and Commerzbank. The rehabilitation of the in Georgia and a wonderful destination for wine second part of the E60 highway Ubisa-Shorapani is also connoisseurs and tourists. Bank of Georgia takes supported by Bank of Georgia via letters of credit in pride in supporting wine tourism in Georgia and by collaboration with Société Générale and HSBC. co-financing the hotel in Akhasheni, we are happy to be playing our role in developing this beautiful Very important projects are implemented to rehabilitate winemaking region of Kakheti. the water supply system. Bank of Georgia financed a German company Ludwig Pfeiffer Hoch-und Tiefbau GmbH & Co. to develop infrastructure and rehabilitate the water supply system in different regions of Georgia. Energy Electricity consumption continues to grow in Georgia and long-term investment in the energy sector remains one of the top priorities in the country. The Bank supported the winner of the tender run by Georgian State Electrosystem for supply of various autotransformers, by issuing a letter of guarantee. The project is part of Georgia’s Ten Year Network Development Plan. Education In 2018, Bank of Georgia organised several meetings for its clients in order to enable a knowledge and information exchange among them. The format of the meetings was Production and export informal and aimed to present the most successful Bank In 2018, the Bank financed natural juices processing of Georgia clients with an opportunity to share their company Aroma Product, which is a leading 100% export success stories with other clients. One of the meetings oriented fruit and vegetable processing company. Bank was held for female entrepreneurs and covered the of Georgia financed the construction of a new production challenges they encounter in their businesses, the solutions plant in Kakheti. The company acquired new filling they reached and the overall experience they received machines that enable it to produce new types of pulpy all the way towards success. We believe in the power of juices and high-viscosity products. knowledge-sharing and hope to help our clients achieve the objectives they set for their businesses. Annual Report 2018Bank of Georgia Group PLC 75