The Athens Stock Exchange welcomed representatives from National Bank of Greece (NBG), the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund (HFSF), and their underwriters at a special opening ceremony, marking the successful completion of the HFSF's divestment of its 22% stake in NBG through a public offering.

"On behalf of the management of the Athens Exchange Group, I welcome the representatives of National Bank of Greece, the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund, and their underwriters, and I congratulate them on the highly successful completion of this important transaction. The strong oversubscription by investors highlights the exceptional success of the offering and represents a milestone for the country’s financial system. Once again, the Athens Stock Exchange has demonstrated its ability to fully support large-scale privatizations, which significantly contribute to enhancing market liquidity and increasing investor interest," stated Yianos Kontopoulos, CEO of the Athens Exchange Group.

HFSF CEO Ilias Xirouchakis remarked: “Greece has won the confidence of the markets and regained investor trust, successfully completing three divestment transactions in less than two months. This remarkable achievement for the country and its economy, culminating in the unprecedented response from both international and Greek investors to the public offering of HFSF shares, is the result of a sound strategy, long-term collaboration, and the dedicated efforts of HFSF and Greece’s financial institutions. The strong investor confidence in the banking sector and the increasing momentum of the Greek economy further strengthen our determination to continue our successful efforts, aiming for the continued development of the financial system and long-term economic stability.”

National Bank of Greece CEO Pavlos Mylonas emphasized: “The success of the offering, driven by high demand from a broad, high-quality investor base, is clear proof of investor confidence in National Bank of Greece and the positive outlook for the Greek stock market and economy. Expanding the bank’s shareholder base with internationally diversified and high-caliber investors is a strong validation of NBG’s impressive performance across all business areas, including its robust capital position, which provides significant strategic flexibility.”

Finally, Vasiliki Lazarakou, Chair of the Hellenic Capital Markets Commission, stated: “The highly successful completion of National Bank of Greece’s share offering, during a period of significant global uncertainty, demonstrates the strong prospects and progress of the Greek economy. It is also a major development for the Greek capital market and the financial sector. Congratulations to all involved, especially to the staff of the Capital Market Commission, who contributed to the timely execution of this transaction with hard work, professionalism, and dedication.”