S&P to highlight “dynamic” increase of telecom, cable and satellite issuers at TMT Finance CEE

July 2, 2014 - PRLog -- Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service will highlight the “dynamic pace” of telecom, media and technology (TMT) corporate capital raising across the CEE region at the upcoming TMT Finance & Investment CEE Conference (www.tmtfinance.com/cee) in Warsaw on September 30.

Patrice Cochelin, Senior Director Corporate Ratings, Analytical Manager, Telecom & Technology EMEA, Standard & Poor’s will make a keynote speech highlighting the latest changes and opportunities for corporates in front of a regional audience of senior executives, investors and advisers.

“TMT credits from the CEE region have accessed the debt markets at a very dynamic pace over the past few quarters, supporting bank disintermediation, private equity buyouts, and sector consolidation,” said Cochelin.  “Issuers from the Telecom, Cable, Satellite, and Software worlds have come to market, with a good share of newly-rated issuers. Some issuers such as Polkomtel have saved hugely on interest by refinancing at the right time.

“Risks such as currency mismatches have not disappeared, however. Of note, CEE recorded the only default of a rated Telecom company in the EMEA region for 2013 (Magyar Telecom). Most of our TMT ratings in CEE carry a stable outlook, however, a testimony to the resilience of the main economies, for example Poland, and the fact that capital structures are now—with only few exceptions—in line with mature debt market expectations. At this point, the turbulence in Russia and Ukraine has not negatively affected our ratings of Russian telecom companies, although we will keep monitoring developments closely.”

Over 60 speakers representing the leading regional telecom and cable operators, private equity investors, investment bankers and advisers will feature at the TMT Finance & Investment CEE 2014 conference which has been expanded to meet demand for the sector.

Key speakers announced so far include regional leaders from Liberty Global, Telekom Austria, VimpelCom, EMSA Capital, IFC, ING, Raifeissen, Rothschild, Barclays Capital, Bank Pekao, Crédit Agricole CIB, EBRD, Resource Partners and Russian Towers.

The event is produced by global news and events specialist TMT Finance, supported by Coleago Consulting, CMS, Clifford Chance, Dentons, Linklaters and Standard & Poor’s.

Key sessions include Telecom and Cable Strategy Round Tables; The TMT M&A Panel; Regulation,  Investing in Broadband and Consolidation; Future of TMT – Co-operating in a new ecosystem; Raising Finance from Debt and Equity; Mobile Money; Emerging Risk – How can telecom companies protect investments?; Investing in Innovation and Adjacent Markets.

   For more details on the programme and registration opportunities go to www.tmtfinance.com/cee