J&T Explained

J&T Finance Group
Type:	Public Limited Company
Foundation:	Slovakia (1993)
Location:	Bratislava, Prague, Nicosia
Key People:	Ivan Jakabovič, Peter Korbačka, Jozef Tkáč, Patrik Tkáč (alphabetical)
Industry:	private equity firm, banking
Operating Income:	EUR 82.0 mil (in 2010)^[1]
Num Employees:	501–1,000 employees

J&T is a Central European investment group founded in 1993 in Slovakia.^[2] It operates in the private equity and banking sectors, the largest portion of the value of its investments being in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. J&T invests mainly into the financial services, energy sector, real estate, health care, media and sports. Together with the Penta Group, it is the biggest investment group in Slovakia. In 2010, J&T Finance Group achieved a net profit of €85.0 million (down from €116.0 million in 2009) and total consolidated equity of €729 million. The group’s assets amounted to €3.8 billion and an additional €1.6 billion was managed through asset management services provided to the group’s clients, ranking J&T among the top financial investors in Central and Eastern Europe.

The name of the company is derived from the family names of its two founders Ivan Jakabovič and Patrik Tkáč. President of the J&T Group is Jozef Tkáč.

History

J&T was founded in 1993 in Slovakia by Ivan Jakabovič and Patrik Tkáč, both former classmates. Their first major project was the development of luxury housing on Drotárska Street in Bratislava, Slovakia. An important milestone for the young company was the purchase of investment fund Creditanstalt IF in 1996.^[3] Today, the company specializes in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, but the group also invests in the markets of Switzerland, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. In 2023, J&T decided to sell its Russian subsidiary J&T Bank AO to Bjurokrat holding controlled by Realist bank.^[4]

Business model

J&T is a multinational holding with its parent company, Techno plus, headquartered in Slovakia. The core company of the holding is J&T Finance Group with base capital of 1 billion Slovak crowns.

Ownership portfolio

Banking and financial services

• J&T Banka, in the Czech Republic (general director Štěpán Ašer)
• J&T Banka, branch of a foreign bank in Slovakia
• J&T Bank ZAO, in Russia (In 2023, the transaction for the sale of a division to the Russian bank Realist was approved^[5])
• J&T Bank and Trust, in Barbados
• Poštová banka, in Slovakia (majority shareholder)

Energy, industry and infrastructure

• Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH), a vertically integrated energy conglomerate consisting of more than 30 entities active in all major parts of the energy chain (e.g. mining, heat and electricity generation, commodities trading). It is the largest supplier of heat in the Czech Republic, the second largest electricity producer in the Czech Republic and the third largest mining company in Germany. J&T Finance Group funds Limited Partnerships which owns a minority stake.
• EP Industries, a major Czech industrial holding focused on energy engineering, transport infrastructure and automotive industries. J&T Finance Group owns a minority stake.
• Unipetrol, a major Central European refinery and petrochemical group operating refineries, plants and a network of 355 petrol stations. J&T Finance group owns a minority stake.

Real Estate

• J&T Real Estate
• CEETA (minority shareholder)

Tourism and leisure

• Tatry Mountain Resorts (minority shareholder)
• Best Hotel Properties (minority shareholder)
• ABS Jets

Entertainment

• JOJ Media House, operator of TV JOJ in Slovakia
• AC Sparta Prague, Czech football club

See also

• Economy of Slovakia
• Penta (investment group)
• Privatization in Slovakia

External links

• J&T Board of Directors

Notes and References

1. Web site: Annual Report 2010. J&T. 6 August 2012.
2. Web site: J&T Finance Group, a.s.. securities.com. 6 August 2012. 13 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141213180214/http://www.securities.com/Public/company-profile/SK/J_T_FINANCE_GROUP_as_en_1544639.html. dead.
3. News: Ivan Jakabovič: Využili sme, že ostatní nemali prehľad (interview with Ivan Jakabovič). 27 March 2013. eTrend. 26 August 2003. 27 September 2013. sk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130927100116/http://firmy.etrend.sk/firmy-a-trhy-financny-sektor/ivan-jakabovic-vyuzili-sme-ze-ostatni-nemali-prehlad.html. dead.
4. Web site: J&T Banka predala svoje aktíva v Rusku a opúšťa tamojší trh. Aktuality.sk. Ringier Axel Springier Slovakia. 15 November 2023. 6 April 2014. sk.
5. Web site: ru:Стали известны покупатели еще одного зарубежного банка в России. https://www.banki.ru/news/lenta/?id=10987298. Banki. 21 June 2023. 23 June 2023. ru.