Libra Group

Last week over 3 days, a Libra Group delegation, including Executive Chairman George Logothetis, Chief Relationship Officer Maria Paula Correa, Chief Strategy Officer Phaedra Chrousos, Chief of Staff Juliana Sáenz, Senior Associate Esther Abinader, as well as Seema Bajaj, Executive Director of Seleni Institute, a non-profit of Libra Philanthropies, traveled to Colombia and Panama for over 20 meetings with heads of government, public officials, business partners and nonprofit leaders. In Panama, the delegation, as well as #RenewableEnergy subsidiary Greenwood Energy’s (GWE) Country Manager of Panama Menelao Mora, and Global Bank’s Chairman Jorge Vallarino and SVP Marelissa Perez Lopez, participated in a signing ceremony for GWE’s financing facility in excess of $40 million with Global Bank. Other highlights in Panama included: ??Time spent with #RealEstate subsidiary FCA GROUP, S. A., including CEO Raul Gonzalez Neira, to review its portfolio of commercial properties and new partnerships, as well as growth plans of FCA Group. ??Meetings with the Minister of Commerce and Industries (Ministerio de Comercio e Industrias) Julio Moltó and Panamanian chef Mario Castrellón. ??Philanthropic meetings with Gisela Alvarez de Porras, Chairwoman of non-profit and Libra Philanthropies partner Voces Vitales de Panamá, which advocates for advancing equal opportunities for women, as well as a visit to non-profit FANLYC, which supports the well-being and treatment of children with cancer across Panama. In Colombia, the group attended the Fundación Innovación para el Desarrollo's (I+D Foundation) AI forum, where George participated in a Q&A on the challenges and opportunities of AI and the need to ensure humanity persists over an algorithm. The I+D Foundation was launched one year ago by former Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez to empower the next generation of leaders. George also recorded an episode of President Duque’s Tres Respuestas podcast where he shared #leadership insights, Libra’s commitment to contributing to a more sustainable and equitable world, and more. Other selected highlights in Colombia included: ??A Q&A with former and future Libra Internship participants. ??A visit to All God's Children International, an organization dedicated to improving the care and outcomes for vulnerable children. ??Meetings with the GWE team and Arhuaco community, who are working partners on the Terra Initiative. ??Meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Gilberto Murillo and President of the National Development Finance Corporation of Colombia Francisco Lozano. ??Meetings with business partners to further expand #hospitality subsidiary Aria Hotels into Colombia. ??A Q&A with Universidad de Los Andes business students and a meeting with their faculty Dean Veneta Andonova. We’re grateful to our many trusted partners across Latin America and look forward to more #collaborations!

?? Excited to share that Principal Media LLC, one of Libra Group’s #media subsidiaries headquartered in Hollywood with distribution and production capabilities, has acquired a slate of TV series from the renowned Donut Media, the premier destination for automotive “edutainment” content. ?? Donut Media produces exciting, educational shows that celebrate automotive culture through humor and relatable storytelling, simplifying complex topics to make car culture accessible to everyone. Available now for license to TV networks and streaming platforms worldwide, The Donut Show series caters to car enthusiasts of all levels, offering insights into how cars work, their history, product reviews, and DIY projects. ?? We look forward to seeing what exciting projects #PrincipalMedia has in store next! Principal Media is one of two media companies that are part of Libra Group’s #DiversifiedInvestments portfolio. Browse their catalog and offerings here: https://lnkd.in/ebKwz5Uj

?? Last month, our Chief Financial Officer Praveen Vetrivel joined a delegation from EuroEnergy, one of our #RenewableEnergy subsidiaries, including CEO Antonis Menegas and Head of Business Development Marietta Metallinou, on a meaningful trip to Greece and Cyprus, where they met with public and private sector leaders and trusted business partners. In Cyprus, the delegation was honored to meet with the President of Cyprus H.E. Nikos Christodoulides at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia. During their discussion, they explored opportunities for Libra Group to contribute positively to Cyprus’s growing economy across various sectors, including renewable energy, media, real estate, and hospitality. They also delved into the current landscape of the energy sector in Cyprus, with #EuroEnergy expressing its commitment to support the country’s transition to a clean energy future, including through opening a new office in the region. The team also connected with joint venture partner Afcon Renewable Energy, represented by Executive Vice President Dimitrios (Damon) A., with whom EuroEnergy is advancing substantial renewable energy investments in Poland. Together, they developed a solar park in Boguszyn, Poland, which was successfully energized this past April. Furthermore, the team also met with longstanding partner, Schoeller Holdings, as well as AstroBank and EY Cyprus, where they discussed Libra Group's presence and potential opportunities in Cyprus across sectors. Praveen also visited Athens, Greece where he engaged with Libra Group subsidiaries, partners, and senior executives of leading financial institutions to explore opportunities across Libra Group. ?? We are always thankful for the opportunity to connect with partners, colleagues, and public leaders, and we look forward to sharing exciting updates on the developments that will arise from these visits!

Proud to share that on Monday, Greenwood Energy (GWE), one of our #RenewableEnergy subsidiaries, closed on a financing facility in excess of $40 million with partner Panama's Global Bank to further GWE’s work to advance #CleanEnergy in the country. This new facility will contribute to the operation of GWE’s ?LM? M?TER 40 MW #solar project, which recently completed construction. The scalable partnership model with the Universidad de Panamá (UP) is the second launched by GWE in Latin America and will allow UP to become the first public university in Latin America entirely powered by renewable energy sources. It will supply clean energy to power UP for over 40 years, preventing 380,000 tons of CO2 emissions during that timeframe. After 20 years, ownership of the solar facility will be transferred to UP for the remainder of the plant’s life cycle. This financing agreement is part of a strong, established relationship between our Group and Global Bank, which has included financial agreements with our Latin American #RealEstate subsidiary FCA GROUP, S. A. over the last two years. ? Thank you to our trusted partner Global Bank, a prominent lender in Panama, whose resources have allowed this project to come to life and supply clean energy to Panama. We look forward to many future #collaborations as we invest in the future of Latin America!

Last week, St. Johns Ship Building, Inc., the Jones Act-compliant shipyard of one of our #maritime subsidiaries, Americraft Marine Group, participated in the 2024 International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans, LA. Drawing over 13,000 industry leaders, the International #WorkBoat conference and exposition connects commercial vessel owners, operators, builders, as well as vendors and suppliers, fostering #collaboration and #synergies across the marine industry. The St. Johns Ship Building team, including Edward Sheets, Executive VP of Americraft Marine, and Joe Rella, President of St. Johns Ship Building, engaged with key maritime stakeholders sharing insights and showcasing their innovative and sustainable solutions. Most recently, St. Johns secured a contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the construction of two stop log barges that will be used for civil work maintenance and repair missions around Tulsa, Oklahoma. This project adds to St. Johns’ pipeline of high-quality, reliable #vessels—ranging from offshore wind support vessels to versatile barges that support a secure U.S. economic and clean maritime future. We look forward to seeing the new opportunities and partnerships that will emerge for St. Johns following this landmark industry event, and to many developments to come!

?? Proud to share that LCI, one of our #aerospace subsidiaries, is expanding its fleet with 7 state-of-the-art Leonardo AW169 helicopters configured for emergency medical services (#EMS), placed under LCI's joint venture with Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (SMFL). The helicopters will be leased to long-standing partner Babcock Canada Inc., a global leader in #engineering and critical support services, and subcontracted by Ascent Helicopters Ltd., marking Ascent Helicopters as the first operator to bring the AW169 to Canada. The #helicopters will provide EMS operations across British Columbia on behalf of BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), which carries out medical emergency evacuations and patient transfers between healthcare facilities, responding to calls from over 7,800 patients a year. The highly capable AW169s will be specially equipped with night vision goggles and medical interiors - modifications that will enable the helicopters to meet mission-critical operational requirements in British Columbia. The first helicopter has now been handed over, with the remaining 6 set to be delivered by January 2025. We look forward to following the growth of this enduring #partnership as LCI demonstrates its commitment to providing tailored solutions for highly specialized critical missions!

Our leadership is on the move! Recently, Senior Executive Board Member Adamantios Tomazos and Chief Governance & Sustainability Officer Arguiró Elefteriu traveled to Texas, visiting two of our U.S.-based subsidiaries Seapath and Elandis. In Houston, Adam and Arguiró attended the Galveston LNG Bunker Port (GLBP) Board meeting. GLBP is a joint venture between Seapath, one of our #maritime subsidiaries, and Pilot LNG LLC, dedicated to supplying LNG—a cleaner alternative to traditional marine fuels—to LNG-powered vessels in the Houston/Galveston area. The project recently reached a major milestone by securing a gas supply agreement with Energy Transfer’s Houston Pipeline Company, valued at approximately $1 billion over more than a decade. The Board meeting gathered key team members, including Seapath President and COO Joshua Lubarsky, MBA and Pilot LNG CEO Jonathan Cook, to discuss progress and future milestones for this groundbreaking initiative. While in Texas, Adam and Arguiró also spent time with #RealEstate subsidiary Elandis’ local teams touring the following properties in Houston: Waters at Westchase, The Forest, Pine Creek, Kirkwood Landing, Hudson at Westchase, and Crosby at Westchase. Today, #Elandis owns approximately 4,200 multifamily housing units, focused on affordable housing and community revitalization. It’s always great to spend valuable time with colleagues and partners around the world and we look forward to following continued progress at Seapath and Elandis!

? Recently, sister organization and independent foundation Libra Philanthropies held its Learning Lab, “Empowering Youth: Breaking Barriers to Leadership in Civil Society,” hosting nearly 50 young professional from its Rising Global Leaders program to examine key obstacles youth face in #leadership, including underrepresentation, ageism, and limited access to resources. The Learning Lab gathered leaders from around the globe to explore solutions like building #mentorship programs, creating inclusive forums for expression, and fostering international knowledge exchanges to prepare the next generation of changemakers. Rising Global Leaders is one of 10 #LibraPhilanthropies initiatives and aims to nurture emerging #leaders. Over the past decade, the initiative has partnered with organizations to create programs, offer higher education fellowships, and provide access to transformative career development opportunities. ?? We recognize that empowering young voices is critical in shaping the future of civil society, and we’re proud to see this program in action and the impact that it will have!

Last week, Chief Relationship Officer Maria Paula Correa traveled to the Dominican Republic (DR) where she attended the Centro de Analisis para Politicas Publicas (CAPP - Center for Public Policy Analysis) Regional Meeting in Santo Domingo, a gathering that convened esteemed leaders from the public, private and non-profit sectors. Among the participants of the 7th regional conference were H.E. Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, as well as 9 former Ibero-American presidents from countries such as Colombia, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and more. Organized by CAPP and led by DR’s Minister of Industry, Víctor Bisonó, this year’s event focused on addressing modern challenges in politics, economics, and society across Latin America, as well as solutions to enhance democratic institutions and improve the political landscape. The conference also highlighted the key role that the private sector plays to advance #innovation and development in the region. The event was developed in collaboration with the Freedom & Democracy Group, coordinated by H.E. Iván Duque Márquez, former President of Colombia, and the International Foundation for Freedom, chaired by Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa. After the gathering, Maria met one-on-one with President Abinader to discuss Libra Group’s activities in the country’s renewable energy sector, including with #RenewableEnergy subsidiary Greenwood Energy, which formalized a presence in the DR earlier in 2023. They discussed other possibilities, including bringing Greek-born #hospitality subsidiary Aria Hotels to the country, potential #aerospace #collaborations, and more. As Libra Group’s leadership team continues to travel around the world to spend quality time with partners and colleagues, we look forward to sharing more exciting travel and business updates!

?? We are proud to join LCI, one of our #aerospace subsidiaries, as it celebrates two decades of impact and #innovation in #aviation! This week marks 20 years since LCI took possession of its first fixed wing aircraft in November 2004, launching a unique and inspiring journey. ?? Over the last 20 years, LCI expanded into #helicopters and advanced air mobility, and has completed over $10 billion in transactions. Landmark moments such as a $1 billion fleet divestment during a cyclical high point in 2007 and nearly $3 billion in acquisitions during the aviation market downturn from 2009 to 2010 underscore LCI's nimble and forward-thinking approach. ?? Today, with a fleet of around 325 aircraft upon delivery of placed orders, LCI is pioneering the future of aerospace #technology with investments in electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (#eVTOLs) and autonomous cargo aircraft systems. LCI has grown into one of the largest lessors of mission-critical helicopters, and is taking a leading role in sustainable innovation and growth in the sector, most recently accelerated with a 35% investment stake from partner Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (SMFL). Congratulations to #LCI on its remarkable journey. Here’s to many more years of growth! #AviationLeasing