Exarchou: “AKTOR Has Returned to the Top” — The €3 Billion Investment Plan Reshaping Greece’s Economy

Backed by a €1.3 billion capital base, a successful €650 million share capital increase and strong international investor support, AKTOR Group is entering a new era of growth. Chairman and CEO Alexandros Exarchou describes the milestone as “a new chapter” for the Group, while the market views it as the emergence of one of Southeast Europe’s most powerful investment platforms.

The opening bell at Euronext Athens marked far more than the start of another trading session. For AKTOR Group, it symbolized the beginning of a transformational investment cycle that aims not only to redefine the company’s market position but also to strengthen its role in Greece’s economic development.

Following the successful completion of its €650 million Share Capital Increase (SCI) and the issuance of a €300 million corporate bond, AKTOR now possesses the financial firepower to execute an ambitious €3 billion investment programme for the 2026–2031 period.

At the center of this transformation stands Chairman and CEO Alexandros Exarchou, who described the occasion as one of the most significant milestones in the Group’s history.

“Today we are writing a new chapter in AKTOR Group’s history. It is a landmark day for the company and for me personally, as we are bringing to life our vision of a large, outward-looking and dynamically growing Group.”

A Landmark Capital Raising

The significance of the capital increase extends well beyond the amount raised.

Market analysts view the transaction as a strong vote of confidence in AKTOR’s management and long-term strategy, with institutional investors backing the company’s vision for sustainable growth.

Within just 18 months, AKTOR has secured approximately €1.3 billion through equity and debt financing, creating one of the strongest balance sheets among Greek listed companies.

The strengthened liquidity provides the flexibility to pursue aggressive investments while maintaining a disciplined financial profile.

Financial Strength to Support Long-Term Growth

Exarchou presented a compelling picture of AKTOR’s financial position.

According to the Group:

• Cash reserves now stand at approximately €1.3 billion.
• Net leverage remains at a conservative 1.6x EBITDA.
• Pro forma EBITDA has reached €207 million.
• The strategic target is to increase EBITDA to €600–700 million by 2031.

These figures reflect more than financial stability.

They demonstrate management’s ambition to build a diversified infrastructure and investment group capable of financing future expansion through strong operating cash flows rather than excessive borrowing.

The €3 Billion Growth Strategy

AKTOR’s investment programme ranks among the largest announced by a Greek private-sector group in recent years.

The strategy extends well beyond the company’s traditional construction activities.

Management intends to expand across high-growth sectors including:

• major infrastructure projects,
• energy,
• concessions,
• real estate,
• sustainable development projects,
• new investment platforms generating recurring income.

The objective is to transform AKTOR from a conventional construction contractor into a diversified infrastructure and investment powerhouse with multiple long-term revenue streams.

“We Have Returned Where We Belong”

One of the strongest messages delivered by Alexandros Exarchou concerned AKTOR’s historical position in the market.

The CEO argued that the Group has reclaimed its traditional leadership role after years of restructuring.

“AKTOR has always possessed its own unique strength. Today we have returned to where we belong—at the top of the market in Greece and across Southeast Europe.”

The statement reflects management’s broader ambition: positioning AKTOR not simply as Greece’s leading construction company, but as a regional infrastructure champion.

International Investors Back the Vision

A key objective of the capital increase was to broaden the company’s shareholder base by attracting long-term international institutional investors.

According to Exarchou, that objective has been successfully achieved.

The participation of foreign institutional investors strengthens AKTOR’s credibility and enhances its access to international capital markets as the Group pursues its expansion strategy over the coming years.

A Vote of Confidence from the Market

The successful transaction also received strong institutional endorsement.

Yiannos Kontopoulos, CEO of Euronext Athens, described the capital increase as a clear vote of confidence from investors in AKTOR’s growth prospects.

Meanwhile, Vasiliki Lazarakou, Chair of the Hellenic Capital Market Commission, emphasized that a capital increase of this magnitude deepens and strengthens Greece’s capital market, reflecting its growing maturity and attractiveness.

Their remarks underline that AKTOR’s achievement is significant not only for the company itself, but also for the evolution of the Greek financial market.

A Catalyst for Greece’s Investment Cycle

AKTOR’s strategy comes at a time when Greece is entering a new phase of infrastructure and strategic investment.

Growing demand for:

• transport infrastructure,
• energy projects,
• digital transformation,
• urban regeneration,
• green transition initiatives,

creates significant opportunities for companies with strong financial resources and proven execution capabilities.

AKTOR aims to capitalize on this environment by investing not only in project construction but also in long-term assets capable of generating stable and recurring returns.

From Construction Company to Investment Platform

Perhaps the most significant element of AKTOR’s transformation is its shift beyond the traditional contractor model.

Management envisions a Group that:

• develops,
• invests,
• manages,
• and operates

major infrastructure and strategic assets across multiple sectors.

This integrated business model mirrors that of leading European infrastructure groups, where long-term value creation increasingly comes from owning and operating assets rather than simply building them.

The Next Phase Begins Now

The completion of the capital increase is not the conclusion of AKTOR’s transformation—it is its starting point.

The real challenge now lies in converting €950 million in fresh capital—raised through the share capital increase and bond issuance—into investments that generate sustainable earnings growth, create long-term assets and strengthen the Group’s competitive position across Southeast Europe.

For Alexandros Exarchou, this marks the realization of a strategic vision developed over the past eighteen months.

For investors, it represents something equally important: the emergence of a Greek corporate group with the financial strength, strategic ambition and international investor backing to become one of the leading infrastructure and investment players in Southeast Europe over the next decade.

Source: pagenews.gr