The innovative and flexible financial tools offered to businesses by the Hellenic Development Bank-EAT, in order to cope with the new international competitive environment, were the focus of a special event. The event was co-organized by theAthens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI ), the AthensChamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI ), theHellenic Development Bank-HDBand theAthens Business Association (AEC).

In the main part of the event, the executives of the Hellenic Development Bank-EAT presented and analysed in detail the existing and new financial tools that businesses can use.

Stavros Kafounis, Second Vice President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce & Industry and President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce

Introducing the event, Mr. Kafounis, emphasized that this is an event that puts into practice the Memorandum of Cooperation between the institutions. A memorandum signed a few months ago. It aims to help businesses move into the "next day" of the Greek economy in a better way.

"I think that the cooperation of the Hellenic Development Bank-EAT with the real economy, with the banks and with all professional bodies can have an extremely positive result for the country's economy," said Mr. Kafounis And he also mentioned:

"We are going through a very difficult period, where businesses have put up a huge fight, they have faced tremendous difficulties and we have to make the future a little bit easier for them. Liquidity and securing resources, whether for working capital or for investment, is what we need to do right now.We need to do everything we can to ensure that the huge funds that have been secured for the Greek economy can be distributed to the whole of the real economy in a flexible way. A way that will not create anchors and will ultimately deny access to too many businesses. We all know that the Greek economy is mainly based on small and very small enterprises. So we have to understand that in order to see the market and the economy moving forward, these funds have to reach the whole of the real economy, the whole of the businesses."

Athina Hadjipetrou, Managing Director of the Hellenic Development Bank-HDB

"The Hellenic Development Bank - HDB has proven its capabilities during the pandemic crisis. Today it acts as a growth pillar that mitigates financing and liquidity constraints. At the same time, it fills market gaps in the Greek financial landscape. The central role of the HDB is to play a catalytic role in the dynamic relationship between the State, Banks and Business. Unlike commercial banks, the HDB is the only national development institution authorised to provide leverage to deal with financial crises. The Hellenic Development Bank-HDB designs and rapidly implements modern financial tools that promote access to finance and reduce the financing gap."

Σοφία Κουνενάκη Εφραίμολγου, president of ΕΒΕΑ

"Each of our institutions, using the means at its disposal, is constantly looking for ways to broaden its offer. So we develop actions that seek to:

• help
• strengthen entrepreneurship
• encourage the initiative
• promote synergy
• ultimately facilitate access to the most important instrument for strengthening business, finance

Our common goal is to create a new environment for business prosperity."