UniCredit has been named Financial Advisor of the year in Italy and Central and Eastern Europe at the Financial Times and Mergermarket annual European M&A Awards.

“UniCredit Bulbank leads M&A activities in Bulgaria via a dedicated team of high level professionals . We are proud to be one of the key contributor for the prize achievement. Unicredit Group recognizes our value and gives us all necessary support to be effective in the local market as well as to leverage on its international presence and practices”, said Michele Amadei, Head of Corporate, investment and private banking Division.

Hosted at the Savoy in London, this renowned industry event awards the top dealmakers from the past year across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Financial Times and Mergermarket annual European M&A Awards recognise excellence in corporate, private equity, banking and legal M&A expertise, with winners chosen through a unique selection process.

Gianfranco Bisagni, UniCredit.s Head of CEE Corporate and Investment Banking said: “Without doubt Central and Eastern Europe has also become an important source of M&A activities in recent years. As we strongly believe in the future of cross border transactions, both in terms of international investors looking to enter the region and of local companies looking to expand, we are investing in the mid-cap segment on the advisory side. The latest recognition by The Financial Times and Mergermarket proves the efforts of our teams, which are backed throughout the unique international network of UniCredit.”

Winners are decided using both M&A transaction data from Mergermarket deals database and

independent expert opinion from a panel of leading European M&A practitioners. To view the website for the awards – including details of the judging panel and methodology -please see www.mergermarket.com/awards.

More information for media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity & Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Ekaterina Ancheva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 963, flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova, Phone: + 359 2 9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch