Autonom Services, the leading independent player in Romania’s operating leasing and rent-a-car markets, continues to fund itself via the Bucharest Stock Exchange and lists the first Romanian corporate bond issue linked to sustainability targets. The bonds, worth over EUR 48 million, are traded on the Regulated Market under the ticker AUT26E. This is Autonom’s second bond issue listed on the Exchange and the largest issue by a Romanian entrepreneurial company on the local capital market. The AUT26E issue is part of an offering programme under which Autonom Services may repeatedly issue bonds over the next five years, with an aggregate nominal value of up to EUR 250 million.

Placing and listing were carried out with BRD Groupe Société Générale acting as Sole Programme Coordinator and Arranger of the bond issue, and BT Capital Partners as Manager/Distribution Group. Law firm RTPR acted as legal adviser to the transaction, and Ernst & Young as the issuer’s financial auditor.

Statements:

• Daniela Secara, CEO BT Capital Partners: "We are proud to have worked for the second consecutive time with Autonom Services, which has once again delivered a first for Romania’s capital market — the first sustainability-linked bonds issued by an entrepreneurial company. The success of this offering, significant for the domestic market and placed in a challenging local and global context, confirms Autonom’s innovative vision for the local mobility segment".
  
  
• Marius Stefan, co-founder Autonom: "Today is a historic day for our company. Throughout Autonom’s history, we have always aimed to stay connected to the latest trends in our industry and beyond. Sustainable development speaks to the needs of the present, because right now we are all responsible for paying closer attention to what we intend to leave to future generations. This green bond issue is part of Autonom’s sustainability strategy for the coming years, in which the environmental pillar is the key direction guiding our actions and decisions. We aim to reduce the average carbon emissions of our operating fleet by 25% by 2025 and by 51% by 2030. We want to provide modern mobility solutions and we thank investors for choosing to support us in this long-term project".
  
  
• Dan Stefan, co-founder Autonom: "Given the latest global proposals on reducing pollution, it is increasingly clear that businesses worldwide have an urgent need to optimise their processes. The corporate bonds debuting today are the first step we are taking towards improving how we use natural resources within our company. We aim to make mobility more efficient by transitioning to greener fleets and by developing Autonom sustainably. We thank the investors for joining us in this process of turning Autonom into a promoter of sustainability in Romania, and the partners who made this ambitious project possible".

In November 2021, the company successfully closed the private placement for the first tranche of the offering programme, raising over EUR 48 million from institutional investors such as international financial institutions, open-end investment funds, banks and insurance companies. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is a key partner in this project, being one of the main investors through its subscription of EUR 10 million.

Autonom sold 4,803 registered, non-convertible and unsecured bonds, with a nominal value of EUR 10,000 and maturing on 23 November 2026. The interest rate is fixed, at 4.11% p.a., subject to a 0.30 percentage point per annum step-up if the sustainability performance targets detailed in the PROSPECT are not met.

Autonom Services listed its first corporate bond issue in December 2019, with a total value of EUR 20 million. The bonds are traded on the Main Market of the Bucharest Stock Exchange under the ticker AUT24E.