Zonky officially becomes a subsidiary of Air Bank
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The domestic pioneer of the peer-to-peer loan market, where people lend to people, has completed a change of ownership. Zonky, or rather its official entity Benxy sro, today officially became a subsidiary of Air Bank and thus separated from the original owner of Home Credit. In reality, Zonky remains in the portfolio of the PPF Group, the richest Czech, Petr Kellner, who includes both Air Bank and Home Credit.
The purpose of the transaction you companies announced in August, is a closer cooperation between both parties, which will allow Air Bank clients easier access to Zonka ‘s services and vice versa. According to the company, the Zonky brand itself, including their services offered to debtors and investors, should continue as before.
“We want to help both brands be even more successful than today and get their services to even more people. And we will achieve this also by being more efficient together and at the same time learning from each other what the other company can do better, ” believes Michal Strcula, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Air Bank.
No company has yet specified specific ideas regarding synergy effects. However, the bank believes that it can offer its clients additional opportunities to invest free money or borrow in the event that they lack money, which should bring new opportunities for existing investors Zona.
At the same time as completing the transaction, the bank also announced the creation of a new business division, which will be led by Jiří Humhal, who will continue to remain CEO of Zonka. In addition, he will be able to coordinate the activities of today’s Air Banking retail banking division and the bank’s contact center.
Stormy year for Zonky
For the pioneer of peer-to-peer loans, the completion of a transaction that neither party wanted to comment on ended a rather tumultuous year. Zonka spoke a year ago about big plans international expansion, building a new global brand and finding a new big investor.
Everything changed this spring, when the Home Credit management decided to focus its efforts on expansion in Asia and Zona’s original development plans. basically cut out from day to day. It led to the departure of the director of the lending platform Pavel Novák, who was replaced after three years by Jiří Humhal. He had previously headed finance at Zonky, before that he also worked at the Vietnamese branch of Home Credit or several other banks.
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