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Luxembourg / Prague / Bratislava  FOKUS optik and FOKUS očná optika are the largest eyewear retail network in the Czech and Slovak Republic. By closing both transactions, MiddleCap Group has become one of the largest players in the Central European eyewear retailers market, now operating more than 150 stores. MiddleCap is the owner of both companies.

Both retail networks have been active in the relevant markets for a long time, deriving their history from the foundations back in the 1950s. With its 66 operations, FOKUS očná optika has been the leader on the Slovak market for a long time. Czech FOKUS optik is the number one in the number of stores (90) and number two based on the revenues. The assortment of both companies consists of a wide and attractive product portfolio in the range of prescription glasses, sunglasses, spectacle frames, contact lenses and accessories. In Slovakia, several operations include also a Vision centre – the connection of opticians with an outpatient medical facility under one roof, which provides the customer with comprehensive eye care. In the Czech Republic, gel contact lenses, designed by world-renowned Czech inventor Otto Wichterle, were applied for the first time in the world in Prague stores operated by FOKUS optik.

“We perceive FOKUS as a traditional strong brand, known for its reliability, product quality, and especially for highly qualified personnel. With the purchase of Czech and Slovak FOKUS, we want to leverage the existing market potential and synergies from the integration of the brand in the two countries, thus strengthening the position of the FOKUS brand as a leader in the Slovak and Czech optical retail market. At the same time, we see great potential in developing the FOKUS brand in other Central European countries,” commented Martin Proksa, Head of Private Equity at MiIddleCap Group, S.A. and a member of the Board of Directors of FOKUS očná optika andFOKUS optik.

In this transaction, MiddleCap was advised by a Slovak law firm MCL providing complex services including acquisition, financing and structuring advisory and the Czech law firm Urban & Hejduk.

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The German Nürburgring witnessed the first-ever victory of the Slovak driver in the Ferrari Challenge series on this circuit. Already in the third race of the premiere season in the series recorded the premiere victory Matúš Výboh, a partner in MiddleCap Group S.A. Matúš spoils in the colours of Scuderie Praha. Like the other drivers, he was sitting behind the wheel of the Ferrari 488 special.

On the famous German circuit Nürburgring sounded Saturday, July 6, 2019 Slovak anthem. It happened after Matúš Výboh, as the first of the starting field saw the checkered flag. The riders showed the spectators an exciting race full of twists and hard fights, especially at the head of the starting field. Matúš Výboh has been driving consistently fast times all the time.

He came to the forefront when he took full advantage of Talian Emanuel Maria Tabacchi’s only hesitation in round 12. Since then, the Rossocorsa rider has kept in contact with Trofeo Pirelli leaders with a comfortable lead over his pursuers. Martin Nelson of Scuderia Autoropa came second after Tabacchi twist, but the Italian tried very aggressively to regain the lost position.

The experienced Swede resisted the pressure and crossed the finish line behind the winning Matúš Výboh from Slovakia, only three-tenths of a second in front of  Tabacchi. Christian Overgaard (Forza Racing) finished fourth with Oliver Plassmann (Autohaus Ulrich) just behind him in fifth place.

The Nürburgring race was the fifth round of the Ferrari Challenge series. The Italian Imola is still waiting for the riders in September and the world final will be at Mugello circuit at the end of October. The Ferrari Challenge series has been running since 1993 and has been approved by the FIA.

Scuderia Praha Ferrari Challenge’s general partner is MiddleCap Group S.A.

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Bratislava, November 12, 2018

MiddleCap sold to the First Real Estate Fund managed by IAD Investments an office building that grew up on the premises of the former Stein brewery in Bratislava. This acquisition is one of the largest real estate transactions in Slovakia in 2018. It is a project with more than 12,000 m2 of administrative and commercial premises, which will thus be added to the real estate portfolio of the First Real Estate Fund, o.p.f.

The project and subsequently also the development of the mentioned object was realized by MiddleCap Real Estate Ltd. through the subsidiary AMW Development a.s. At the end of 2015, the company bought the land from YIT Reding with the aim of building administrative and commercial premises.

MiddleCap Real Estate Ltd., owned by Miroslav Výboh, got the authorised approval of administration building of the multifunctional complex NEW STEIN at the end of 2017 and the first tenants moved to the new administrative premises in March 2018. Currently, the largest tenants are the international companies Deutsche Telekom Services Europe and Lucron Group. The building is located at the crossroads of the streets Krížna and Legionárska. On seven floors, it combines mostly the administrative part with the premises for providing services (900m2) and 170 parking spaces. The new building meets strict environmental criteria and is in the process of obtaining the environmental certification LEED Gold. With the change of owner, the name of the office building is changed to STEINERKA Business Center. The aim is to build on the history of Krizna Street, which the inhabitants of Bratislava remember just as “Steinerka”

“The fact that we managed to conclude the transaction involving the sale of the building in a relatively short time, less than 10 months after final building operation approval, clearly shows the high standard of project processing and finalization. We are sincerely pleased that we have fulfilled our public commitment to quality, which we gave at the very beginning.” commented Matúš Výboh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AMW Development.

“The NEW STEIN multifunctional office building, now the STEINERKA Business Center, is another valuable asset that diversifies our real estate portfolio. We expect this investment to help us to stabilize and possibly increase the positive performance of the fund, ”states Ing. Vladimír Bencz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of IAD Investments, spol.

“The purchase of a newly-built office building brings to the portfolio of the First Real Estate Fund, o.p.f. another new quality real estate in an attractive location of Bratislava. Together with the above-mentioned tenant structure and the above-standard length of lease contracts, the acquisition represents strong potential for the appreciation of the asset,” said Mgr. Vladimír Bolek, Member of the Board of Directors of IAD Investments reports. spol., a.s. responsible for managing real estate investments. On the seller’s side, MiddleCap Advisory provided complete transaction advice. IAD Investments, správ. spol., a.s. he was represented by the team of CMS, the financial and tax consultancy was provided by Deloitte and the technical consultancy was provided by Sentient ČR.

General information about MiddleCap Real Estate.

MiddleCap Real Estate (formerly Mayfair Assets) is part of MiddleCap Group, S.A., an established investment and consulting firm based in Luxembourg with offices in London, Bratislava, Prague, Dubai and Monaco. It was established in 2018 by the merger of MiddleCap Equity Partners, a.s. and Mayfair Assets Ltd. Partners of the newly formed business group MiddleCap Group, S.A. are Miroslav Výboh, Matúš Výboh, Matej Majerčák, Roman Guniš and Michal Kviečinský.
The Group provides a full range of financial advisory services, acts as a long-term real estate investor and actively seeks opportunities with hidden investment potential in private equity, venture capital and capital markets.
Over the past three years, the company has provided transactional advice in excess of 800 million euros. The total volume of real estate projects carried out so far exceeded EUR 110 million. More information: www.middlecap.com

Basic information about IAD Investments, reports. spol., a.s. and First Real Estate Fund o. p. f.

IAD Investments is the oldest independent Slovak management company. It has been providing financial services to individuals and corporate clients in Central European countries since 1991. Within its European operations, it manages assets in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia, totalling more than EUR 800 million. EUR. First Real Estate Fund o. p. f is the oldest mutual fund in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, which invests in real estate market assets. Its portfolio consists of investments in various classes of real estate assets – real estate (offices, logistics, retail, etc.) and in the long term brings positive performance to investors with the potential for long-term growth in the value of assets.