Seven international financial services firms eye AIB’s Polish bank stake

A MINIMUM of seven international financial services companies have expressed an interest in acquiring AIB’s 70% stake in Polish player, Bank Zachodni, according to reports emanating from Poland.

While AIB – which, earlier this year announced its intention to sell off all of its overseas operations in order to meet its €7.4bn post-NAMA capital requirements – declined to comment on the matter yesterday, media reports from Poland suggest that suitors are beginning to stack up for the Bank Zachodni stake.

As well as Poland’s two largest lenders, the state-controlled PKO Bank Polski and Bank Pekao SA, it is believed that the likes of Intesa Sanpaolo SpA of Italy, France’s BNP Paribas and the US-based private equity house, Apax Partners are entering bids.