Annual Report 2018

BIO’s mission sets it on a challenging quest for balance between this focus on profit and the commitment to a sustainable and inclusive society in least developed or emerging countries. It is a delicate mix that pervades all of BIO’s activities and constitutes its DNA. And, much like it is for a tightrope walker, or a cyclist for that matter, to keep your balance, you must keep moving.

2018 Highlights

• BIO decided on 22 new investments for a total of € 150 M.
• BIO monitored 83 outstanding loan investments. BIO employees also personally participated in boards and committees of its 52 equity investments.
• BIO’s Special Operations team intensively accompanied clients in trouble. They managed to reduce BIO’s total provisions for the company’s outstanding investments from 5,96 % (2017) to 5,02 % (2018).
• BIO granted 10 subsidies totalling € 850,000 to new capacity building and technical assistance projects.
• 15 loans were reimbursed and 6 equity investments were exited.
• BIO established a new facility for investing in small projects with a particularly high development impact but with high risks and relatively lower expected financial return.
• In 2018, investment capital grew thanks to a capital injection by the Belgian State of € 61 M, of which € 20 M was earmarked for investments to combat climate change. Furthermore, the substantial net gain of € 67.8 M of 2017 on an investment in a Cambodian MFI was converted into capital, bringing BIO’s means available for investment to € 937.7 M.
• BIO has a brand new logo. The colours signal we are Belgian. Its style refers to our affiliation with Belgium’s development cooperation.