Caucasus Energy & Infrastructure (CEI) is a joint stock company organised in compliance with the Georgian legislation. CEI holds a mandate to invest in Transcaucasian companies engaged in the production, transmission and distribution of gas and electricity.  

In February 2008, Abbey assisted CEI in raising USD 50 million from institutional investors through an IPO, which was the largest ever in Georgia amounting to 0.5% of the country’s GDP. The shares were subscribed by several financial institutions with a wide geographical distribution including Kairos, Firebird and East Capital.

In Q3 2009, CEI obtained a license for the construction and operation of a 48 MW hydropower plant on the Mtkvari River in Akhaltsikhe, Southern Georgia (near Turkish border). CEI set up a special purpose vehicle Mtkvari HPP LLC for the implementation of the Mtkvari HPP project. The construction works started in November 2009 and are fully underway, expected to be completed in 2014.

In May 2008, Abbey established an agricultural fund Caucasus AgroDevelopment (CAD) and raised USD 5 million from institutional investors. CAD pursues agricultural investments in the South Caucasus region with the primary focus on Georgia. CAD’s main strategic objective is to become the leading agricultural holding in Georgia by capitalising on the country’s growing demand for high quality agricultural products.

CAD, with Abbey’s assistance, embarked on its first project in the dairy sector recognizing that a shortage of natural raw milk and milk products on the Georgian market creates an attractive investment opportunity in the sector yet to be exploited. Following a thorough due diligence process, CAD picked a dairy farm near Senaki, West Georgia, to serve as its main base for the dairy business development in the country. Abbey acted as an advisor to CAD since its establishment until November 2011.