The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) on Wednesday announced that the International Matchmaking Event it recently held at a major energy conference was a resounding success.

The matchmaking event was held during the EMC 2023 – Eastern Mediterranean Conference & Exhibition, which took place in Limassol from November 28 to 30, 2023.

This initiative, co-supported by the esteemed Enterprise Europe Network, a beacon for entrepreneurial growth and innovation in Europe, fostered a meticulously curated platform for business collaboration.

The EMC 2023, a premier congregation of energy companies, policymakers, technology innovators, and industry stakeholders, served as the backdrop for this strategic networking endeavour, allowing stakeholders to network in an industry-specific setting.

The event attracted robust participation from both Cypriot and foreign entities, eclipsing expectations with a convergence of 24 local and 36 international enterprises, from 15 countries.

The chamber noted that these meetings culminated in over 70 bilateral discussions, aiming to unearth synergies and potentials for commercial, technological, and research partnerships.

The featured companies leveraged this platform to unveil cutting-edge technologies, systems, services, and products relevant to oil and natural gas refinement, renewable energy installation, energy storage solutions, intelligent energy management systems, and workforce training.

Prospective collaborators seeking additional information or eager to delve into this collaborative ecosystem can connect with EEN Cyprus through the contact points: +357 22889752, +357 22889769, or via email at [email protected].

The Bank of Cyprus (BoC) on Wednesday announced that it has become Cyprus’ inaugural bank to endorse the UN Principles for Responsible Banking, a framework fostering sustainability within the global banking industry.

CEO Panicos Nicolaou championed this commitment, highlighting BoC’s ‘Beyond Banking’ approach, integrating environmental preservation, social cohesion, and robust governance into operations.

“We are very proud to be the first bank in Cyprus to commit to the UN Principles for Responsible Banking,” Nicolaou said.

“Our ‘Beyond Banking’ philosophy applies a sustainability lens to our operations to ensure that we contribute to environmental protection as well as efforts to strengthen social cohesion, and that we have effective governance in place to ensure implementation,” he added.

He further explained that “by endorsing the Principles for Responsible Banking, we reaffirm our strong commitment to sustainability and to amplifying our efforts in order to create long-term value for all of our stakeholders”.

These principles align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement, encouraging banks to embed sustainability into core strategies.

Signatories like BoC commit to measurable environmental and social impact assessments, target implementation, and regular public reporting.

The bank’s endorsement joins 338 global banks with a collective asset value of approximately US$ 98.7 trillion, inviting stakeholders and clients to participate in this pursuit of a sustainable future.

The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) ended Wednesday, December 6 with losses.

The general Cyprus Stock Market Index was at 134.45 points at 12:35 during the day, reflecting a decrease of 0.24 per cent over the previous day of trading.

The FTSE / CySE 20 Index was at 81.65 points, representing a drop of 0.18 per cent.

The total value of transactions came up to €178,418 until the aforementioned time during trading.

In terms of the sub-indexes, the main index rose by 0.2 per cent, the alternative index fell by 1.16 per cent, the hotel index dropped by 4.04 per cent, while the investment firm index increased by 1.4 per cent.

The biggest investment interest was attracted by the Cyprus Cement Company (-7.8 per cent), Demetra (+1.45 per cent), Atlantic Insurance (-1.75 per cent), Hellenic Bank (+0.44 per cent), and the Bank of Cyprus (-0.9 per cent).