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Vaja JhashiEntrepreneur
Date of Birth: 12.06.1966
Country:  Operator |
Content:
- Entrepreneur and Business Tycoon
- Education and Early Life
- Business Ventures
- Trans-Oil Group of Companies
- Trans-Oil's Diversified Activities
- Infrastructure Development and Acquisitions
- Innovations and Financial Partnerships
- Philanthropy
Entrepreneur and Business Tycoon
Vadim Jashiis a prominent entrepreneur, CEO, and majority stakeholder of Trans-Oil Group of Companies, holding 87.5% of its shares. Born on June 12, 1966, in Moscow, he has been at the forefront of the agricultural industry for over two decades.
Education and Early Life
Jashi's educational background includes a degree from the prestigious Institute of Asian and African Countries at Moscow State University (MGU) named after M. V. Lomonosov. He furthered his studies at Cairo University, earning a degree in Arabic Philology. Notably, he also holds an MBA from Indiana University. Jashi is fluent in four languages: Georgian, English, Arabic, and Russian.
Jashi's parents hailed from Georgia, and his father's diplomatic career exposed him to various cultures at a young age. He spent his childhood in the United States before moving to Russia for his higher education.
Business Ventures
In 1996, Jashi met renowned entrepreneur James Kelly and introduced him to the business landscape of Eastern Europe and the CIS. Together, they co-managed Trans-Oil Ltd for a decade until Kelly retired and entrusted the company to Jashi.
Trans-Oil Group of Companies
Under Jashi's leadership, Trans-Oil Ltd underwent a significant transformation in 2006. He established Trans-Oil Group of Companies, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, significantly expanding its operations and driving its international success. Through its mother company, Aragvi Holding International Ltd, Jashi manages the conglomerate alongside other members of the Board of Directors.
Trans-Oil Group of Companies has evolved into one of Eastern Europe's largest producers and processors of agricultural products. Its vast portfolio includes over 65,000 hectares of agricultural land, five state-of-the-art oil extraction plants in Serbia, Romania, and Moldova, with a total processing capacity exceeding one million tonnes of sunflower seeds. The group also manages multiple grain elevators with a storage capacity of over one million tonnes in these countries, along with two major ports in Moldova and Ukraine, featuring an innovative pneumatic grain handling system. Jashi's innovative approach extended to the launch of Transoilmarket, an e-trading platform connecting farmers with the group's operations. Notably, Trans-Oil Group's "FLORIS" sunflower oil brand has gained recognition not only in Eastern Europe but also in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Trans-Oil's Diversified Activities
Trans-Oil Group of Companies' primary activities encompass:- Cultivation of grains
- Grain storage
- Export of grains
- Production and export of liquid oils, meal, granulated pellets, and hulls
Infrastructure Development and Acquisitions
During the 2000s, Trans-Oil embarked on a remarkable transition from a successful trading company to a vertically integrated corporation with extensive infrastructure. In 1998, it acquired its first asset in Moldova, the country's largest grain elevator in Căuşeni. By 2016, Trans-Oil Group's grain terminal at the Giurgiulești Port had become the fastest in the region, loading over 1,000 tonnes of grain per hour onto sea and river vessels.
Trans-Oil's expansion continued with the opening of an oil extraction facility in southern Moldova in 2010 and a vegetable oil terminal at the Giurgiulești Port in 2011. In the same year, the group acquired shares in its biggest competitor, WJ Group, including its oil extraction plant in Bălți. In 2013, they acquired management rights to a 250,000-tonne grain elevator at the Reni Port in Ukraine. Two substantial investments followed: a purchase of 175 new grain hoppers in 2014 and 100 additional wagons in 2019.
In 2019, Trans-Oil Group acquired the Ultex plant in Țintești, Romania, with a sunflower seed processing capacity of 700 tonnes per day. The deal was financed by a €20 million loan from the International Investment Bank. The group's most recent acquisition came in October 2020, involving an oil extraction plant and an elevator network in Serbia from Victoria Group, valued at over $100 million.
Innovations and Financial Partnerships
Trans-Oil Group embraces innovation across its operations. In 2017, it introduced its Transoilmarket e-trading platform for agricultural producers. The following year, the group launched a 515-meter pneumatic grain handling line at the Giurgiulești Free Port, increasing grain transfer capacity to 300 tonnes per hour.
Trans-Oil's expanding operations necessitated substantial investments. From the mid-2000s, the company forged ties with leading banks and international financial institutions. In 2018, Trans-Oil Group received its first corporate credit ratings from Standard & Poor's and Fitch. In April 2019, the group issued $300 million in Eurobonds on the Irish Stock Exchange through its parent company, Aragvi Holding International Ltd, attracting investors from the US, UK, and Switzerland.
In October 2019, Trans-Oil Group secured a loan of $180 million, with $30 million each from long-time partners European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB), and FMO, the Dutch development bank. ING Bank acted as the arranger and underwriter of the syndicated loan, which facilitated the group's expansion into new markets, strengthening its presence in the European Union, the Middle East, and North Africa, and boosting production of specific commodities.
In 2019, Trans-Oil Group welcomed US-based investment firm Oaktree Capital Management (OCM) as a co-owner alongside Vadim Jashi. OCM is part of Brookfield Asset Management, with combined assets exceeding $511 billion. Oaktree acquired 12.5% of Aragvi Holding International Ltd, the parent company of Trans-Oil Group.
Philanthropy
Trans-Oil Group is committed to corporate social responsibility. They regularly contribute to healthcare institutions in their operating countries, collaborating with Ministries of Health, Labor, and Social Protection. The group actively supports healthcare providers and medical facilities battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Trans-Oil Group also sponsors and organizes children's sports events and activities in their local communities.
