* Information note on the meeting of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the President and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon *
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met today with the President and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon.
The meeting came two days after the announcement that JPMorgan, one of the largest financial institutions in the world, is investing in the acquisition of approximately 49% of the online bank Viva Wallet.
During the meeting, Jamie Dimon informed the Prime Minister that JPMorgan intends to expand its office in Greece, to invest further in Viva Wallet and to attract high-level staff to the country.
“As you know, we have plans to expand over time, so this could be a technology hub for JPMorgan Chase around the world,” the banking giant said at the start of the discussion.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis noted that JPMorgan’s decision is a “vote of confidence in the country and the economy” and at the same time “confirms the new culture of startups that has appeared in Greece.”
“Viva is a great sign of the talent in the field of engineering” that Greece has, said Mr. Dimon, adding that it is a field that offers an “excellent way” for the development of the economy. “I am excited about the progress you have made in Greece and we are also excited to buy 49% of Viva,” he added.
The meeting was also attended by the Head of the Finance Office of the Prime Minister, Alexis Patelis, the Head of Investment Banking of JPMorgan in Greece Stelios Papadopoulos and Takis Georgakopoulos, Global Head of Wholesale Payments.
The entire dialogue between the Prime Minister and Jamie Dimon
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: I am very glad that you are in Greece and I would like to thank you for the vote of confidence in the country and the economy. I consider it very important that you made a significant investment in a Greek company fintech with a very high valuation. I believe that this move confirms the new culture of startups that has appeared in Greece.
I would like to point out something that I consider to be of particular importance, the option legislation enacted by our government, which is an advantage for all employees of the company.
I understand that you are also strengthening your overall presence in Greece in the sense that you provide more financing to Greek companies, while at the same time you have turned your attention to the country for possible investments in the Research and Development (R&D) sector.
What I can tell you is that the country has turned the page and that Greece in 2022 has few similarities with Greece during the period of economic crisis. We expect the final figures for growth for 2021 and I think it will be much higher than our budget forecasts. And I would not be impressed if we had a positive surprise in terms of growth in 2022.
But beyond that, I think we have laid the foundations for long-term, sustainable development. And we want you to be part of this story, not just because of your Greek background, but because you really see the opportunities that exist in the country. Thank you. Thank you for your visit.
Jamie Dimon: I’m excited to be here. You know, we first met in 2019 and we had planned a trip which was unfortunately canceled due to this terrible disease, Covid. But I’m excited about the progress you have made in Greece and we are also excited to buy 49% of Viva.
I think Viva is a great sign of the engineering talent you have in this country and it is a great way to grow. As you know, we have plans to expand over time, so this could be a technology hub for JPMorgan Chase around the world and I’m very happy for Greece, for my Greek heritage.
I am very proud to be Greek and I always think that if my grandparents were here, three of whom immigrated from the country in difficult times, they would be surprised today for two reasons: one is that I am with the Prime Minister and the second is that I am the President and CEO of JPMorgan Chase. So that makes me proud for many different reasons. Thank you.
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