EEFIG Interview - Mihaela Nadasan Deputy CEO, Head of Financial Instruments & Markets, Banca Transilvania

EEFIG Interview

Q1: What is your personal role in your institution regarding clean energy financing (including energy efficiency)?  

Considering my role in Banca Transilvania, as discussion counterparty with the Development Finance Institutions, (the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Finance Corporation, the European Investment Bank, etc) I was involved in all topics regarding environmental and social issues back in early 2000. Starting at that time with lending exclusion lists and sound social practices which continued later on with implementing energy efficiency dedicated products. Currently, I am the Deputy CEO of Banca Transilvania responsible among others for “sustainability” in our bank and thus coordinating a trans-departmental team: business lines, risk management, underwriting, marketing etc. with specific focus on implementing, monitoring and reporting on the ESG topics.

Q2: How has your bank integrated energy efficiency financing throughout its operations? Is energy efficiency a priority or a special role in your lending policies?

We started more than 10 years ago with energy efficiency programs developed by the EBRD and the EEEF, building knowledge among our customers and our banking colleagues. During the last couple of years, we have drawn-up our own lending products for both SME and retail clients, the energy efficiency component being rewarded within our lending scoring models.

Q3: How can support and networking through EU initiatives (such as EEFIG) help promote sustainable energy efficiency financing throughout your institutions operations?

Examples would be: Raising awareness within the entire business community, creating and sharing successful models (successful through their meaningfulness), reaching common measurement models.

Q4: How will your bank play a bigger role in promoting the messages of EEFIG in your countries of operation?

The highly practical way in which EEFIG is organized and coordinates regional approaches is an excellent example of cooperation between different layers of stakeholders of which banks across Europe can benefit from. Getting direct contact to EEFIG initiatives and areas of involvement shall generate double direction results (i) Banca Transilvania transferring and actively promoting to the local market such examples of cooperation and (ii) mitigation of challenges driven by the lack of expertise and of standardized data given the high proportion of SMEs clients in our portfolio.