Managing Director and Head of Greek, Cypriot and Central European Banking at Citi.

Based in London. Mr. Lekkas has 15 years of investment banking experience, having joined Citi in 2011. Prior to that, Linos was Head of Greek and Cypriot Investment Banking at BofA Merrill Lynch for 6 years. He started his career with Credit Suisse in 1997.

Mr. Lekkas has a broad M&A and financing background, having advised clients across several sectors.

Among others, Mr. Lekkas has advised the Hellenic Republic, National Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank, Eurobank EFG, Hellenic Telecoms (OTE), Vodafone-Panafon, Forthnet, Coca-Cola Hellenic, Titan Cement and Motor Oil on a number of M&A and capital markets-related transactions.

Most recently, Mr. Lekkas advised Alpha Bank on its merger with Eurobank EFG (pending) on a combination that will create the leading bank in Greece and South Eastern Europe. Mr. Lekkas is also currently advising the Hellenic Republic on a landmark transaction involving the former Athens Airport, known as "Hellinikon".

A selection of Mr. Lekkas' other key transactions include advising:

  • Delhaize on its €96m public offer for Alfa-Beta Vassilopoulos' minorities
  • National Bank of Greece on its inaugural $625m Tier 1 preference share offering
  • Forthnet on two rights issues (€300m in 2008 and €120m in 2006) and on its €490 acquisition of NetMed
  • OTE on its €2.9bn public offer for Cosmote's minorities and subsequent refinancing of its bridge loan facility via a dual tranche €2.1bn 3-year and 7-year senior fixed rate bond offering
  • Marfin Investment Group on its €5.2bn equity raising
  • Hellenic Republic on the €1.1bn sale of a 10.7% stake in OTE via an Accelerated Global Tender (AGT) in 2007
  • Alpha Bank on a €483m sale of Treasury shares via an AGT
  • Marfin Financial Group on the €1.6bn public offer by Cyprus Popular Bank
  • Hellenic Republic on the €835m sale of a 10% stake in OTE via an AGT (2005)
  • Motor Oil on the €146m sale of shares via an AGT
  • Hellenic Republic on the €722m secondary offering of OPAP shares (2003)
  • Vodafone-Panafon on a $493m secondary share sale concurrently with a €623m exchangeable bond by France Telecom (1999)
  • Hellenic Republic on the 1998 NYSE-listing of OTE

Mr. Lekkas holds a B.Sc (First Class Honours) in Business Economics from Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London and an MPhil in Finance from Robinson College, Cambridge University. Mr. Lekkas is married with two sons.


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