Natalia Zhukova is Director of the Food and Agribusiness sector Team at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The EBRD is an international financial institution owned by 74 countries, the European Union and the European Investment Bank; and is active in nearly40 economies across three continents including Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey, Central Asia, as well as Middle East and North Africa.

The EBRD’s main focus is to modernise the agri-food sector and help companies move away from business as usual, investing in a sustainable,responsible and innovative way, including through adoption of new technologies and processes. The Bank provides over €900 million of financing annually to the food and agribusiness sector, with a total portfolio of more than €3 billion of investments. Our clients include leading international and local companies, operating throughout the agri-food chain from farming to processing to food distribution and retail. The EBRD plays a major role in promoting food security through its investments and policy support.

Natalia leads a great team of 50 staff with 24 different nationalities who have gained experience from over 930 projects worth over €16 billion. This has made the Bank one of the single biggest investors in the food and agribusiness sector in our region. In addition to investments, we also provide advisory services to companies with the aim of scaling up private sector participation in the sector and making food production more efficient and more sustainable in the future.

Natalia joined the EBRD’s Food and Agribusiness Team at the end of2004. During her years at the EBRD, she was instrumental in increasingthe Food and Agribusiness portfolio in Russia and Central Asia. Natalia was Regional Head of Food and Agribusiness in Russia, Central Asia, Greece and Cyprus, until 2017 when she became the Head of Food and Agribusiness. Before joining the EBRD, Natalia worked as a Deputy Head of the Risk Analysis division at VTB retail arm, DeltaCredit, and in the private sector.