Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) has signed an agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to acquire – subject to regulatory approval – approximately 10% of the common shares in its Romanian pension fund company Carpathia Pensii. The strategic partnership is intended to promote the expansion of voluntary pension fund provision in Romania.

Peter Höfinger, Deputy Chairman of the Vienna Insurance Group and VIG Board member responsible for Romania, commented on the background to the agreement: “We are delighted to be extending our already successful partnership with IFC to the Romanian market. IFC’s planned participation in our Romanian pension fund company strengthens our position in the local pension market and will support Carpathia Pensii’s product development and digitalisation strategy. Together, we will take important steps to strengthen voluntary pension provision in Romania, which is still underrepresented despite positive growth dynamics.” 

Peter Höfinger is describing conditions that apply not only to the Romanian market. Against the backdrop of demographic challenges and increasing financial burdens on state pension systems, VIG sees considerable potential in the area of private savings for pensions throughout the CEE region.

Carpathia Pensii – Societate de Administrare a Fondurilor de Pensii Private S.A., part of VIG and based in Cluj, has been active on the Romanian market since 2007. With assets under management of more than EUR 4 billion, it is the fourth-largest pension fund company in Romania and serves more than one million customers.

The transaction deepens a long-term cooperation between VIG and IFC that was established in Central and Eastern Europe. At the end of 2022, IFC acquired a stake of around 10 % in Doverie, VIG’s Bulgarian pension fund company. In December 2025, both partners signed an agreement on capital increases, under which IFC intends to acquire around 20 % of the Ukrainian VIG companies USG and Kniazha. With the now agreed entry into Romania, VIG and IFC are providing a further important growth impetus for voluntary funded pension provision.