Daniel Dines (UiPath) buys 9.57% stake in RodBun

The CEO and Co-founder of UiPath, Daniel Dines purchases a 9.57% stake in RodBun, one of Romania’s most important players in the agricultural sector, a company that offers a wide range of products and solutions for local farmers. In the same transaction, the UiPath’s Global VP Tax, Ionuț Sas, also bought a 0.23% share of RodBun.

"We are happy to announce our first transaction in the Romanian agricultural sector by investing in RodBun. We strongly believe that the future of agriculture is based on research, innovation, digitalization and sustainability. By making smart investments in this direction, Romania has the potential to become one of the key players in Europe in the agricultural sector. RodBun is a unique company on the local market, representing one of the pioneers of the digitalization of Romanian agriculture. We know the strategic importance of the Black Sea agricultural region globally, as well as the vital role of farmers in today's and tomorrow's world, especially in the context of global warming. For this reason, we have chosen to invest in a company that has the potential to contribute to more resilient and efficient food systems, including in times of crisis. The option for RodBun comes from our desire to actively support the strategic plans of Romanian entrepreneurs to become significant regional players", affirms the CEO of UI Path, Daniel Dines.

The transaction also marks the first investment of Dines in the agricultural sector and was made through Ice Vulcan Properties Ltd, an investment vehicle owned by him.

RodBun Group S.A. is a company specialising in products and services for Romanian farmers. The most important activity of the group is the production of agricultural seeds, a domain in which the company dominates the local market.

"RodBun is celebrating its twentieth birthday these days. We enter into this partnership considering that it ensures a synthesis between our vast experience and infrastructure on the Romanian agro market, on the one hand, and the global vision of Daniel Dines team, based on excellence in technology, on the other hand. We are united by a common interest in research and innovation. Moreover, we are convinced moreover, that investments in technological solutions adapted to the new climate reality will become our differentiator in this competitive and fragmented sector. We look forward with excitement to working with Daniel Dines and Ionut Sas in the process of transforming RodBun into a significant regional player, which will decisively influence the Romanian agricultural sector", said the co-founder of RodBun Grup S.A, Daniel Muntean.

In the near future, RodBun will appoint a Board of Directors to meet the corporate governance criteria imposed by the capital market, in which Ionuț Sas will be nominated for a membership position, while Daniel Dines will be just a permanent guest.

As for the company’s long-term goals, the partnership between RodBun and Ice Vulcan Properties Ltd already announces that it is "considering" a potential listing of the company on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB).

Following the transaction, the shares of RodBun Group SA are held in equal proportions (44.27%) by each of the two co-founders, Alexandru Iancu and Daniel Munteanu, with Ice Vulcan Properties holding a 9.57% stake and Ionuț Sas owning a 0, 23% of the total shares. The remaining shares (1.67%) are owned either by the company itself, or by its employees.

Founded in 2002 by Alexandru Iancu and Daniel Muntean, RodBun also operates a chain of 40 agricultural stores for the small traditional farmer (under the "Fitofarmacia RodBun" brand). The company distributes agricultural inputs (seeds, pesticides, fertilizers), offers agricultural consulting and complete technological solutions, as well as harvesting services. The RodBun portfolio includes some of the most appreciated brands by Romanian farmers: "Fertillia" (seed range), "Fertilland" (foliar fertilizers) and "Fertillo" (solid fertilizers).

Photo source: UiPath