POLAND - Belgian-French financial services group Dexia's asset management arm has launched its first Polish office in Warsaw.

Announcing the move today, Dexia argues Poland, "as the largest Central European country in terms of assets under management and net new cash", is the most attractive and courted country of Central and Eastern Europe.

Henri-Michel Tranchimand, member of the executive committee of Dexia Asset Management, noted in a comment today Poland has the highest growth rate in the region in terms of net sales of funds, while in the last four years, the assets of mutual funds in Poland have risen by 268%.

With assets over €35bn, pension funds in Poland account for 60% of the overall pension funds in Central and Eastern Europe, the company added in a statement.

Dexia Asset Management, with €111bn in assets under management, also expects  deregulation of the Polish pension fund sector will further open possibilities for Polish funds to invest in foreign assets.

The new Warsaw team will be composed of three staff, headed by Katarzyna Lomnicka, who joined Dexia last year.

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