BLACKSTONE takes majority stake in SKROUTZ

Blackstone has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Skroutz, the leading online e-commerce marketplace in Greece, from CVC Capital Partners Fund VII. The transaction architecture includes a partial equity monetization by the company's historical founders, who will retain a minority stake and maintain operational leadership under the continued direction of CEO George Chatzigeorgiou. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals. The investment thesis is driven by regional e-commerce under-penetration and secular tailwinds across Southeast Europe, positioned against a strong Greek macroeconomic backdrop characterized by real GDP per capita growth consistently outperforming the eurozone average. Skroutz has successfully evolved from a price-comparison site into a pure, vertically integrated e-commerce ecosystem. The platform unifies a massive retail marketplace with proprietary last-mile logistics, fulfillment networks, a licensed fintech infrastructure, and an expanding retail media division.