Mineral rich and landlocked Mongolia is attracting more attention from global investors after it sealed a deal in October with Ivanhoe Mines and Rio Tinto to develop the USD3 billion Oyu Tolgoi mine, one of the world’s biggest untapped copper and gold deposits.

Furthermore, last January, Mongolia-focused coal miner SouthGobi Energy Resources Ltd -- 80 percent owned by Ivanhoe -- raised USD439 million in its Hong Kong IPO, which attracted high-profile cornerstone investors such as sovereign wealth funds China Investment Corp and Singapore’s Temasek Holdings.

Now Mongolian owned and operated resources firms -- from coal to copper to iron ore companies -- are actively searching for foreign investors and hope to list in markets such as Hong Kong this year, told top executive Masa Igata, Founder and CEO of Frontier Securities, an Ulan Bator-based financial services firm.

Mongolian coal firm Energy Resources is also eyeing a Hong Kong or London IPO, although no bankers have been hired, previous media reports have said.

As more Mongolian companies -- both foreign and domestic owned -- seek listings abroad, major investment banks will become more involved in the sector. Frontier Securities aims to piggyback on those deals to build a name for itself as the go-to Mongolia-based advisory firm.

Frontier Securities which was founded in 2007, says it is the first local Mongolian securities firm with a global network and international expertise.

The company has less than 20 employees and is still loss making, but there is a chance business will turn around as the Mongolian resources story gains traction both domestically and among international investors, Igata said.

Most of the firm’s business is still concentrated on working with domestic companies in the country, currently 15 to 20 private companies according to Igata who declined to name the firms who are seeking overseas deals.

Frontier’s position as a foreign-owned financial services firm distinguishes it from domestic competitors who may not be exposed to international accounting and transparency standards, Igata added.

Эх сурвалж Өдрийн сонин