Merchant e-Solutions to create more than 140 jobs in metro Atlanta

ATLANTA, January 20, 2015—Gov. Nathan Deal joined by Mayor Kasim Reed today announced that Merchant e-Solutions, a payment-processing company, will establish its new corporate headquarters in Buckhead. This project represents the creation of over 140 new jobs and a capital investment of $5 million.

'I had the pleasure of meeting with their leadership on an economic development mission to Brazil,' said Gov. Deal. 'As a result, we can now celebrate the relocation of their headquarters from the Silicon Valley to Georgia. This announcement is further affirmation that our highly-skilled workforce, well-connected logistics infrastructure and culture of collaboration will continue to draw top-tier prospects like Merchant e-Solutions.'

Merchant e-Solutions is a commercial acquirer and global payment processing company. The company's technology platform supports the needs of a variety of merchant segments, from small businesses to B2B wholesalers and global e-commerce enterprises.

'We are excited to make Georgia our home,' said Merchant e-Solutions chief executive officer Tom Bell. 'The Atlanta market brings us closer to key business partners and allows us to tap into the amazing talent of this rich financial technology epicenter as we establish and expand our local presence.'

Merchant e-Solutions is a division of Cielo S.A., Latin America's leader in electronic payment solutions. Headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Cielo S.A. serves more than 1.6 million active merchants and covers 99 percent of Brazilian territory. In the past two years, the State of Georgia and the City of Atlanta have organized trade missions to Brazil to spur new business relationships, strengthen existing ties and promote Georgia as the top destination for companies looking to find success.

'We welcome Merchants e-Solutions to 'Transaction Alley,' in the City of Atlanta,' said Mayor Reed. 'With this relocation, Atlanta is further growing our FinTech sector and solidifying our status as a national and international hub for transaction processing. Atlanta is a fantastic place for technology companies and entrepreneurs to bring and build their dreams.'

"We are thrilled that Merchant e-Solutions has selected metro Atlanta for its headquarters relocation," said Hala Moddelmog, President and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. "This investment further solidifies our position as a global leader in the FinTech sector and is a testament to the strength of the skilled talent coming out of our colleges and universities."

Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) project manager Ashley Morris represented the Global Commerce division in partnership with Invest Atlanta, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and Georgia Power.

'We are excited to welcome Merchant e-Solutions to Georgia,' said GDEcD Commissioner Chris Carr. '70 percent of all financial transactions that occur in the United States are processed through systems operated by Georgia-based FinTech corporations. Merchant e-Solutions has a great reputation as a leader in the payment-processing industry, and they will make a great addition to our ever-growing 'Transaction Alley'.'

About Merchant e-Solutions

Merchant e-Solutions is a commercial acquirer and global payment processor. The company's technology platform supports the needs of a variety of merchant segments, from small business retail shops to B2B wholesalers and global e-commerce enterprises. Merchant e-Solutions partners with financial institutions, software developers, and independent sales organizations and agents to bring its solutions to market. Merchant e-Solutions is owned by Cielo S.A., the leading merchant acquirer in Latin America with $393.5 billion in transaction volume (Q1'15 to Q3'15) and 2,000 employees. Headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Cielo S.A. is a publicly traded company serving more than 1.7 million active merchants covering 99 percent of Brazilian territory. Learn more at www.merchante-solutions.com.