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IFC invests in Shefa Fund to promote health care in the Middle East and North Africa

  • United Arab Emirates: Wednesday, May 30 - 2007 at 17:02
  • PRESS RELEASE

IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group will promote health care in the Middle East and North Africa by investing for the first time in a private equity fund that will focus solely on health care and that is expected to create the first regional health care network.

The $15 million investment in Shefa Limited CEIC will strengthen private health care institutions in the region, increasing access to high-quality health care, particularly in countries where access is limited.

The project, which responds to a demand for affordable and high-quality private health care services, will also provide an opportunity to channel resources to the health care sectors of lower-income countries in the region. Over the next four years, the Shefa Fund will invest in well-established and reputable hospital and general health care companies, support and improve their financial sustainability by promoting good corporate governance, and introduce modern financial controls and technical best practices.

Injazat Capital Limited will manage the fund, with support from lead investor Saudi Healthcare Investment Company, a specialized regional health investment group that seeks to extend its reach to the Levant region and North Africa.

"We are delighted to have IFC's help in developing a modern and efficient health network," said Dr. Mohamed Amin, Chairman of Shefa Health Care Fund and Managing Director of Saudi Healthcare Investment Company. "We look forward to major success because of IFC's global expertise."

Hussein Rifai, Managing Director of Injazat Capital, said, "The Shefa Fund marks an important step in our strategy to expand to countries with the greatest need for high-quality private health care. IFC is a key partner in helping us achieve this vision. This partnership recognizes our efforts to establish managerial excellence, good corporate governance, and outstanding quality of service."

Guy Ellena, IFC Director of Health and Education, noted, "IFC is pleased to support the Shefa Fund to help improve health care and provide high-quality management and medical standards. We also share Shefa's belief in the power of interregional investment and are keen to help bring its services to frontier markets."

Michael Essex, IFC Director for the Middle East and North Africa, added,

"This investment is in line with IFC's strategy to enhance the operations and efficiency of health systems by improving the balance between private and publicly-financed health care provision, an important issue for governments with limited public resources."
(From right to left) Hussein Rifai, Managing Director, Injazat Capital Limited, Mr. Guy Ellena, IFC Director of Health and Education, Dr. Mohamed Amin, Chairman of Shefa Health Care Fund and Managing Director of Saudi Healthcare Investment Company, Fawzi Zeine, Principal - Shefa Health Care Fund, Injazat Capital Limited, Michael Essex, IFC Director for the Middle East and North Africa. 
(From right to left) Hussein Rifai, Managing Director, Injazat Capital Limited, Mr. Guy Ellena, IFC Director of Health and Education, Dr. Mohamed Amin, Chairman of Shefa Health Care Fund and Managing Director of Saudi Healthcare Investment Company, Fawzi Zeine, Principal - Shefa Health Care Fund, Injazat Capital Limited, Michael Essex, IFC Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
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Notes and Media Contacts »

Shefa Fund Investment Strategy
Shefa is targeting the healthcare industry through acquiring a majority stake in healthcare operators in the MENA region, or minority stake with adequate protection rights. The Fund will be able to add value to acquired healthcare providers through revenue enhancement, cost reduction, and asset utilization improvement initiatives. To better utilize resources, Shefa will separate real estate assets from healthcare operations and establish a sale-lease-back mechanism.

The objective is to create a regional network of health providers, consequently creating a single strong brand offering high quality healthcare services. The created network will share functions, identify outsourcing opportunities, and optimize the value chain to improve efficiencies and benefit from economies of scale by establishing strategic partnerships.
Shefa will identify direct investment opportunities that offer a minimum expected Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 15%.
Anchor Shareholders include International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group) and Saudi Health Investment Company (SHIC). Shefa will be managed by Injazat Capital Limited on Shari'a compliance basis.

About IFC
IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, promotes open and competitive markets in developing countries. IFC supports sustainable private sector companies and other partners in generating productive jobs and delivering basic services, so that people have opportunities to escape poverty and improve their lives. Through FY06, IFC Financial Products has committed more than $56 billion in funding for private sector investments and mobilized an additional $25 billion in syndications for 3,531 companies in 140 developing countries. IFC Advisory Services and donor partners have provided more than $1 billion in program support to build small enterprises, accelerate private participation in infrastructure, improve the business enabling environment, increase access to finance, and strengthen environmental and social sustainability.

About Injazat Capital
Injazat Capital is a venture capital and private equity fund management and advisory services company operating from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The firm, which focuses on the Middle East and North Africa, delivers a range of Shari'a-compliant financial services. Injazat is owned by the Gulf Finance House, a private Bahrain-based investment bank; the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector; the private sector arm of the Islamic Development Bank; and its principals.

About Saudi Healthcare Investment Company
The Saudi Healthcare Investment Company was established in 2005 by the Saudi-based Elaj Group to create a health care investment vehicle to invest in existing and new health care businesses in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and create an integrated health care delivery system. Elaj Group has been in the health care business for almost 15 years and operates 17 specialized health care clinics in Saudi Arabia and 10 centers in other GCC countries.

Project No. 25751

Vice President, Industries: Declan Duff
Regional Vice President: Edward Nassim
Director: Guy Ellena
Regional Director: Michael Essex
Division Manager: Elena Sterlin
Project Team
Transaction Leader: Salah-Eddine Kandri
Investment Analyst: Jessica Wolfe
Economist: Ilyse Zable
Credit Officer: Paul Baribeau
Lawyer: Jean-Francois Dupuy
Regional Manager: Gulrez Hoda
Industry Specialists: Abdellatif Kabbaj / Emmett Moriarty
Environ. & Social Specialist: Ajay Narayanan
Insurance Officer: Eusoph Deriza Kanyenda
Program Assistant: Carla Pettigrew

For media inquiries please contact:

Orient Planet PR & Marketing Communications
P.O.Box 23345, Dubai, U.A.E
Tel: +971 4 3988901
Fax: +971 4 3988941

For corporate inquiries, please contact:

In Washington, D.C.:
Ludi Joseph, IFC
Phone: +1-202-473-7700

In Cairo:
Egidio Germanetti & Riham Mustafa, IFC
Phones: +20 2 461 9140/45/50

In Dubai:
Rania Chidiac, Injazat Capital Limited
Phone: +971 4 3651579

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