Euromoney names GulfMerger as "Best M&A House in Kuwait" after record-breaking year

As the only specialised M&A boutique in Kuwait, GulfMerger has managed to successfully advise on six separate M&A deals within a period spanning from April 2007 to March 2008. This represents the largest number of M&A deals ever executed by a financial services institution in Kuwait.

"We are delighted and honoured to have received this award which we believe is a testament to our strategic focus on M&A-related activities, our extensive experience in this field, as well as our ability to offer the highest standards of service and professionalism to our clients in the region," said Yann Pavie, Chief Executive Officer of GulfMerger.

The most notable of the six deals was the sale of 51% of equity interest in the publicly-traded Hilal Cement Company, Kuwait's third largest cement company, to the world's fifth largest cement company Italcementi for $46m. This was a landmark deal where for the first time in Kuwait, a global company acquired a controlling interest in a local, publicly-traded company.

"Our dedicated team has demonstrated its ability to successfully execute cross-border M&A transactions in the Middle East, including transactions involving both regional as well as global parties in Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt and Lebanon. We expect to continue to build on our achievements to date with additional transactions in several new sectors and geographies, while continuing to build our presence in key strategic markets across the region," added Mr. Pavie.

GulfMerger was established in Kuwait in March 2007 as an independent and highly focused M&A specialist providing middle-market M&A advisory services in the Middle East.