Euromoney awards SHUAA Capital as "Best Equity House in the Middle East" and "Best Equity House in the UAE"

SHUAA is the first ever institution to receive both these awards in the same year and has received the Euromoney Award for "Best Equity House in the UAE" in 2004, 2007 and again in 2008.

Mr. Iyad Duwaji, Chief Executive Officer of SHUAA Capital said:

"We are proud to have won the best equity house in the region. SHUAA has also won in the UAE three times in the past four years. This is a testimony to the hard work and aspiration of our professionals and to our commitment to our clients and shareholders to always provide the highest service and standards. The awards are especially pleasing as they recognize both the continued leadership of our equities coverage in our home market but more significantly, the strong progress we have made in developing our equities capability in the GCC markets including the solid start of our Saudi Arabia operations."

Mr. Kerim Mitri, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SHUAA Capital added:

"We will continue to focus on midsize companies in the region. As an issuer, investor and intermediary in the regional equity markets, we are ideally positioned to help local companies raise money to finance their growth. Winning both Euromoney awards recognizes our unrivalled record in this area. We deliver regional expertise and solutions to our clients; coupled with deep market knowledge and a long term commitment to service them in the future".

SHUAA was the first regional investment bank that promoted the GCC region as an asset class and a destination for international capital, focusing on the opportunities that exist within those markets. The firm provides a full range of investment banking services, including private placements, M&A advisory, public offerings, trade sales, syndication, sales and trading, as well as structured products.

Last year SHUAA experienced significant growth in the region managing over Dhs10.4bn ($2.8bn) in equity transactions. We achieved an unprecedented 100% market share in IPOs in the UAE, the second largest economy in the GCC, and ranked number 18 globally in IPOs*.

The Company was involved in the region's most high profile capital raisings and acted as Joint Global Coordinator and Joint Bookrunner for DP World's Dhs18.2bn ($4.96bn) landmark IPO on DIFX in November 2007, the largest regional listing to ever take place. The Company acted as Sole Lead-Manager and Bookrunner for the Dhs3.2bn ($872m) IPO of Deyaar Development which was oversubscribed fourteen times.

SHUAA was also Financial Advisor, Sole Lead-Manager and Bookrunner for the Dhs2.6bn ($708m) of Air Arabia in April 2007 which was the first airline to go public in the Middle East. SHUAA was also involved in the IPOs of Royal Jordanian and East Pharma Ltd.

SHUAA has also played an active role in mergers and acquisitions in the period. Transactions include the sale of Emaar Industries & Investment's 40% stake in architectural facade specialists Multiforms LLC to Arabian Company for Water & Power Development for Dhs208m ($56.7m).

SHUAA's equities research, already one of the most comprehensive in the region, has increased its range and depth of coverage over the last year on a sector, geographic and macro economic basis.

SHUAA has a proprietary database on over 800 listed companies in the MENA region. Its research department consisting of 25 professionals covers over 73% of the total market capitalization universe of UAE and over 45% of the Middle East equity markets.