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EFG-Hermes joins ranks of DIFC

  • United Arab Emirates: Saturday, December 31 - 2005 at 09:53
  • PRESS RELEASE

Leading regional investment bank EFG-Hermes has been granted a license to conduct Asset Management and Investment Banking activities from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

Welcoming EFG-Hermes on board, Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, Director General of the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority, said,
"EFG-Hermes' membership marks another significant milestone in the development of the DIFC. EFG-Hermes' approach reflects the high standards of execution and internal regulatory standards of the DIFC, and its track record as a seasoned regional player will surely prove invaluable to us. Investment banking and asset management has witnessed tremendous growth in the last few years, especially within the region. The DIFC is focused upon creating highly attractive opportunities in the region and internationally, across a full range of financial services, generating increased demand for products and services for firms such as EFG-Hermes."


Mustafa Abdel-Wadood, CEO of EFG-Hermes UAE, commented, "As part of a small handful of high quality regional players with global recognition, EFG-Hermes looks forward to strengthening the DIFC's position as a catalyst for regional economic growth, development and diversification."

He added, "Given the amount of effort and international expertise that have come into play while developing such a well regulated platform, a precedent for the industry across the region has inevitably been created by raising the bar of regulatory standards and forcing other regulators to follow suit."

Outlining the significance of the DIFC license on the development of the firm's Asset Management business, Hashem Montasser, Regional Head of Asset Management at EFG-Hermes said, "The DIFC is set to bring a number of advantages to the region. We are already seeing a number of companies from outside the region being attracted to the DIFC as a vehicle for either a primary or secondary listing. This will generate a market with more depth and sophistication and will allow for the introduction of more products and increased opportunities. Of course, this is very exciting for us, as we will no longer be only working in a domestic or even regional market, but to some extent an international market."

In little over a year the Dubai International Financial Centre has licensed over 100 companies to operate from the centre; these include Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Barclays Capital, and Standard Chartered.

EFG-Hermes also intends to become a member of the Dubai International Financial Exchange (DIFX) in the near future.
Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, Director General of the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority and Mustafa Abdel-Wadood, CEO of EFG-Hermes UAE 
Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, Director General of the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority and Mustafa Abdel-Wadood, CEO of EFG-Hermes UAE
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About EFG-Hermes
EFG-Hermes is the leading integrated investment bank in the Arab world, with strong positions in all its key lines of business; Brokerage, Investment Banking, Asset Management, and Private Equity. Through its headquarters in Cairo and regional operations in the UAE, EFG-Hermes provides a wide range of superior financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high net worth individuals. (www.efg-hermes.com)

About EFG-Hermes Investment Banking
EFG-Hermes is the leading investment banking operation in the Arab region, and has helped raise some USD4.6 billion of equity funding for its clients and has advised on over USD12.80 billion of M&A transactions since 1997. The firm clients have included Nestle, Kraft foods, American Express, Pepsi Co., Heineken, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., HSBC, and GlaxoSmithKline.

About EFG-Hermes Asset Management
EFG-Hermes played a pioneering role in bringing specialist fund management to the region, and today ranks among the leading managers of funds dedicated to the Middle East and North Africa region. EFG-Hermes Asset Management manages seven Egyptian mutual funds as well as four off-shore funds, with assets under management of around USD1 billion.

About the DIFC:
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is an onshore hub for global finance. It bridges the time gap between the financial centres of Hong Kong and London and services a region with the largest untapped emerging market for financial services.

In just over one year, more than a hundred top international institutions have joined the DIFC as members. They operate in an open environment complemented with world-class regulations and standards. The DIFC offers its member institutions incentives such as 100 per cent foreign ownership, zero tax on income and profits and no restrictions on foreign exchange. In addition their business benefits from modern infrastructure, operational support and business continuity facilities of uncompromisingly high standards.

The DIFC is made up of the following core bodies:
1. The DIFC Authority (DIFCA) - Responsible for the Companies and Security Registries and attracting financial as well as non-financial institutions to set up in the DIFC. (www.difc.ae)
2. The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) - An independent, unitary regulatory authority, responsible for the regulation of all DIFC operations. Its principle-based primary legislation is modelled on that used in London and New York, and its regulatory regime operates to standards that meet or exceed those in major financial centres. (www.dfsa.ae)
3. The Dubai International Financial Exchange (DIFX) - A liquid and transparent electronic market trading securities, bonds and derivatives, launched in September 2005, the DIFX eases access to regional and international investment opportunities and funds. (www.difx.ae )
4. The DIFC Courts - An independent court system set up to uphold the provisions of DIFC laws and regulations, the courts provide comprehensive legal redress in civil and commercial matters within the DIFC. The laws, enacted by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum provide for a new court system designed especially for the DIFC and the sophisticated transactions that will be conducted within it.
• The law establishing the Judicial Authority at the DIFC creates and sets out the jurisdiction of the court and provides for a dispute resolution services, including arbitration and mediation, thus allowing for the independent administration of justice in the DIFC; and
• The DIFC Courts Law sets out the jurisdiction, powers, procedures, functions and administration of the court. ( www.difccourts.ae )

For further information contact:
Amira Abdulla
PR Manager, DIFC
Tel: +971 4 362 2433

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