Gulf Finance House schedules Annual General Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting for 19 February 2006

The meeting, to be held at the Taj Ballroom, Sheraton Bahrain Hotel & Towers, follows the announcement of record results by the Bank for the year ended 31 December 2005.

GFH declared a consolidated net profit of US$ 140 million compared to US$ 57 million for 2004, an overall increase of 147 per cent. The Bank's results provided a return on equity of 47 per cent (2004: 32 per cent). Further, the Board of Directors has recommended a record total dividend of 60 per cent - 48 per cent in cash and 12 per cent in shares.

In addition to approving the final consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2005, the key items on the agenda for the AGM will also include a rights issue equivalent to 30 per cent of the bank's existing capital and the election of a new Board of Directors for the next three years.

A proposed rise in the share capital of the Bank will be discussed at the AGM, and will then be presented at the EGM for approval from shareholders. Another key issue for discussion at the EGM will be the proposed premium of US$ 1.05 per share for the rights issue. Proxy forms for both the AGM and the EGM have been made available on the GFH website (www.gfhouse.com).