Press Room

6/1/2008 AL MAL Capital Launches private equity program
Posted on 06 Jan 2008

Al Mal Capital PSC, a UAE Central Bank-regulated investment company, today announced the launch of its Private Equity Program with the introduction of both the Al Mal Capital Partners Fund L.P. and the Shariah-compliant Al Fares Private Equity Fund. The two funds will operate side-by-side, searching out opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa region, and provide investors access to highly sought-after stakes in founder shares, pre-IPO and late stage investments in prominent companies preparing for public entry.

With an initial subscription period from January until late-February, the Program funds intend to raise a committed capital of AED 350 million. Both funds will be available to all nationalities, and will target a return in excess of 20% over a 5 year term. Al Mal Capital will be responsible for due diligence, investment selection, ongoing management of the portfolio assets and overall portfolio risk management as Fund Manager, a role undertaken in these funds by its in-house Private Equity team. An Investment Advisory Committee comprised of senior Al Mal Capital executives will provide guidance to the Program. Al Mal Capital intends to seed the Program with AED 35 million of its own capital, to participate alongside investors.

"We have a private equity management team with a depth of experience, that have been identifying, qualifying and investing in private equity opportunities for many years, through market conditions of all types", indicated Naser Nabulsi, Executive Chairman of Al Mal Capital. "Teamed with an Investment Advisory Committee which channels our management expertise, and our founder base of leading institutions and prominent business families, we have unrivaled local and regional access and resources to call on."

Blair Look, Managing Director of Asset Management at Al Mal Capital, added "We feel that investors will appreciate our value proposition: Al Mal Capital and our team will unearth and provide access to attractive investment ideas, and work to develop a clear exit for the portfolio of investments. We have extensive experience in direct private equity investing and in the alternative investment space that we plan to put to work in the Program."

"Our managed funds and direct investments in public and private equity have shown tremendous results in 2006 and 2007, and we expect this success to continue in this new range of offerings."

Al Mal Capital is a full service investment institution, with Investment Banking, Brokerage and Asset Management. The Company has fully paid-up capital of AED 333 million.