Press Release

Growing platforms and strategic partnerships are generating growth

Having a vision of becoming the leading global Islamic investment bank is a bold statement. And when you’ve only been in existence for only three years operating on a regional landscape with some established players, such ambitions may be considered idealistic and overly ambitious.

But when you are the leading investment bank in the State of Qatar, and part of that country’s drive to create a world class financial services sector, visions and ambitions take on a whole new meaning.

• OVER 350 delegates from 30 countries attend Qatar’s investment event of the year

• Qatar Financial Center Authority support as Lead Sponsor

QInvest, Qatar’s leading investment bank, today welcomed over 350 leaders and decision makers from the world of industry and finance banking experts to the 2nd Annual Qatar Global Investment Forum 2010 (QGIF 2010), hosted by H.E. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jaber Al Thani, QInvest’s Chairman.

With the global recession laying many countries’ financial systems bare, Islamic Finance is becoming ever more attractive to weakened economiesIslamic Finance experienced exponential growth in the 1980s and is nowadays enjoying another ‘rebirth’ as banks in Western countries begin offering more and more Shariah-compliant financial services.

Leading Investment Bank becomes first company in Qatar to deploy the latest version of Microsoft’s premier messaging and collaboration solution-Doha, Qatar: September (date), 2010: Microsoft Qatar today announced that QInvest, Qatar’s leading Islamic investment Bank in Qatar will deploy Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 as part of its core business continuity plan and IT infrastructure. QInvest will be the first company in Qatar to opt for the latest version in its efforts to achieve new levels of reliability, performance and integrated collaboration and communications.

QInvest, the leading investment bank in Qatar, offers a new perspective in investment banking, investment management, brokerage

and wealth management. The Bank is increasing its geographic and business footprint, in tandem with Qatar’s expanding role as a

regional financial centre.

In 2010, QInvest, acquired a 24% stake in Ambit Group, giving it access to position in the rapidly growing Indian market. That

followed its strategic investment in 2009 of 47% stake in the London-based stockbroker Panmure Gordon. Together with its strategic

Qatar Islamic Bank S.A.Q. (“QIB”), rated A by Fitch, has mandated Credit Suisse, HSBC and QInvest as Joint Lead Managers and Bookrunners for a debut US Dollar Reg S only benchmark Sukuk transaction.

The Sukuk is expected to be launched, subject to market conditions, following an investor roadshow in the Middle East, Asia and Europe, commencing on 24th September 2010.

Islamic Finance has been growing at twice the rate of conventional financing in the region because of the increasing range of financial instruments and services that are now more readily available. 

By Regan E. Doherty

• CEO sees improvement in regional IPO market by Q4 

• Firm optimistic about India as investment destination 

• Recent domestic bond issuance by Qatar "a good first step"

Qatari investment bank QInvest expects initial public offerings (IPO) in the region to revive during the second half of this year, particularly in the fourth-quarter, the company's CEO Shahzad Shahbaz said.

QInvest, Qatar’s leading investment bank, has acquired a 40.8% stake in Intercat Hospitality and Butlers Dry Cleaning and Laundry Services (the “Group”), one of the UAE’s leading outsourced business services companies. 

QInvest, Qatar’s leading investment bank, has agreed to make a strategic investment in Ambit Group for a 25% stake in the firm, subject to regulatory approval. QInvest’s CEO, Shahzad Shahbaz, will join Ambit’s board.

This represents QInvest’s first investment in India and underpins the bank’s focus on the rapidly growing Indian market. In addition, QInvest will commit incremental capital to various funds managed by Ambit Group.

QInvest and Fortis Bank Nederland today signed a joint venture agreement and each committed US$ 50 million to the QInvest-Fortis Bank Nederland Shipping Fund (the Fund), making it the world’s first Sharia’a compliant ship financing fund.

Jointly managed by QInvest and Fortis Bank Nederland through QF Investment Management, the Fund will soon be opened to third party subscriptions.

Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company announced yesterday that it had agreed to purchase the building currently being used as the US embassy located at 24 Grosvenor Square, London, from the US government.

“The agreement is conditional upon the US being able to fully relocate to their new embassy site in Wandsworth,” a Qatari Diar statement said.

“Qatari Diar, and their development advisers Chelsfield, will continue to work closely with the US government to facilitate their move from Grosvenor Square.”

QInvest and Fortis Bank Nederland are in advanced stages of launching a Sharia’a compliant mezzanine Fund targeting financing opportunities in the marine transportation industry.

The Board of Panmure Gordon & Co is pleased to announce that the investment in the Company by QInvest, announced on 21 May 2009, has now received the required regulatory clearances and will complete tomorrow morning when the shares subscribed by QInvest are admitted to AIM.

Key highlights

The following statement is in relation to the media attention connecting QInvest and the Polish shipyards Szczecin and Gdynia.

"QInvest, Qatar’s largest Investment Bank, is a full service investment bank, not an investment fund."

"QInvest is acting as an advisor for clients who are in the process of acquiring these assets. The names of these clients cannot be disclosed due to confidentiality reasons. The transaction is currently at the due diligence stage and pending completion."