Royal Investment Bank Limited has signed a collaborative agreement with Bridgehead Administration Limited to provide fund raising assistance and investment marketing services to international fund managers who are looking to access the investor market across the Middle East. Both firms are based at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and their joint venture aims to actively market alternative investment funds in the region and to provide a full bouquet of capital raising capabilities to fund managers – thereby saving them the time and effort associated with finding Middle Eastern investors for individual funds.

Explaining the new venture in context, Lars Pampel, Chief Executive Officer of Bridgehead Administration Ltd and Director of Investor Relations (Alternative Investments) at Royal Investment Bank Ltd, said that improving market visibility and raising capital in the Middle East has always been difficult, even for a large number of ‘best of breed’ funds. “Historically, most allocations have gone to funds that have been able to leverage their size as part of their overall investment marketing mix. However, our primary and secondary market research indicate that there is a strong investor desire for smaller funds with market-leading performance.”

This is particularly attractive to those who wish to access the region’s burgeoning investor market, where more than half of all assets under management are currently held in cash and short-term deposits, he explained. “We have jointly created a product that is designed to improve the visibility of these smaller funds, and will help accelerate the goal of placing Middle Eastern assets under management within a framework that is both DIFC-licensed and DFSA-regulated.”

Mr Mohamed Ahmadi, Founder & CEO of Royal Investment Bank Limited elaborated: “Working in conjunction with Bridgehead Administration, we are focussing on industries that are of particular interest to investors in the Middle East - real estate, oil and gas, power and utility, travel and hospitality, healthcare, and foreign exchange (FX).”

“Our extensive experience of alternative investments combined with our strong relationships with hedge fund and private equity investors around the world ensures that we can provide value-added marketing and placement services to alternative investment managers,” he added.

According to Mr Ahmadi, besides addressing fund managers, the joint venture will also work with entrepreneurs, family offices, business owners and company directors, assisting them to develop and implement investment strategies that are customised to meet both current and future needs.

The two firms have planned a series of road shows, seminars, and lectures that will begin rolling out in April 2012 for select audiences in the region, especially in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

About Royal Investment Bank Limited (RIBL)
Royal Investment Bank Limited (RIBL) is an investment advisory firm based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). RIBL specialises in advising clients - in the Gulf region and across the globe - on credit related transactions such as the trading and monetisation of financial instruments and arranging loan instruments such as Letters of Credits to facilitate trade for Clients. RIBL is an experienced market leader in the advisory and arranging business, and has strong relationships with leading international financial institutions and investment advisors.

About Bridgehead Administration
Bridgehead Administration is a Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) licensed contract administration firm which specialises in enabling and administering investment contracts between hedge fund managers and investors in the Middle East and North Africa, with emphasis on the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Egypt and Kuwait. With over 40 years of personal and professional experience in the region, Bridgehead has great expertise in finding and evaluating top-tier hedge funds. The firm also helps clients manage their investment contracts in the Middle East.

For more information, contact:

Lars Pampel
Director of Investor Relations (Alternative Investments), Royal Investment Bank Limited
Tel: (+971) 553 758 087
Email: info@ribl.ae>

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