_36.jpg)
Kuwait Financial Centre S.A.K. “Markaz”, the prominent investment banking and asset management company in the Middle East, won the “Best Asset Manager in Kuwait” award by Global Investor magazine, a Euromoney publication specialized in finance and investment.
The award’s judges selected Markaz based on the company’s healthy balance sheet; the performance and diversity of its product offerings; its innovation in creating new investment products; its high level of corporate governance; and its sustainable growth in market share, assets under management and client base.
Ms. Amani Al-Omani, Executive Vice-President - MENA Equities at Markaz said: “We would like to thank Global Investor Magazine for granting Markaz the ‘Best Asset Manager in Kuwait’ award for the second consecutive year.”
“The award reflects our prudent risk management policy at Markaz combined with our commitment to achieve the best performance for our clients by following a research driven methodology and investing in high quality assets,” added Al-Omani, noting that “Markaz risk management team has been adopting a conservative investment policy amidst instability in the local and international markets”
Markaz has a strong track-record in asset management across different asset classes. In 2011, two Markaz funds, "Markaz Fund for Excellent Yields - Mumtaz" and “Markaz Islamic Fund”, won Lipper’s award for best Kuwaiti equities fund for the period of five years. "Markaz Fund for Excellent Yields – Mumtaz" was also awarded as the best equity fund for the year 2009 by the leading regional publication MENA Fund Manager. "Markaz Fund for Excellent Yields - Mumtaz" and "Markaz Arabian Fund" have received "A" Fund Management Ratings from Standard & Poor's during the period of 2009-2011.
Markaz’s track record in asset management in Kuwait and the GCC extends back to almost three decades. In 1983, the company started offering portfolio management services in the Kuwaiti Market and in 1999 it entered the fund management field with the launch of the first Kuwaiti equities fund, “Mumtaz Fund”.
-Ends-
About Kuwait Financial Centre “Markaz”
Kuwait Financial Centre S.A.K. “Markaz”, with total assets under management of over KD 872 million (USD 3.1 billion) as of September 30, 2011, was established in 1974 has become one of the leading asset management and investment banking institutions in the Arabian Gulf Region. Markaz was listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) in 1997.
Photo Caption: Mr. Mohamed Al-Saad, Asst. Vice President – MENA Equities representing Markaz at Global Investors Awards in Dubai###