Istanbul, Turkey February 2012: The CATHIC event in Istanbul began today with the WTTC’s Marketing Director Geoffrey Breeze outlining predictions for the Global Travel and Tourism industry over the next decade.

“In 2012 the global tourism industry provides 1 in 12 of all jobs, and accounts for nine per cent of global GDP. By 2022, we predict that this will change to 1 in 10 of all jobs worldwide, and 9.6per cent of GDP”, said Breeze.

He also predicted that by the end of 2012 one third of all worldwide travel sales will be made online. Turkey currently has the 7th largest online audience in Europe, with a 44 per cent penetration rate; Turks spend more time online than any other European country.

Issues affecting the Turkish tourism sector were addressed by Mehmet Ersoy, Chairman of Etstur, Haluk Kaya, Chairman of Bekay Property Partners and John Wilson, Executive Board Member of Dedeman Hotels & Resorts,

Ersoy said: “The Turkish government is working towards eliminating visa problems, developing more airports and extending existing ones.” He added that Istanbul’s role as a major hub will also be enhanced by a new airport which will open in 3 years’ time.

Kaya pointed out that there are two distinct tourism sectors in Turkey – all-inclusive resorts and city tourism. Istanbul has experienced a very fast growth of tourist arrivals, from just 2 million five years ago to 8 million in 2011. But this does not even compare with Prague. He predicts that Istanbul will welcome 15 million visitors by 2015. “So of course, everyone wants a hotel in Istanbul”.

Kaya also raised the issue of inclusive resorts which do not generate income or jobs for the local community. “Belek is a disaster. Not a single restaurant in the town even though there are more than 40 four and five star hotels”, he said. There is some investment now from Rixos hotels – but it is an important lesson for other resort locations, he added.

John Wilson added: “There is Istanbul and there is the rest. This is an extraordinarily dynamic marketplace and there is no sign of a slowing down in the growth in the Turkish tourism business. While we’re not immune from Europe’s troubles, I am not worried because Turkey’s unique geography means we can explore alternative and emerging markets to replace lower numbers from Europe’’.

The complexities of financing new hotel construction was explored in detail by Andrew Sangster, Editorial Director of Hotel Analyst Emerging Markets, in conversation with Puneet Chhatwal of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Carlton Ervin, Chief Development Officer for Marriott International, Ömer Isvan, President of Servotel Corporation and Peter Norman, SVP Development at Hyatt International.

Sangster posed the question of how much equity the large global hotel management companies were prepared to commit to emerging markets in general, and Turkey in particular.

For Servotel, Isvan said: “Here in Turkey there is a ‘footprint’ race between the hotel companies. Particularly in resort areas, the traditional management contracts are the norm in this market. The big global brands are reticent to introduce different equity models because they don’t want to set a precedent. However, some of the smaller chains are more aggressive and are embracing more creative financing deals.”

Norman said Hyatt has more asset investment than other global bands, with about 20 per cent of its portfolio in owned assets. “We believe that the bricks and the brains under one roof is good. You have to eat your own cooking sometimes, and as owners ourselves, we have the confidence of our other owners. In these more difficult times, we have to see what we can do to help owners get financing for projects, so we may look at joint ventures and ownership options in emerging markets on a case by case basis.”

Marriott’s approach is somewhat different according to Carlton Ervin. “We recently made two strategic acquisitions in Western Europe, to give our Edition brand a presence in key markets. But we do these with an eye to recycling this capital as soon as possible. We also tend to consider this option only in established markets, so while we never say never, we are not contemplating on buying assets in Turkey in the foreseeable future.”

The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has long experience of asset investment in this region, Chhatwal said: “We were first to do this in Istanbul 15 years ago, and we sold that asset recently. We also have experience in Tlbisi, Kievand St Petersburg. But Istanbul is not the place to invest these days, as the prices are too high.”

‘’But I think it is a good time for investing in mid-market hotels in secondary Turkish cities and we would certainly use our balance sheet for that purpose.” He added.

The final session of CATHIC 2012 was with Turkish hotel veteran Murat Dedeman, Chairman of Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International and President of Dedeman Holding who was presented with the CATHIC 2012 Leadership Award by Mehmet Önkal, Managing Partner at BDO Hospitality Consulting.

The award recognizes Dedeman’s forty-year contribution to the region’s tourism and hospitality sector.

An exhibition of sponsors runs alongside the conference, with more stands than the inaugural event in 2011. Sponsors for this year’s event are: Platinum sponsors: BDO Hospitality Consulting, Corinthia Hotels, Dedeman Hotels & Resorts International, Hilton Worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development (SMIT), Marmara Collection, Wyndham Hotel Group. Gold sponsors: Accor Hospitality, AECOM Design + Planning, Argentina National Institute of Tourism Promotion, Best Western International, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Horwath HTL, Hyatt International, IHG, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, Jumeirah Group, Marriott International, Inc., Orient-Express, Premier Inn, Rixos Hotels, Servotel Corporation, T&T Consulting, WATG.

The Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference will run from February 6 -8, 2012 at Ceylan Intercontinental, Istanbul and is organised by Bench Events and Questex Media. Details can be found on www.cathic.com

-Ends-

Media Contact: Strategic Solutions, media@strategicsolutionsonline.com
Sarah Azad +97150 9803810, Sarah@strategicsolutionsonline.com

(BUSINESS WIRE)– Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), a world leader in digital security, announces the availability of an approved EMV applicationwhich will be deployed by Diners Club Spain during 2012. Gemalto is providing Diners Club Spain with consulting and personalization services, in addition to Dynamic Data Authentication (DDA) payment cards that are compliant with the Discover Financial Services D-Payment Application Specification (D-PAS). DDA is a highly secure authentication technology whereby the smart card chip creates a unique signature for each transaction that allows banks to authorize transactions more securely. With the addition of Diners Club, Gemalto now supplies EMV solutions to all international payment associations, providing a complete portfolio of secure payment applications.

Diners Club International, part of Discover Financial Services, is a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries. Gemalto now supports Diners Club issuers worldwide in their EMV migration projects with smart banking cards and the associated issuance services. Diners Club cardholders will benefit from increased security for their financial transactions and a more convenient payment option when traveling internationally.

“We strive to provide services and support that go far beyond transactions,” commented Javier Turégano Llano, Director of Operations and Systems, Diners Club Spain. “The Gemalto solution adds the security and convenience of EMV to our portfolio, as part of our continuous commitment to maintain the standard of excellence our customers expect from Diners Club.”

“Gemalto’s global footprint and strong network of service centers on all five continents are key assets to support Diners Club EMV issuance”, added Philippe Cambriel, Executive Vice-President at Gemalto. “Our ambition is to anticipate the technological moves of international payment associations and to deliver on our promise to provide the right product at the right time.”

About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO) is the world leader in digital securitywith 2010 annual revenues of €1.9 billion and over 10,000 employees operating out of 87 offices and 13 Research & Development centers in 45 countries.

Gemalto is at the heart of our evolving digital society. Billions of people worldwide increasingly want the freedom to communicate, travel, shop, bank, entertain, and work—anytime, anywhere, in ways that are convenient, enjoyable and secure. Gemalto delivers on the growing demands for personal mobile services, identity protection, payment security, authenticated online services, cloud computing access, modern transportation, e-healthcare and e-government services. Gemalto does this by providing secure software, a wide range of secure personal devices, and managed services to wireless operators, banks, enterprises and government agencies.

Gemalto is the world leader for electronic passports and identity cards, two-factor authentication devices for online protection, smart credit/debit and contactless payment cards, as well as subscriber identification modules (SIM) and universal integrated circuit cards (UICC) in mobile phones. Also, in the emerging machine-to-machine applications Gemalto is a leading supplier of wireless modules and machine identification modules (MIM). To operate these solutions and remotely manage the software and confidential data contained in the secure devices Gemalto also provides server platforms, consulting, training, and managed services to help its customers achieve their goals.

As the use of Gemalto’s software and secure devices increases with the number of people interacting in the digital and wireless world, the Company is poised to thrive over the coming years.

For more information visit www.gemalto.com, www.justaskgemalto.com, blog.gemalto.com, or follow @gemaltoon Twitter.

Contacts

Gemalto Media Contacts:

Europe, Middle East & Africa

Peggy Edoire, +33 4 42 36 45 40

peggy.edoire@gemalto.com

Latin America

Ernesto Haikewitsch, +55 11 51 05 92 20

ernesto.haikewitsch@gemalto.com

North America

Jessi Marshall, +1 512 257 3902

jessi.marshall@gemalto.com

Asia Pacific

Yvonne Lim, +65 6317 3730

yvonne.lim@gemalto.com

QInvest, Qatar’s leading Investment bank, has acquired 30.5% of Al Nakheel Agriculture and Trading Company W.L.L. and AG Middle East LLC (together the “Group”). Based in Doha, Qatar, the companies specialize in providing landscaping and related maintenance services to governmental, corporate and industrial customers.

This acquisition is the fourth private equity transaction completed by QInvest in the MENA region and is consistent with its strategy to partner with established businesses that are in need for growth capital to achieve their expansion objectives.

Al Nakheel is a fully integrated landscaping and Maintenance Company established in Qatar in 1998. AG Middle East, established in 1976, is a landscape and irrigation services company involved in the construction, improvement and maintenance of commercial and governmental properties. Al Nakheel’s prestigious projects include The Pearl Qatar, Museum of Islamic Art Parks, Qatar Education City Convention Center, Barwa City, Dahlak Island Resort – Eritrea and Sidra Medical Research Canter. AGME’s prestigious projects include Doha 2006 Asian Games Village Hard & Soft Landscaping Works, Doha Golf Course, Ritz Carlton Hotel and the West Bay Lagoon Landscaping Works.

Commenting on the acquisition, QInvest’s CEO, Shahzad Shahbaz, said: “this investment represents the firm’s strategy to diversify its portfolio within the service sector. Our partnerships with Qatari organizations represent QInvest’s commitment to contribute to the growth of the private businesses in Qatar and the region aiming to benefit from the strong growth of the Qatari economy and the government’s strategy to expand and diversify the market”.

H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Fahd Al Thani, Chairman and majority shareholder of the Group, commented, “We are very happy partnering with QInvest and look forward to their support to help us retain our leading position in the market, institutionalize our business and strengthen our operations. We plan on leveraging this relationship to further expand our business and take it to the next level.”

Anuj Khanna, QInvest’s Head of Investment Management, said: “Al Nakheel Agriculture and Trading Company and AG Middle East have a long and successful track record of serving their customers’ needs and have executed several landmark projects in Qatar. We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with the existing shareholders and management team of both companies to help them realise their objectives.”

He added, “This is our second investment in the outsourced services sector, which is one of our target sectors for investment in Qatar and the region. We believe that Qatar’s strong fundamentals and outlook will benefit the Group as customers undertake major infrastructure and development projects over the next decade. The availability of increasingly sophisticated and environmentally friendly landscaping and maintenance solutions will be appreciated by customers as they drive the exciting transformation of Qatar over the next few years.”

- Ends -

Notes to the Editor

QInvest was licensed by the Qatar Financial Centre Authority in April 2007 and is authorised by the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority. The firm has authorized capital of USD 1 billion and paid up capital of USD 750 million.

Led by Chairman H.E. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al Thani, and Chief Executive Officer Shahzad Shahbaz, QInvest has created a world class investment banking capability operating under Sharia’a compliant structures, with the highest standards of governance and transparency.

The QInvest shareholder structure includes Qatar Islamic Bank and other institutional investors, as well as prominent high net worth individuals from across the region. The platform offers a broad range of expertise which enables QInvest to deliver a high value service to clients, seamlessly covering advisory, financing and investment needs.

QInvest’s business lines include investment banking, investment management, brokerage and wealth management, with dedicated origination and placement teams.

With over 130 staff, including 65 front office professionals, QInvest’s talented team of investment bankers brings a valuable mix of both international experience and regional knowledge, enabling the Firm to pursue opportunities across its chosen markets of the Middle East, Africa, Turkey, South Asia and South-East Asia.

Extending beyond this geographic focus, the firm also pursues opportunistic transactions globally where it identifies high value propositions for clients.

www.qinvest.com

Contacts

Bassel Hanbali – Head of Marketing & Corporate Communications

Telephone: +974 66542099

Email: bassel.hanbali@qinvest.com

SINGAPORE & MANAMA, Bahrain – Thursday, January 26th 2012 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)– The Islamic Bank of Asia (IB Asia) today announced two key senior appointments to drive the bank’s focus on investment banking and establish greater connectivity between the Middle East and Asia. Mr. Harish Parameswar is appointed Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking and will be based in IB Asia’s head office in Singapore. Mr. Saleh Al Nashwan joined IB Asia as the Chief Representative for its Bahrain Representative Office.

Mr. Toby O’Connor, CEO of IB Asia, said: “The addition of Harish and Saleh to our senior management reflects IB Asia’s commitment to deliver a first class Shariah compliant merchant banking platform servicing Asia and the Middle East. Harish brings a wealth of investment banking, private equity and relationships within Asia while Saleh has extensive business experience and connectivity in the Middle East. Strong client coverage across the Middle East and Asia with high quality transaction origination and execution are essential for us to fully capture our business opportunity.”

Mr. Parameswar will oversee the expansion of IB Asia’s investment banking business which includes private equity, advisory, private placement and capital markets activities, which is in line with the Bank’s strategic priorities.

Before joining IB Asia, Mr. Parameswar was most recently the Founder and Managing Director of Beacon Advisory International, a corporate finance advisory and private equity investment firm focused on emerging markets. Prior to this, he was Managing Director at Lazard Asia Limited from 2006 to 2010, serving as Head of South East Asia with additional responsibility for the Technology and Media sectors in Asia. He also worked at Deutsche Bank and Jardine Fleming in various corporate finance roles in Singapore and India.

Mr. Parameswar holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management from IMT Ghaziabad, and a Bachelor of Commerce from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University.

As chief representative of Bahrain Representative Office, Mr. Al Nashwan will lead IB Asia’s regional office and coverage of IB Asia’s shareholder and client base across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. In line with the Bank’s objective of bridging capital flows and business between Middle East and Asia, he will work in close cooperation with IB Asia’s head office in Singapore to strengthen business activity with its Middle East client base.

Prior to joining IB Asia, Mr. Al Nashwan was most recently the Chairman of MECAP Consultancy, and founder and CEO of Maalem Holding, an investment holding company, from its inception in 2008 to May 2011. He is currently a non-executive director of Nass Corporation BSC, a Bahraini Public Joint Stock Company.

A Saudi national, Mr. Al Nashwan has over a decade of extensive experience in investment, placements and corporate banking with an in-depth knowledge of regional business and financial markets. He has served several senior management positions in leading banks and financial institutions in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, including Addax Investment Bank, Gulf Finance House and Saudi American Bank (SAMBA). He has played key roles in several major real estate projects and investment deals in the region.

Mr. Al Nashwan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Management / Marketing from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

About The Islamic Bank of Asia

Incorporated in May 2007 with DBS Bank and prominent investors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as shareholders, The Islamic Bank of Asia (IB Asia) combines banking expertise and insights of Asia with strong Islamic banking credentials to tap into opportunities within Asia and the Middle East. Headquartered in Singapore, IB Asia focuses on Shariah compliant capital markets, direct investment and corporate banking services To find out more about IB Asia, log on to www.islamicbankasia.com.

About DBS

DBS – Living, Breathing Asia

DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia, with over 200 branches across 15 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is a market leader in Singapore with over four million customers and also has a growing presence in the three key Asian axes of growth, namely, Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank’s strong capital position, as well as “AA-” and “Aa1″ credit ratings that are among the highest in the Asia-Pacific region, earned it Global Finance’s “Safest Bank in Asia” accolade for three consecutive years, in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

DBS provides the full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking activities across Asia and the Middle East. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS also understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. This market insight and regional connectivity have helped to drive the bank’s growth as it sets out to be the Asian bank of choice. The bank believes that building lasting relationships with its customers is an integral part of banking the Asian way.

With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. The bank acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in all of our 18,000 staff, representing over 30 nationalities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.

Contacts

DBS Bank

Fen Peh

Group Strategic Marketing and Communications

Email: fenpeh@dbs.com

Tel: (65) 6878 6519

Fax: (65) 6222 4478

Mobile: (65) 92780089

(BUSINESS WIRE)– Syncada from Visa announced today that its global financial supply chain network processed more than $21 billion in payments during 2011, a substantial increase from 2010 and a record in annual payments for the company.

“Creating efficiency in the financial supply chain has a direct, monetary benefit for banks and corporations, and the dramatic boost in payments processing demonstrates that our customers recognize Syncada’s value more and more,” said Kurt Schneiber, Chief Executive Officer of Syncada.

Last year’s record volume includes transactions processed using Syncada’s key features of invoice processing, invoice financing, and payment. Syncada’s end-to-end financial supply chain solution allows financial institutions of all sizes to offer their commercial clients standardized business-to-business (B2B) invoice processing, financing, and payment services across a variety of payment types and local currencies. Corporations and governments use Syncada to improve their financial supply chains, promoting automation, visibility, and collaboration to create leaner, more competitive enterprises.

“Our processing record is both a milestone and a stepping stone, and it reinforces our commitment to excellence and to all members of the Syncada network, both current and future,” adds Schneiber.

About Syncada

Syncada from Visa provides a business-to-business network for financial institutions to enable their clients to increase control over their financial supply chains, regardless of language or currency. Financial institutions use Syncada to deliver standardized invoice processing and payment with integrated financing to their corporate and government clients. Working with the banks of buyers and suppliers, Syncada processes invoices for hundreds of buyers and makes payments to tens of thousands of sellers in 47 countries. In 2011, Syncada processed more than USD $21 billion payments and millions of invoices and trade documents. Visit www.syncada.comfor more information.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50135225&lang=en

Contacts

Syncada

Kara Pritchett, 612-436-6311

kara.pritchett@syncada.com

Abu Dhabi Capital Management (“ADCM”) today announces the intention of Qannas Investments Limited (the “Company” or “Qannas”) to apply for the admission of its shares to trading on AIM, a market of the London Stock Exchange Plc (“Admission”), and to proceed with an initial offering by way of a placing of its ordinary shares to institutional and other investors.

The Company will take the form of a newly-established, closed-ended investment company incorporated in Jersey and regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission. ADCM, an alternative investment management firm based in Abu Dhabi, will act as investment manager to the Company.

Qannas will seek to generate a target IRR of at least 20 per cent by investing in a diversified portfolio of undervalued equity and debt investments, with a focus on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Highlights

· Opportunity to invest in undervalued GCC assets through a manager (ADCM) with a track record in the target region. It is currently intended that the Company’s investments will be held for 3-5 years with the intention of realising values in line with the anticipated economic recovery.

· Optimal capital use: the capital raising programme is designed to minimize cash drag. Qannas intends rapidly to deploy the proceeds of the IPO and subsequent capital raises to a maximum of $200m. Investors will have full pre-emption rights but will have no obligation to participate in future capital raises.

· Fee structure designed to align the interests of the investment manager with those of the shareholders.

Qannas Chairman Chris Ward commented, “We believe that this is an under-invested region with strong credentials, including strong economic growth rates and a wealth of natural resources: GCC countries hold 35 per cent of the world’s known oil reserves and 22 per cent of global gas reserves. Liquidity dislocation in the region has led to declines in asset values, creating compelling investment opportunities. Qannas offers a rare opportunity for international investors to access these markets and tap into the expertise of a manager with specialist local knowledge.”

Investment strategy

The Company’s investment strategy is to utilise ADCM’s investment expertise to acquire assets at a discount to their intrinsic value from vendors who are either distressed or seeking to re-position their investment portfolios. It is intended that the Company will invest 80 percent of its capital in the GCC region with the balance utilised opportunistically on a global basis.

Board

The Qannas board will consist of four directors: three independent directors and Jassim Alseddiqi, CEO of ADCM. It will be chaired by Chris Ward.

Investment Manager

ADCM was established in January 2011 and currently manages more than $100 million in assets for institutional and high net worth investors, deployed in private equity and debt investments. The ADCM investment team, which is based in Abu Dhabi, is led by Jassim Alseddiqi and comprises six investment professionals with a total of more than 40 years of investment management and finance experience.

Advisers

Deloitte is acting as Nominated Adviser to the Company and Daniel Stewart & Company as broker. Appleby has been appointed as Jersey legal adviser, and Herbert Smith LLP as English law adviser. BDO is the auditor and reporting accountant. Appleby Fund Administrators (Jersey) Limited will act as administrator and custodian.

Contacts

Tanya Kassab / Sophie Wood

+971 4 455 6151 / +971 4 455 6152

Tanya.kassab@eurorscgme.com/ sophie.wood@eurorscgme.com

(BUSINESS WIRE)– Chartis today announced that it has aligned its geographic structure to enhance execution of the company’s commercial and consumer strategies and to add greater focus on its growth economies initiatives. Under this framework, Chartis will be organized under three major geographic areas: the Americas, Asia and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa).

Peter Hancock, Chief Executive Officer of Chartis, said, “As Chartis continues to evolve as a company, we are deploying our global resources in a manner that will create a more efficient regional framework to improve delivery of our insurance solutions and add value for our customers.”

Peter Eastwood, President and Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. and Canada, will assume responsibility for the Americas, which includes the U.S., Canada, Latin America and Bermuda. Jose Hernandez, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Far East Region, will now have responsibility for Japan and Chartis’ Asia Pacific region.

Robert Schimek has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of EMEA, with responsibility for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Mr. Schimek had been Chartis’ Chief Financial Officer for the past six years. James Bracken, who has served as a Deputy Chief Financial Officer for Chartis, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer for the company and will report to David Herzog, Chief Financial Officer for AIG.

In addition, Alexander Baugh will become Chartis’ Chief Risk Officer and Head of Strategic Planning, reporting to Sid Sankaran, AIG’s Chief Risk Officer. In this capacity, Mr. Baugh will lead Chartis’ efforts to ever improve its risk profile, and to drive its strategic plans in concert with AIG. Mr. Baugh had been President and Chief Executive Officer of Europe since Chartis’ restructuring last year.

Mr. Hancock said, “This simplified structure will permit closer coordination of the regions with the Commercial and Consumer teams, and it will allow us to put greater emphasis on growth economy nations by aligning them under our top regional executives. Profitable growth in developing countries is an essential component of our strategic plans to create greater value for all of Chartis’ stakeholders.”

About Chartis

Chartis is a world leading property-casualty and general insurance organization serving more than 70 million clients around the world. With one of the industry’s most extensive ranges of products and services, deep claims expertise and excellent financial strength, Chartis enables its commercial and personal insurance clients alike to manage virtually any risk with confidence.

Chartis is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty and general insurance operations of Chartis Inc. For additional information, please visit our website at http://www.chartisinsurance.com. All products are written by insurance company subsidiaries or affiliates of Chartis Inc. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions and is subject to actual policy language. Non-insurance products and services may be provided by independent third parties. Certain coverage may be provided by a surplus lines insurer. Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds and insureds are therefore not protected by such funds.

About AIG

American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a leading international insurance organization serving customers in more than 130 countries. AIG companies serve commercial, institutional, and individual customers through one of the most extensive worldwide property-casualty networks of any insurer. In addition, AIG companies are leading providers of life insurance and retirement services in the United States. AIG common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Contacts

Chartis

Marie Ali,

212-458-2536

Jim Turley to retire in 2013

(BUSINESS WIRE)– Ernst & Young is delighted to announce that Mark Weinberger has today been named its next Global Chairman and CEO. Weinberger will succeed current Global Chairman and CEO Jim Turley, who announced recently that he will retire on 30 June 2013, having led Ernst & Young since 2001. Ernst & Young’s Global Executive and its Global Advisory Council, the organization’s highest management and governance bodies, unanimously support Mark’s selection.

Ernst & Young recently announced revenues of US $22.9b for its fiscal year ended 30 June 2011 and a global headcount of 152,000 people in 144 countries.

Mark, 50, has had a distinguished career with a track record of leadership both inside and outside of Ernst & Young. He currently sits on the Global Executive, the firm’s highest governing body, and runs the organization’s Global Tax practice. Mark has previously served on the Americas Executive and U.S. Operating Committee and run the Americas Tax practice. He has been a senior advisory partner for many of the organization’s largest clients and also serves on the Global Markets Executive and Global Public Policy Committees. Mark was the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury (Tax Policy) under President George W. Bush and he was appointed to the U.S. Social Security Advisory Board by President Clinton.

Jim Turley, who has led Ernst & Young since 2001, has championed the organization’s successful efforts to lead the profession in globalization and investment in new and emerging markets. Under Jim’s leadership, the organization has grown from US$10b in annual global revenues to US$23b, has doubled its headcount and has established itself as the most globally integrated organization in our profession in mindset, actions and structure. Jim has championed a strong people culture, which is underscored by its drive for increased diversity and inclusiveness that has been recognized by many external awards.

Jim says, “Mark is an outstanding professional who has demonstrated strong leadership within and outside our firm, and serves an active role with many of our largest clients. Importantly, Mark has a regulatory mindset which will ensure Ernst & Young maintains strong connections with the many audit regulators and other officials with whom we engage globally. I look forward to working with Mark through a productive transition and am confident he will be an outstanding leader for Ernst & Young who will take our organization to even greater levels of success.”

Mark says, “It is a privilege to be chosen to lead this great organization. No doubt, these are challenging times as the world faces profound economic, geopolitical and demographic changes. Ernst & Young is well positioned to play a constructive role assisting our clients, regulators and other stakeholders shape the future. I am proud of the important role Ernst & Young plays in the growth and efficient functioning of the global economy. Our role is to build trust and confidence in the world’s capital markets and help our clients to deliver on their promises to their stakeholders. I am proud of the people at Ernst & Young who tirelessly bring value to our clients by providing quality service and sound advice in this complicated and challenging environment. I am committed to build on the strong foundation we have created.”

-ends-

About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 152,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential. For more information, please visit www.ey.com.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global Ernst & Young organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50134370&lang=en

Contacts

Ernst & Young

Will White, +44 20 7980 0146 / +44 7771 555 247

Director of Global Media Relations

wwhite@uk.ey.com

QNB Group, one of the leading financial institutions in the Middle East and North Africa, continued to record robust growth in profitability, with Net Profit for 2011 exceeding QR7.5 billion, up by 32% compared to 2010.

The Board of Directors is recommending to the General Assembly the distribution of a cash dividend of 40% of the nominal share value (QR4.0 per share) and a bonus shares of 10% of share capital (One share for every 10 shares). The financial results for 2011 along with the profit distributions are subject to Qatar Central Bank approval.

Total assets increased by 35% to reach QR302 billion, the highest ever achieved by the Group. This was the result of a strong growth rate of 47% in loans and advances to reach QR194 billion. Meanwhile, customer deposits recorded solid growth of 21% to QR200 billion.

The Bank was able to maintain the ratio of non-performing loans to total loans at 1.1%, a level considered to be the lowest amongst banks in the Middle East and North Africa. Provisions were conservatively managed, as the coverage ratio reached 119%.

The efficiency ratio (cost to income ratio) improved to 15.7%, compared to 17.0% in 2010, one of the best ratios among financial institutions in the Middle East and North Africa.

QNB Group was able to record a strong return to shareholders, with the return on average shareholder’s equity reaching 24.8% in 2011.

QNB Group’s capital adequacy ratio increased to 22.0% in 2011, far higher than the regulatory requirements of Qatar Central Bank and Basel Committee.

QNB Group’s leading role in the banking sector and the high quality of its assets, along with its capabilities to achieve sustained growth in all activities, were demonstrated clearly in its credit rating, with Standard & Poor’s, Fitch and Moody’s affirming the Bank’s ratings during 2011, which are among the highest in the region. Also, Capital Intelligence upgraded the Bank’s Financial Strength Rating from A+ to AA- and affirmed all other ratingsin recognition of QNB’s sound financial position, high asset quality and leading role in the banking sector.

In 2011, QNB Group completed the acquisition of a controlling stake of 70% in Bank Kesawan in Indonesia, and launched its operations in Lebanon and South Sudan. With these expansions, QNB Group currently operating in 24 countries around the world through its network, subsidiaries and associate companies, and employs about 7,000 staff operating from 334 branch and offices that are supported by an ATM network that exceeds 600 machines.

A new 5-year strategic plan was approved which aims to make QNB Group a Middle East and Africa Icon. The new strategy aims to maintain the Group’s position as the leading bank in the area by expanding and improving operations, diversifying income sources, and achieving a high return to shareholders.

Contacts

QNB

PR Department

+974-44-25-2477

DP World, UAE Region has been globally recognised by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) as providing outstanding training and development opportunities for DP World’s Finance Department employees.

The ACCA Platinum Approved Employer certificate was presented to Mohammed Al Muallem, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region, this week by Stuart Dunlop, Head of Middle East, Association of Chartered Certified.

The certificate is awarded to leading organisations that offer outstanding development opportunities for young accountants and demonstrate superior professional values, ethics and governance at the workplace.

DP World employees undergoing the ACCA Trainee Development programme, which results in a best in class, relevant, professional qualification, are able to rapidly progress to achieve membership of the internationally-recognised Association.

DP World, UAE Region is one of the first port operators in the region to be awarded the Platinum Level for trainees’ development.

Mohammed Al Muallem, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region, said:

“We constantly invest in our people, who constitute the company’s most valuable asset. We believe this partnership with ACCA will add great value to DP World, UAE Region’s accounting and finance management standards as we continue our journey of corporate excellence.”

Stuart Dunlop, Head of Middle East, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, said:

“ACCA aims to offer first-choice qualifications in accountancy and financial practices in order to enrich the human capital of our partners. We are committed to bring value addition to their systems. We thank DP World, UAE Region for the trust placed in ACCA and its professional credentials.”

Masoud Al Noori, Director – Human Resources Department, DP World, UAE Region, said:

“Training in Finance and accounting is key to our overall development plans for UAE nationals. Finance is a core function and finance managers and accountants are important value-drivers of a high performance organisation like DP World, UAE Region. The global standards that ACCA brings will add value to our existing sound business practices. Our employees will benefit greatly from this partnership.”

Ahmad Darwish, Manager – Management Accounting, DP World, UAE Region, said:

“Qualified finance professionals play an important role in the sustainable growth of any organisation. At DP World, UAE Region we promote the highest possible standards of integrity, ethics and governance to achieve our strategic objectives by applying the International Financial Reporting Standards. We believe our expertise will grow through this association with ACCA.”

ACCA is largest professional accounting body in the world with 147,000 members in 170 countries.

About DP World

DP World operates more than 60 terminals across six continents(1), with container handling generating around 80% of its revenue. In addition, the company currently has 11 new developments and major expansions underway in 10 countries.

DP World aims to enhance customers’ supply chain efficiency by effectively managing container, bulk and other terminal cargo. Its dedicated, experienced and professional team of nearly 30,000 people serves customers in some of the most dynamic economies in the world.

The company constantly invests in terminal infrastructure, facilities and people, working closely with customers and business partners to provide quality services today and tomorrow, when and where customers need them.

In taking this customer-centric approach, DP World is building on the established relationships and superior level of service demonstrated at its flagship Jebel Ali facility in Dubai, which has been voted “Best Seaport in the Middle East” for 17 consecutive years.

In 2010, DP World handled nearly 50 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent container units) across its portfolio from the Americas to Asia. With a pipeline of expansion and development projects in key growth markets, including India, China and the Middle East, capacity is expected to rise to around 100 million TEU by 2020, in line with market demand.

www.dpworld.com

(1) As of December 2011. Includes non-container terminals

Photo Caption:

Image 1: Mohammed Al Muallem, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region, receives The ACCA Platinum Approved Employer certificate from Stuart Dunlop, Head of Middle East, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, during a ceremony attended by DP World, UAE Region officials.

Contacts

Natasha Bukhari

Global Corporate Communications Manager

DP World

Tel: +97156 6821699

Natasha.Bukhari@dpworld.com

Sanaa Maadad

Director, Media

Hasaad Communications

Tel: +97150 5522610

sana@hasaad.ae