Kuwait, 19th April, 2015

Kuwait Financial Centre "Markaz" has launched, in a press conference held on April 19th, 2015 at Four Points Hotel, Mawazeen International Fund, a globally diversified open-ended investment fund that seeks to achieve capital growth while maintaining a low risk profile. Mawazeen will invest in licensed investment funds in international stock exchanges and will distribute its investments between equity and fixed income instruments.

Mawazeen is an actively managed fund that may be suitable for investors looking to make an asset allocation into global equity and fixed income markets, and benefit from potential enhanced risk adjusted returns. Investors in this fund should have a medium risk profile with at least a three to five year investment horizon. Mawazeen offers investors the opportunity to diversify their assets from local markets that are highly dependent upon the price of a single commodity.

Mr. Gopal Menon, Executive Vice President - International Investments Department at Markaz stated: "We would like to draw our investors' attention to the international markets with a view to diversify their investments and obtain better returns at an average risk level, and so we are keen to offer balanced investment solutions ranging between equities and fixed income instruments".

Mr. Abdullatif Waleed Al-Nusif, Vice President - Private Banking Department at Markaz added: "Markaz always seeks to provide the best investment solutions that fit the local and international needs of the investors. Mawazeen International Fund is perfectly suitable for investors who are looking to invest in the medium to long term with less  volatility rate compared to traditional stock markets".

Markaz is one of the first institutions to invest in ETFs in the region. In 2005, Markaz launched its Atlas ETFs portfolio, giving our Clients access to a new low-cost, diversified, and highly liquid asset class.  Since then, Markaz has incorporated ETFs into several of our new and pre-existing products in order to reduce risk, maximize returns, and gain access to previously inaccessible markets, sectors, and strategies.

In 2014, Markaz received "Best Asset Manager in Kuwait" award from Global Investor Magazine for the fifth consecutive year, as well as from EMEA Finance. Markaz also won two "Best Investment Bank in Kuwait" awards from Euromoney, Global Finance and EMEA Finance. These awards were based on demonstrated breadth of capabilities and excellence in execution of client mandates across debt market transactions, equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and advisory work.

In December 2014, Capital Intelligence, the international rating agency, affirmed the rating of Markaz debenture bond at 'BBB'. The rating reflects Markaz's well established franchise and its conservative business model, supported by Markaz's good liquidity position, its low leverage and its improved earnings in both 2013 and for the nine months to end Q3 2014. The agency classified the outlook on the rating as 'Stable', based on Markaz's track record of building solid performing funds across asset classes and the reputation for being the best performing fund manager on a risk-adjusted basis.

-Ends- 

About Kuwait Financial Centre "Markaz"
Kuwait Financial Centre K.P.S.C "Markaz", with total assets under management of over KD 1.089 billion as of December 31, 2014, 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.

For further information, please contact:
Osama Al Musallam
Senior Officer
Media & Communications Department
Kuwait Financial Centre K.P.S.C "Markaz"
Tel: +965 2224 8000 ext 1819
Dir: +965 2224 8075
Fax: +965 2241 4499
Email: omusallam@markaz.com
www.markaz.com

© Press Release 2015