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DFM forum explores the strategic role of going public in achieving sustainable growth

30 private and family companies briefed on how to tap capital markets through the attractive listing avenues of DFM and NASDAQ Dubai
Dubai, October 31^st 2011: As part of its ongoing commitment to emphasize the crucial role of capital markets in fostering sustainable growth for companies, Dubai Financial Market organized an interactive private forum on "Going Public - Achieving Sustainable Growth", on Tuesday 25^th October, attracting 40 top executives from 30 companies. The exclusive forum brought together Chairmen, Board Members and Chief Executive Officers of selected leading UAE companies, including family businesses and government-owned companies along with senior representatives from leading IPO advisors.

Essa Kazim, Managing Director and CEO, Dubai Financial Market said: "For more than 10 years, DFM has demonstrated its firm commitment to instigating and enriching the discussions amongst market participants on various issues and based on our enormous experiences, we have recognized the need to create the necessary platforms to deepen the understanding of working within a regulated and public framework. Therefore, this important event brought together a group of high level experts and speakers to explore the characteristics of current market environment and demonstrates the significance of capital markets for businesses' sustainable growth. In fact, in the past we have seen many companies reaping the benefits of going public and we are confident that this will increase in the near future. We believe now is the right time for companies to prepare themselves to go public, as we expect the IPO backlog of the past three years will come to fruition once the market sentiment improves."

"This strategic forum has been engineered based on the findings of an independent IPO study commissioned by DFM to tackle the key questions raised by companies participating in the study and overall feedback from market participants. The survey stated that the majority of respondents from private and family businesses were interested in going public over the next 2 to 3 years as they acknowledge the importance of tapping into capital markets to fund their expansion plans and sustain growth. Undoubtedly, taking a private company into the public arena is an essential step in the preparation to meet challenges by embracing international best practices in the companies' management, corporate governance and investor relations. The overall aim of our efforts is to see a better representation of the UAE national economy by attracting companies representing the most dynamic and growing sectors such as retail, tourism, healthcare, education and family conglomerates onto our market and to diversify investment opportunities for investors", Kazim added.

The event offered the representatives of private and family companies the opportunity to be extensively briefed on how to tap into capital markets through the attractive listing options available at DFM and NASDAQ Dubai.

"It was encouraging to see so many prominent Dubai companies, some privately owned and some with links to the government, discussing IPO possibilities with leading capital market advisors. NASDAQ Dubai's conversations with its pipeline of potential issuers indicates a growing appetite to go public with realistic book-build valuations, reflecting a regional and global environment in which economies are likely to grow at sustainable levels." Jeff Singer, Chief Executive Officer, NASDAQ Dubai said.

The high level speakers and panelists from leading companies included: Al Tamimi & Company, Capital Advantage, Capital MS&L, DeNovo Corporate Advisors, Ernst & Young, HSBC and Rothschild who shared valuable insights on a range of market related topics including: the outlook for the Dubai Capital Market, exploring the regional IPO Market within the current climate, understanding the IPO decision framework and timing it correctly, identifying the key success factors for effective preparation and capitalizing on the opportunities of growth within a regulated environment. Additionally, top executives from DEPA, Drake and Scull International and SHUAA Capital shared their companies' experience through the pre, during and post IPO stages.

Industry experts participating in this event welcomed DFM 's pro-active approach in studying the IPO sector, identifying potential companies for an IPO and supporting their readiness to go public. The seminar constituted a momentous opportunity for unlisted family and privately owned companies to have a better understanding of the IPO decision framework and identifying the key success factors for effective preparation to go public.

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About Dubai Financial Market :
Dubai Financial Market ( DFM ) was established as a public institution with its own independent corporate body. DFM operates as a secondary market for the trading of securities issued by public shareholding companies, bonds issued by the Federal Government or any of the local Governments and public institutions in the country, units of investment funds and any other financial instruments, local or foreign, which are accepted by the market. The DFM commenced operations on March 26, 2000. Following its initial public offering in November 2006, when DFM offered 1.6 billion shares, representing 20 per cent of its paid-up capital of AED 8 billion, DFM became a public joint stock company. Following the IPO, the Government of Dubai retained the remaining 80 per cent of DFM Company through Borse Dubai Limited. www.dfm.ae

For further information, please contact:
Atef Fathy
Vice President - Media & Public Relations
Dubai Financial Market
Tel: +971 (4) 3055334
Email: afathy@dfm.ae

© Press Release 2011