Abu Dhabi, UAE, June 1st, 2011: Emirates NBD Asset Management Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary and the asset management arm of Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the Middle East, announced today that it had been named the region's "Best Fund Management Company," at the annual Arab Achievement Awards 2011. The award ceremony was held in Abu Dhabi alongside the Arab Investment Summit 2011.

In just over four years, Emirates NBD Asset Management has grown exponentially and is considered among the largest asset managers in the UAE today, managing one of the largest ranges of public mutual funds. With over AED 4.5 billion (US$1.2 billion) of assets under management, the company currently manages 13 different funds across a range of asset classes. These include its MENA equity and fixed income funds, global risk profiled funds and a complete suite of Shari'a compliant vehicles. Five of Emirates NBD Asset Management funds are currently rated "A" by Standard & Poors.

"We are delighted to receive the award for Best Fund Management Company, which demonstrates the success of our investment philosophy that has produced superior returns and satisfied clients," said Deon Vernooy, Senior Executive Officer, Emirates NBD Asset Management. "This award is testament to the strength of our highly-skilled team, with over forty financial specialists from fifteen different countries, bringing together a wide range of expertise from major international markets."

"Our investment strategies are strongly research-driven and value focused," he continued. "We believe our success comes from strategic asset allocation, driven by a combination of rigorous quantitative testing and professional qualitative assessment, which leads to the optimal balance between risk and return."

As a specialist investment manager with expertise in Arabian and global mandates, Emirates NBD Asset Management offers exposure for investors, to regional and global markets. International channels and partnerships, including life insurance platforms and financial intermediaries, also provide access to the Emirates NBD Asset Management funds globally.

The Arab Achievement Awards, which recognise the excellence of companies and institutions in diverse sectors, have become an integral part of the regional business calendar, celebrating the remarkable achievements that have shown exceptional vision, talent and creativity in the Arab region. Award winners include companies and institutions that own, manage and create projects that have had a significant impact on the development and enhancement of the Arab region.

Emirates NBD Asset Management has been regularly nominated for various awards. Its MENA Opportunities Fund was nominated for the Balanced Fund of the Year award at the MENA Fund Manager 2011 Performance Awards. The Emirates Islamic Money Market Fund was nominated for the Best Islamic Investment Product, while Emirates MENA High Income Fund was nominated in the Best Mutual Fund category at Bankers Middle East Products Award 2011. Emirates NBD Asset Management was named Best Asset Manager - MENA region in the 2009 MENA Investor Awards and won the award for Best Newcomer at the London Sukuk summit for its innovative closed-ended structure, the Emirates Sukuk Fund No 1 Limited, in the same year.

At the 2011 Arab Achievement awards, Emirates NBD Asset Management was also nominated in the category 'Leader in Islamic Investments.'

-Ends-

About Emirates NBD Group:
Emirates NBD Group (DFM: Emirates NBD) is the biggest banking group in the Middle East by assets. At 31st of December, 2009, total assets were AED 281.6 billion and a combined market share of 20.5%.

The Group has a leading retail banking franchise in the UAE, with 132 branches, 705 ATMs and SDMs. It is a major player in the UAE corporate banking arena, with a combined market share of almost a fifth of corporate loans.  It also has strong Islamic banking, investment banking, private banking, asset management and brokerage operations. 

The Group has operations in the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Kingdom and Jersey (Channel Islands), and representative offices in India, Iran and Singapore. For more information, please visit: www.emiratesnbd.com

About Emirates NBD Asset Management
Emirates NBD Asset Management, which is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, is the asset management company of Emirates NBD Bank PJSC, the largest bank by assets in the MENA region. The asset management entity manages AED4.5billion across a range of products including MENA equity and fixed income funds, global risk profiled funds and a complete range of Shari'a compliant vehicles. The Emirates NBD managed funds are domiciled in Jersey and are regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission.

Disclaimers

Information and opinions contained herein have been compiled or arrived at by Emirates NBD Asset Management Limited ("Emirates NBD AM") from sources believed to be reliable but Emirates NBD AM cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the use hereof nor make any representation as to their accuracy or completeness. The opinions expressed herein are not intended to serve as authoritative investment advice. It may not be used or considered as an offer to sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy, any investment. Emirates NBD AM therefore accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct, indirect or consequential loss arising from the use of this document. The price of units or shares and the income from them can go down as well as up. An investor may not get back the full amount invested.  Past performance is not indicative of future performance. It should be noted that investments might not be readily marketable and it may therefore be difficult for an investor to sell his/her investment in any fund.
For further information, please contact:
Afaf Jbara / Hassan Al Khuwaildi
Communications
Group Marketing, Emirates NBD
Tel: 971-4-6093481 / 971-4-6093459
Mob: 971 50 8842020 / 971 50 7454454
Email: Afafj@emiratesbank.com / HassanAl@emiratesnbd.com

Parisa Ansarian / Sudha Chandran
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Dubai, UAE
Tel: 971-4-3355969
Fax: 971-4-3356080
Email: p.ansarian@asdaa.com / s.chandran@asdaa.com

© Press Release 2011