Dubai, 10 June 2009 - Amara Holdings Inc ('Amara' or 'the Company'), a Shariah-compliant investment company headquartered in Dubai, today announces that it has signed a major Sino-foreign equity joint venture agreement with a subsidiary of New China Trust Co., Ltd.('New China Trust'), one of the oldest trust and investment management companies in China.

Through this equity joint venture agreement, Amara and New China Trust's subsidiary Shanghai Ding Hai Investment Management Co., Ltd. will together identify and evaluate lucrative Shariah-compliant investment opportunities in China for themselves and on behalf of co-investors and clients.

New China Trust, established in 1979 has a vast clientele base and deep knowledge and experience of investing in China. It currently manages assets of over USD 4 billion and last year has arranged more than USD 3.3bn in corporate financing for major Chinese conglomerates. Over the years, New China Trust has successfully arranged a total aggregate of USD 15 billion in corporate finance, foreign investment of over USD 500 million and underwrites government bonds and corporate bonds of more than USD 1.5 billion. Amara brings in-depth knowledge of Shariah Finance and experience in successfully executing complex Shariah compliant transactions in China and globally.

Dr Musab Jassim, Executive Chairman, Amara Holdings Inc said:

 "We are proud to be working with such a prestigious partner like New China Trust and this agreement further demonstrates our commitment to fostering strong economic ties between China and the GCC. The current market environment presents us with unprecedented opportunities to invest in China at very attractive valuations. Our strategy is to focus on sectors that are fundamental to the domestic economy and growth of China and provide the best possible return to our investors." 

Mr Weng Xian Ding, Chairman, New China Trust Co., Ltd said:

"We believe we have found the right partner in Amara, due to the significant experience that the principals have in Shariah Finance and private equity transactions. They also have an impressive GCC client and investor base which will help us further our strategy of building strong relationships in the Gulf region."

Amara was launched in October 2008 to invest in pre-IPO, private equity and private placement opportunities predominantly in China as well as MENA on behalf of prominent GCC investors. The Company's investment strategy is designed to weather market cycles by investing in sectors that are fundamental to the domestic economies and growth of the target regions such as agriculture, consumer staples and utilities.

-Ends-

Amara
Amara invests in pre-IPO, private equity and private placement opportunities predominantly in China as well as MENA on behalf of prominent GCC investors. The Company's investment strategy is designed to weather market cycles by investing in sectors that are fundamental to the domestic economies and growth of the target regions. Amara is run by Newhaven Investments House, a collaboration of two leading firms, Newhaven Merchant Bankers and Investments House. Newhaven Merchant Bankers has offices in North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia and its principals have a strong track record managing over US$4.5bn in transactions in the target markets.  Investments House is the investment arm of a prominent GCC family with in-depth knowledge of Shariah finance and local markets and has completed close to US$1.7bn of successful transactions. 

New China Trust
New China Trust, established in 1979, manages assets worth more than USD 4 billion and has registered capital of 620 million yuan (USD 92 million). NCT is one of the leading trust companies in the People's Republic of China. NCT has particular expertise in providing capital raising solutions for infrastructure and other capital intensive sectors and a strong track record in providing structured trust products for local financial institutions and corporations.  Barclays Bank, through its investment banking business, Barclays Capital owns approximately 19.5% of NCT having invested around 35m USD in August 2008.

For further enquiries please contact:
Brunswick Gulf Ltd                                                                         
Azadeh Varzi  
Tel: +971 4365 8262
Mobile: +971 50 940 2261
Email: avarzi@brunswickgroup.com

For further information please visit: www.amara-holdings.com

© Press Release 2009