USD 200 million of deals in first quarter 2008

Opens Bahrain office as it celebrates first anniversary

Bahrain, 19 May 2008: The Islamic Bank of Asia (IB Asia) announced the signing of  over 20 significant cross-border capital transactions worth more than half a billion USD  in its first year of business as the bank's board of directors convened for its annual general meeting in Bahrain.

Established in May 2007 and headquartered in Singapore, IB Asia is a joint venture between DBS Bank, one of the largest financial services groups in Asia, and 34 investors from prominent families and industrial groups based in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The bank also has a Shariah board consisting of world-renowned Islamic scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohamed Ali Elgari, Dr. Abdul Sattar Abu Ghuddah, Dr. Mohd Daud Bakar and chaired by Sheikh Nizam Yaqouby, based in Bahrain.  

IB Asia committed USD 200 million of deals (see ANNEX) in the first quarter of 2008.  In conjunction with its first anniversary this month, the bank also opened its first representative office in Bahrain at the Bahrain Financial Harbour, West Tower, Level 45 (Flat 4501, Building 1459, Road 4626, Block 346, Manama Sea Front, Kingdom of Bahrain). It will give IB Asia easier access to shareholders and customers in the Gulf.

IB Asia Chairman His Excellency Abdulla Hasan Saif said, "IB Asia's rapid progress is particularly encouraging because it underscores our progression from a newcomer to an innovative financial services provider that became profitable within the first 12 months."

His Excellency, who is also the Economics Affairs Advisor to His Highness, the Prime Minister of Bahrain said, "Our strong performance reflects the robust foundation and operational competencies that the bank has established. The combination of Shariah expertise, banking capabilities and twin networks of clients in Asia and the Middle East will enable us to play a prominent role in this fast-expanding market."

Wide Range of Structured Products in the Pipeline

In IB Asia's first year of operation, the bank focused on establishing itself in the wholesale financing markets and developed a platform of financing structures including trade finance and large-scale syndications. It also built a range of Treasury services from the provision of foreign exchange to money market activities.

IB Asia CEO Vince Cook said," The next phase is to launch more complex treasury products, including a proprietary and efficient profit rate swap structure, FX forwards, cross currency ideas and structured products. These structured products will position IB Asia as one of the few standalone Islamic banks able to provide the type of investment solutions coming from international investment banks. We will be able to offer investors greater exposures to underlying assets such as commodities, equities and FX and where required, provide capital protection."

He said, "In the capital markets space, we are currently in discussions with a number of Asian and GCC-based companies and international agencies on future Sukuk issues. We intend to launch IB Asia's first Shariah-complaint Asian equities fund and are in the process of establishing a real estate fund targeting special opportunities in the region."

His Excellency said, "We are heartened by IB Asia's progress and remain committed to providing a comprehensive range of innovative products and solutions that uphold Islamic values and serve our customers' needs."

-Ends-

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 commercial banking, corporate finance, capital market and private banking services. To find out more about IB Asia, log on to www.islamicbankasia.com.

About DBS - Living, Breathing Asia
DBS is one of the largest financial services groups in Asia with operations in 16 markets. Headquartered in Singapore, DBS is the largest bank in the country as measured by assets, and a leading bank in Hong Kong. DBS' "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings are among the highest in the Asia-Pacific region.

As a bank that specialises in Asia, DBS leverages its deep understanding of the region, local cultures and insights to serve and build lasting relationships with its clients. DBS provides the full range of services in corporate, SME, consumer and wholesale banking activities across Asia and the Middle East. The bank is committed to expand its pan-Asia franchise by leveraging its growing presence in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to intermediate the increasing trade and investment flows between these markets. Likewise, DBS is focused on extending its end-to-end services to facilitate capital within fast growing countries in Indonesia and India.

DBS acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in each of its 14,000 staff which represent over 30 nationalities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.

ANNEX
Here are some of the deals IB Asia committed in the first quarter of 2008:

Tamweel PJSC, a UAE-based Islamic mortgage company.  IB Asia was appointed Mandated Lead Arranger in a USD 250 million Syndicated Mudaraba Financing Facility.

Al Jaber Transport & General Contracting L.L.C., a UAE-based company with interests from manufacturing to real estate.  IB Asia was appointed Mandated Lead Arranger in a USD 400 million Syndicated Dual Currency Ijarah financing facility.

Other notable deals concluded throughout the year include:

International Leasing & Investment Company (ILIC), Kuwait. IB Asia was appointed Mandated Lead Arranger for two separate Syndicated Revolving Murabaha Financing Facilities amounting to USD 150 million.

NIG Sukuk Ltd (NIG), Kuwait. IB Asia, jointly with DBS Bank, subscribed for a total of USD 50 million in the first series (USD 475 million) of NIG Sukuk's USD1.5 billion Trust Certificate Issuance Programme. This is IB Asia's first Sukuk transaction.

Barwa Real Estate Company Q.S.C. (Barwa), Qatar. Together with DBS Bank, IB Asia underwrote USD 100 million in a USD 600 million Syndicated Revolving Murabaha Financing Facility for Barwa.

The bank also concluded a number of bilateral deals in Saudi Arabia.

© Press Release 2008