KUWAIT CITY - May 23, 2012

Agility (AGLTY), a leading global logistics provider, acknowledges the impact that global supply chains are having in lifting barriers to trade, a key finding of the Global Enabling Trade Report published today by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
 
The report looks at factors such as tariffs, customs administration and border transparency to rank 132 countries according to their ability to enable trade.
 
"The report shows clearly how accepted wisdom about trade has been turned on its head," said Tarek Sultan, Chairman and Managing Director, Agility. "We see this every day across emerging and developed markets alike -- there is no doubt that business imperatives and increasingly global supply chains are opening doors and helping establish new trade flows."
 
Far from retreating from those countries identified in the WEF report as challenging, Agility has built a strong position in emerging markets - including those in the Middle East, Asia, Eastern Europe and increasingly Latin America and Africa. The company looks to ongoing growth in these markets in the face of economic gloom elsewhere - a view that looks to be well founded since the WEF report points clearly to the leading role in trade uplift played by emerging markets. Since January 2008, there have been 61 new trade agreements, only five of which were between developed countries, 32 involved developed and developing countries and 24 were between developing countries - such agreements boost emerging market economies and help send poverty into retreat.
 
The Global Enabling Trade Report 2012 rates India, Russia and China amongst the most challenging markets for trade, all of which are key markets for Agility. "We see steady improvement in ease of doing business in these big markets, while other markets such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam are all improving infrastructure and gaining attractiveness," said Sultan.
  
Another key finding of the WEF report is the growing importance placed on supply chain integrity, where increased security and quality can have a positive impact on trade.
 
"Global chemical and pharmaceutical companies tell us the integrity of their supply chains is one of the biggest risks to their product and brands," Sultan added.
 
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About Agility
Agility brings efficiency to supply chains in some of the globe's most challenging environments, offering unmatched personal service, a global footprint and customized capabilities in developed and developing economies alike. Agility is one of the world's leading providers of integrated logistics. It is a publicly traded company with $4.8 billion in revenue and more than 22,000 employees in 500 offices across 100 countries.
 
Agility's core commercial business, Global Integrated Logistics (GIL), provides supply chain solutions to meet traditional and complex customer needs. GIL offers air, ocean and road freight forwarding, warehousing, distribution, and specialized services in project logistics, fairs and events, and chemicals. Agility's Infrastructure group of companies manages industrial real estate and offers logistics-related services, including e-government customs optimization and consulting, waste management and recycling, aviation and ground-handling services, support to governments and ministries of defense, remote infrastructure and life support.
 
For more information about Agility, please visit www.agilitylogistics.com.

For more information please contact:
Christel Stadelmann
Weber Shandwick Switzerland
Tel :+41 22 879 85 24     
cstadelmann@webershandwick.com

© Press Release 2012