Saudi Arabia Investor Conference takes place in London

Front row (L to R) Benoit Bellerose, CFO Dar Al Arkan; Mohammad Al Attas, CFO and Group Vice President , Saudi Cables;  Rami Sidani, Head of Asset Management, MENA, Schroders Investment Management. Back row: (L to R) Walid Shihabi, Head of Research SHUAA Capital; Omar Al Jaroudi CEO SHUAA Capital Saudi Arabia.

SHUAA Capital (ticker symbol: SHUA.DU), the region's leading financial services institution has announces that it is hosting the first ever Saudi Arabia Investor Conference in London on 2^nd and 3^rd December 2008. 

The conference, taking place at the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park, London, will bring together blue-chip companies from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and premier international institutional investors. SHUAA Capital also has announced that the Saudi Capital Market Authority has granted a brokerage licence to its subsidiary SHUAA Capital Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia offers investors, at this time of unprecedented financial turmoil, one of the few emerging economies with a real and exciting opportunity for growth. 

The Kingdom has a strong commitment to improve its social and economic infrastructure and has developed an expansionary fiscal policy made possible by surpluses generated from its hydro-carbon exports. Saudi Arabia will continue to see the development of major projects including; the King Abdullah Economic City, the ‘Trans Saudi Railway' and a doubling of the Country's power capacity.

Mr. Omar Al Jaroudi, Chief Executive Officer of SHUAA Capital Saudi Arabia, said:  "Saudi Arabia's modernising agenda and strong fundamentals create opportunities for many listed companies especially after the Saudi Capital Markets Authority's decision to allow international investor's access to the Saudi Stock Exchange. Our conference comes at the best time to reach out to leading international institutional investors and will give direct access to the senior management of the key Saudi Arabian companies while offering US and European investors a unique opportunity to make better and more informed decisions."

Following receipt of the brokerage licence, SHUAA Capital Saudi Arabia will be authorised to commence offering its international clients access to companies listed on the Saudi's stock exchange (Tadawul). In August 2008, the Saudi's Capital Market Authority allowed non-resident foreign investors to conclude swap agreements with local authorised entities who would retain the legal ownership of the shares.