Ali H Khalil, COO of Markaz

KUWAIT: Kuwait Financial Centre "Markaz" announced winning the "Most Innovative Investment Bank in the Middle East" by Global Finance magazine, a specialized finance and investment magazine. Markaz also won the "Best Investment Bank in Kuwait" in 2016 award for the fourth time. The awards will be presented to Markaz at an awards ceremony conducted the morning of October 8th during the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, DC.

Global Finance editors, with input from industry experts, used a series of criteria to select the winners including market share, number and size of deals, service and advice, structuring capabilities, distribution network, efforts to address market conditions, innovation, pricing, after-market performance of underwritings and market reputation.

In light of this achievement, Ali Hassan Khalil, Chief Operating Officer at Markaz, thanked Global Finance for extending these awards to his company saying: "We're honored to be named as the 'Most Innovative Investment Bank in the Middle East' and the 'Best Investment Bank in Kuwait' for 2016 by Global Finance. These awards are the recognition by our industry of the core strengths we bring to our clients in any mandate: high quality of service, prompt delivery, intense energy, integrity, and a high level of creativity and innovation."

Khalil added: "These awards are the result of Markaz completing several successful transactions over the past year across a wide number of activities, including M&A transactions, restructurings, and general advisory transactions. During 2015, Markaz successfully completed 12 mandates for its clients, of which three were M&A transactions, including the flagship tender offer in Kuwait by Al Ahleia Insurance for Kuwait Reinsurance completed in the third quarter. We have entered 2016 with a very strong pipeline."

Markaz's performance continues to attract recognition from experts in the region's financial industry. Markaz was recognized twice in 2015 as "Best Investment Bank in Kuwait" by Global Finance and EMEA Finance and was awarded "Best Equity Manager in Kuwait" by Global Investor for the sixths consecutive year and "Best Asset Manager in Kuwait" from EMEA Finance.