Atlantic Financial to Launch Middle East Fund Managed by Dubai's SHUAA Capital

Boston, MA, - Atlantic Financial of Boston (www.atlanticfinancial.com) has arranged to work with Dubai-based SHUAA Capital to provide U.S. institutional investors with a fund offering access to the Middle East equity markets, particularly the GCC (Gulf Cooperative Council) mirroring existing strategies by Shuaa that are not directly offered in the US.

“We are very pleased to be working with Atlantic Financial. A partner with a presence on the ground in the U.S. remains a critical element in effectively serving the needs of American institutional investors," said Haissam Arabi, Managing Director and lead portfolio manager for SHUAA Asset Management. "The platform established by Atlantic Financial will give U.S. institutional investors a stake in more than 15 Middle Eastern stock exchanges representing economies with tremendous potential.” SHUAA Capital is among the largest investment banks in the United Arab Emirates and has managed Middle East assets since 1996.

“The Middle East has one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Places like Dubai are changing the face of global business, yet the region is sometimes overlooked. We believe this creates opportunity for investors, especially in the U.S.,” said Bruce Fenton, President and Managing Director of Atlantic Financial. “We are excited to offer institutions access to the market through a leading asset manager who is highly experienced in this market and has a proven track record.” Fenton is banking that interest in the region will follow the lead of Russia, Brazil and other emerging markets.

The Gulf Cooperation Council is made up of six oil-producing member states: The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. In terms of GDP and market capitalization, the Middle East is one of the world’s most important regional economies and is larger than Russia or Brazil. The area is also home to some of the earth’s most ambitious development projects including Burj Dubai, the tallest tower in the world and the construction of entire new cities such as King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia. Dubai is also home to an indoor ski resort, a Tiger Woods Golf Course and Dubailand, the Middle East version of Disneyland. The rest of the region has followed suit, infrastructure development projects are using petrodollars in an aggressive plan to develop the non-oil sectors.

Many Middle East countries have higher growth rates than the U.S. and several have per-capita incomes higher than many other developed countries. The U.S. Department of Commerce indicates that GCC nations have a $500 billion annual trade surplus, this compares favorably to the $600 billion U.S. trade deficit. Liquidity in the region has resulted in unprecedented infrastructure investment. Projects include the world’s largest shopping mall, largest port, largest amusement park, financial and media free zones, man-made islands visible from space and other mega-developments.

Atlantic Financial believes the story of the region’s many positive construction, economic and social achievements to be an under told story in the US. “I think most Americans find it very interesting to hear something that is overwhelmingly positive about the Middle East,” says Fenton. “I’m not sure what is more amazing: the incredible positive developments in the area or how little we tend to hear about them in the US.”

Emerging markets funds exist for US investors wishing to participate in growth in Russia, Brazil, India, China and virtually every other market. Despite its size, the Middle East is a historically under invested area by US investors. Shuaa Capital has managed assets in the region with a local presence for several years and has a solid performance record.

About SHUAA Capital PLC

SHUAA Capital is publicly traded on the Dubai Financial Market and the Kuwait Stock Exchange. The company is known for its investment banking and private equity activities, as well as its large asset management business which focuses on publicly traded stocks through the Middle East region. Stakeholders include Dubai Holdings who recently completed a financial commitment to the company.

About Atlantic Financial Inc.

Atlantic Financial is based in Massachusetts and has served wealth management and institutional investors since 1994, focusing on emerging markets and global allocation of capital. Atlantic Financial offers securities through Cantella & Co. Inc. a Boston broker-dealer founded in 1952. Cantella has a long history of emerging markets projects and was one of the first U.S. firms to work with Japanese securities companies in the 1960s.