Rome – On the second day of meeting of the "Strategic Partners Group" of Investcorp in the Italian capital, Rome, the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign Policy, Javier Solana, presented to the participating Gulf and Arab investors and international financial experts the European Union's perception of the course of current events in the region, particularly the negotiations he has conducted with an Iranian delegation on the nuclear issue.
Solana said that the world will witness in the coming year important events in various parts of the globe. He listed among them the American and Russian elections and the events taking place in the Middle East. He said that a measure of the politically pessimistic atmosphere is counter-balanced by a very optimistic atmosphere on economic development in the region.
He said he believed there was serious international determination today to settle the political issues in the region. He mentioned in connection with this the international peace conference, which will be held in November on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions and the land-for-peace principle. He expressed hope for the election of a new President for Lebanon before the end of November in order to place Lebanon on the path to peace.
On Iraq, he said that the unity and peace of the Iraqis is not only of concern to Iraqis, but to all the countries neighboring Iraq. He said that he was counting on the meeting that will be held between Iraq and its neighbors soon in Ankara to solve many of the outstanding issues in Iraq.
As for Iran, he said he met Ali Larijani, Iran's former nuclear negotiator, and his successor Saeed Jalili last night in Rome. He said he will meet him again at the end of November, stressing that Iran had great prestige in history and a major international position and that the aim was to discuss Iran’s ambitions as a nuclear power.
Nemir Kirdar
Investcorp's Chief Executive Officer, Nemir Kirdar said that the annual meeting of Investcorp's Strategic Partners is held this time in Rome, as it was held before in other international capitals, with the aim of building a bridge between the financial surpluses that need to be invested globally and the distinguished investment opportunities available in the industrial world. This meeting was open, with discussions ranging over changes in the economic and political climates internationally and their effects on markets and investments, he said, expressing sincere thanks to the Italian Government on behalf of the management and representatives of Investcorp for the keen interest it has taken in Investcorp and for acknowledging its achievements on both sides of the Atlantic.
Kirdar added: "I confirm in all confidence, pride, and certainty that we look ahead to an even brighter and more prosperous future for Investcorp. The vision is clear, and the efficiency and integrity that made possible the results of the past years will not waver. Today, the institution has the financial clout, the shining reputation, and the technical prowess of a team composed of around 38 nationalities. The rising generation of talents and capabilities for which Investcorp is distinguished is a good omen for its sustained ability to continue its mission on the basis of distinguished performance and achievements and on ensuring sustained soundness of policies and advancement".
Strobe Talbott
Last night, the participants at the meeting heard a lecture by the President of the Brookings Institute, Strobe Talbott, in which he talked about the challenges facing the next American President who will be elected in November 2008. Many of these challenges are external and are tied to the Middle East region and the Gulf, especially Iraq, the Arab-Israeli conflict and Iran.
Hedge Funds and Acquisition of Companies
The participants at the meeting heard a review presented by the Co-Head of Hedge Funds, Investcorp, Ibrahim Gharghour, about the work of these funds and their financial architecture. Steven Puccinelli, Head of Private Equity in Europe, then provided a presentation on the most important companies Investcorp bought and sold recently and on how these operations were carried out. A seminar was held on this issue with the participation of two companies bought by Investcorp, namely the Chief Executive Officer of APCOA, Peter Fischer, Chief Executive Officer of Moody International, Brendan Connolly, and Thilo Sautter, Managing Director, Private Equity, Investcorp.
Fischer and Connolly paid tribute to the exceptional effort and great professional support provided by Investcorp for the advancement of the two companies.
Investcorp
Investcorp Bank is at the cutting edge of establishments specialized in providing and managing alternative investments and their various products. It operates from offices in New York, London, and Bahrain. Its shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol (IVC) and on the Bahrain Stock Exchange under the symbol (INVCORP). The firm's activities are distributed over five principal investment sectors: Private Equity, Hedge Funds, Real Estate Investments, Technology Investments and Gulf Growth Capital.
Investcorp has developed progressively since it was established in 1982 and is now one of the most prominent and diversified international investment banks in the domain of providing and managing alternative investments, both in the range of products it provides and the geographic area they cover. By the end of June 2007, the bank was managing a portfolio of assets under management estimated at around $13 billion.
For more information, please visit Investcorp's web site at
www.investcorp.com
