On behalf of everyone at Dubai Group, it is my pleasure to welcome you to our website.

Financial Services forms one of the six "building blocks" of H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's strategic plan for Dubai – Vision 2015. This plan seeks to maintain a consistent double-digit growth and Dubai Group plays a pivotal role in the realisation of the Dubai Strategic Plan by leading the development of the financial industry and a more services- based economy.

Dubai Group operates as a diversified financial company with six investment companies focusing on specific sectors and geographic areas.

Despite our short history - around eight years - Dubai Group has managed to not only establish itself as a premier global investor by generating outstanding returns from its investments, but has also created companies and built brands that contribute to Dubai's phenomenal success story such as Borse Dubai – focused on becoming a world class, growth oriented exchange and Noor Islamic Bank – the world's leading Islamic bank.

Our investment portfolio is highly diversified and includes two major telecom firms in North Africa and South Eastern Europe; global financial institutions such as Bank Islam in Malaysia and Marfin Investment Group in Greece; TAIB Bank, a leading investment bank in Bahrain; ONICH and Al Fajer Retakaful, two of the biggest names in conventional and Islamic insurance sectors respectively; as well as strategic real estate investments in Asia and North America.

Dubai Group has also earned international recognition for its investment strategy, particularly the acquisition of the landmark New York Essex House Hotel, which won the prestigious "US Hotel Deal of the Year" award from the American Lodging Investment Service (ALIS), the world's leading hotel industry association. For the first time ever, a Dubai-based organisation won recognition for its special fitness and political deftness in negotiating a deal in such a sophisticated market.

Additionally, Dubai Group was honored with the "Cross Border Deal of the Year" award from the Islamic Finance News Guide for our controlling stake in Bank Islam, the largest and oldest Islamic Bank in Malaysia. Today, Dubai Group is recognised as the single largest player investing in the financial sector in Malaysia.

Dubai Group has successfully managed to create a global footprint, through its subsidiaries and affiliates of over 748 branches in 26 countries, employing 13,450 individuals and serving more than four million customers.

We are determined to carry Dubai's success story forward.

Soud Ba'alawy

Executive Chairman