May 12, 2008,
Dubai, U.A.E.

Orion Holding Overseas, a leading financial services firm in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Orion Capital Limited, has received a license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to operate as an authorized firm in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The license enables Orion Capital to deal in investments as principal or agent, as well as arrange custody. The firm can now officially arrange credit or deals in investments and act as advisor on financial products or credit to regional and international financial institutions who seek to enter markets in the MENA region.

May 12, 2008,
Dubai, U.A.E.

Direct Broker for Financial Services (Mubasher), the premier provider of e-financial solutions in the region and a subsidiary of the National Technology Group (NTG), has recently announced that it has been granted an E-trade license by Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (ESCA), becoming the first major firm among over 100 similar brokers to acquire such a license. The E-trade license confirms that Mubasher has met all conditions stipulated by ESCA, particularly in terms of security and real-time information feed.

09 May 2008'
Dubai, UAE.

Dubai International Capital LLC (DIC), the international investment arm of Dubai Holding, today announced it has appointed Mark Lunn as Managing Director, Corporate Communications.

Lunn, aged 42, has over 16 years experience in financial and corporate communications and is a specialist in the financial services sector. He joins DIC from Gavin Anderson & Co, an international financial PR consultancy, where he was a London based Managing Director with an international client portfolio and responsibility for the Middle East. He has advised a number of global financial institutions in the UK and the Gulf on corporate reputation, media relations and public affairs as well as providing strategic advice on transactions. Prior to this, Mark spent over 10 years in advertising, principally with WPP, in roles based in London, China and Japan.

Kuwait
03 April 2008

Kuwait Finance House (KFH), the leading Islamic bank in the region, was voted the Best Overall Islamic Bank in the World for the year 2007 at the most comprehensive Islamic Finance News annual poll.

March 19, 2008, New York, U.S.A.

NYSE Euronext (NYX) and Abu Dhabi Securities Market (ADSM) have entered a cooperation agreement to jointly develop and explore new opportunities in trading systems and other related technology, investor and issuer services, and investment products.

As part of this alliance, NYSE Euronext will provide ADSM, by end 2008, with state-of-the-art information and market infrastructure systems and technology to host all financial instruments admitted to trading on ADSM. In addition, NYSE Euronext and ADSM will explore the development of new ventures, including the implementation of ADSM’s derivatives market.