​ Dubai,7 March 2016 EFG Hermes, the leading investment bank in the Arab world, has kicked off the EFG Hermes 12th annual One on One Conference, the region’s largest gathering of top global investors from Europe, the United States, the Gulf Cooperation Council and beyond. As the largest Middle East and North Africa-focused investor conference in the region, the three-day gathering is taking place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and President of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).   This year’s conference will see more than 455 international fund managers and institutional investors from 221 Institutions with aggregate assets under management in excess of USD 10 trillion hold face-to-face meetings with more than 117 leading companies from the MENA region. Presenting companies are drawn from 14 sectors, including consumer staples, consumer discretionary, real estate, energy, healthcare, banks and financial services.   “Low oil prices, volatility in capital markets, divergent monetary policy between the U.S., the European Union and Asia, and the slowdown of growth in China will make 2016 a challenging year for MENA markets,” said EFG Hermes Chief Executive Officer Karim Awad. “Much of the fall in oil prices was priced in by MENA markets during the second half of 2015 and the first month of this year, so we expect investors will be looking to MENA in a bid to uncover opportunities including defensive plays and payers of dividends with strong cash flows, robust balance sheets and outstanding management teams.”   Added Awad: “While the region’s IPO pipeline may be less robust this year than in years past, we’re still seeing significant appetite from companies interested in going to market as conditions improve. We also expect to see improved appetite for mergers and acquisitions this year after the region saw activity fall in 2015 despite last year having been the best year for global M&A since its pre-crisis peak in 2007. We believe that the cumulative result of these meetings will help contribute positively to a revitalization of the regional IPO pipeline in the long-term.”   Despite challenging market conditions during 2015, EFG Hermes closed 2015 atop the Thomson Reuters MENA Equity Capital Markets League table and has lead-managed and executed all international-standard IPOs — those executed in accordance with the international standards (Reg S / Rule 144A) — to have come out of the United Arab Emirates and Egypt in the past 24 months   “The net outflows regional markets recorded in January and early February are now stabilizing as investors look for value, particularly in the GCC,” said Mohamed Ebeid, Co-Head of Securities Brokerage at EFG Hermes. “Policy decisions, whether from governments or from company management, will also be important drivers of market or company outperformance. We see reforms in the GCC — including moves to diversify revenues — as an important driver for these markets.”   Notably, Ahmad Shams, EFG Hermes Head of Research stated, “Last year, we discussed whether there would be life in the GCC with oil at US$ 50 per barrel. With prices now slightly above US$ 30, it’s clear that policy makers are stepping up their games.Cuts to current spending as a means of freeing-up some space for development spending could be negative for stocks in the short run, but far more supportive in the long run. The EFG Hermes One-on-One is about giving global investors face time with the executives who are building and growing compelling businesses despite low oil prices and turmoil in global capital markets.”   Shams also announced that today’s opening session will include a debate headlined “Can MENA escape the boom and bust of oil markets?” that will see institutional investors vote electronically on questions regarding MENA markets, with results displayed instantly. The debate is presented in partnership with WSJ. Custom Studios and will be moderated by EFG Hermes Head of Macro-Strategy Simon Kitchen.       Notes for Editors:   About EFG Hermes Conferences EFG Hermes Conferences are the leading investor conferences focusing on MENA. Our two flagship conferences are the EFG Hermes One on One (launched in 2001 and held annually in late winter) and the EFG Hermes London MENA (launched in 2011 held every fall). Since inception, the two gatherings have become staples for the regional investment community and catalysts for foreign investment in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) equities. Both conferences are built around a one-on-one format that sees leading international institutional investors and fund managers meet face-to-face with top listed companies from across the MENA region. More than 450 investors from over 200 institutions attended the 2015 EFG Hermes One on One in Dubai, UAE, where they held more than 7,000 meetings with over 100 leading regional companies.   About EFG Hermes With a footprint spanning seven countries in the Middle East and North Africa, EFG Hermes started in Egypt and has grown over 30 years to become the region’s leading investment bank. We have a proven track record of providing a wide spectrum of financial services including investment banking, asset management, securities brokerage, research and private equity to clients across the region and beyond. EFG Hermes also owns a 63.7% majority stake in the Lebanese commercial bank Crédit Libanais.    Through our on-the-ground operations in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and with more than 800 talented employees of 25 nationalities, we serve a considerable and diversified client base from the Middle East and North Africa to Europe, Africa and the United States. Our clients include corporations, financial institutions, governments, high net worth clients and individual customers.   In 2015, we launched EFG Hermes Leasing, a wholly-owned subsidiary offeringleasing services and highly sought-after, value-added advisory to large corporations and SMEs across Egypt.   For further information about EFG Hermes, please visitwww.efghermes.comand stay connected with us:       For further information, please contact: EFG Hermes Media media@efg-hermes.com   May El Gammal Head of Marketing and Communications melgammal@efg-hermes.com