​EFG Hermes inaugurates its eleventh Egypt branch in Manial, as the Firm aligns its strategy to meet the needs of individual clients and demonstrates its confidence in the capacity of the Egyptian economy to overcome present difficulties EFG Hermes Securities Brokerage, the leading brokerage in the Arab world, has opened a new branch in the Manial district in Cairo, Egypt, bringing the EFG Hermes total number of branches in Egypt to eleven. This new addition to the branch network will further expand client access to key individual brokerage products as EFG Hermes Securities Brokerage continues to lead the industry in terms of market share, product offering and serviceability. "With the inclusion of Manial in the branch network, EFG Hermes now covers every major district in Cairo in addition to the cities of Alexandria, Mansoura and Hurghada," said ٍSameh Asran, Regional Head of Retailat EFG Hermes Securities Brokerage"Indeed, expanding our physical presence is one of several means by which Securities Brokerage has grown its client pool in recent years." Consistently the number one broker in Egypt in terms of overall market share, EFG Hermes Securities Brokerage last year witnessed some of the fastest paced growth in transactions in the individual investor segment. While the total volume of transactions rose year-on-year, the average size of transactions has decreased, indicating that Securities Brokerage has succeeded in attracting small clients. Securities Brokerage is also the market leader overall in the United Arab Emirates, ranks second in Kuwait and third in Oman. The development of a range of market-leading products and services specifically tailored to meet the needs of individual clients has contributed significantly to Securities Brokerage’s rapid expansion into the individual investor market. Key to this ongoing expansion is Brokerage’s Online Trading platform, which provides clients in Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE and Saudi Arabia with around the clock access to stock and cash positions, transaction history and statements.  In 2010, Online Trading processed 816,468 transactions, with a total trading value of EGP 13.28 billion. In addition to Online Trading, the introduction of Mobile Trading in Egypt and Oman has greatly increased the convenience of trading with EFG Hermes. Individual clients in these markets can now access trading on their smart phones, allowing them to closely track the performance of their portfolios and place orders on the run. EFG Hermes also does not require a minimum account balance to open a brokerage account and offers the most technologically advanced call centres in the Arab world. Securities Brokerage has rolled out a number of initiatives over the past year to boost EFG Hermes' serviceability and appeal to individual customers. Last October, the Division hosted its first individual investor forum, bringing together around 1,000 clients for a face-to-face discussion with senior members of the EFG Hermes team. Furthermore, Securities Brokerage has suspended margin trading on all individual investor accounts since the reopening of the EGX, unless requested otherwise by account owners, to ensure their investments are protected. About EFG Hermes Securities Brokerage EFG Hermes Securities Brokerage enjoys direct presence in seven markets and five indirect markets throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The firm’s direct presence in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia,  and the United Arab Emirates allows it to provide an unparalleled diversity of products and services to more than 26,000 individual and high-net-worth clients and over 600 global institutional investors. The group has consistently maintained its position as the highest-ranking securities brokerage in Egypt by market volume. In the UAE, it has consistently ranked in the top-two (number one in 2008,2009 and 2010) on the DFM and ADX and has maintained a leading position on the NASDAQ Dubai. EFG Hermes Securities Brokerage has been a leading brokerage in Kuwait since mid-2009, and is the largest non-bank brokerage in Saudi Arabia.