amwal mandated as exclusive distributor of a performing environmental mutual fund.

Amwal, Qatar's leading investment banking and asset management firm has been mandated as exclusive distributor in the GCC of Performance Environment, the best performing mutual fund dedicated to the environment according to "Morning Star" a leading mutual funds ranking Company. Amwal will distribute a reserved Tranche of the fund starting December 2007.

Scientists around the world agree that humans have changed most ecosystems beyond recognition in a dramatically short period of time. Amwal believes that it is in its duty to bring to GCC investors performing financial products that could be part of the answer to challenge the global environmental crisis.

Amwal decided therefore to team with a specialist of Socially Responsible Investments, the French fund manager Financiere de Champlain who has successfully managed Performance Environment a listed Euro 400 million equity fund, invested in more than 2,000 European listed entities and covering three major sectors that Amwal is willing to promote: renewable energies, water treatment, and waste recycling.

Due to the quality of the management and the specific investment strategy Performance Environment over performed the major indices (+86% compared to the Eurostoxx 50 since inception in August 2004). Amwal believe that the growth of the fund (+149% absolute performance since its launch) is aimed to continue due to the focus on performing sectors addressing urgent issues driving strong demands.

The earth's climate is changing due to human activities that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, water scarcity currently affects many regions of the world, and in the meantime, as the global society has grown wealthier it has created more waste products, and disposing and treating this increasing material without harming the environment has become a major issue.

Amwal's initiative bears witness to the fact that it strongly believes that financial expertise can be dedicated to build performing investments products aiming to reduce the human activities impact on the environment.

About Amwal

Founded in Qatar in 1998, Amwal was the first investment company to be granted a full onshore license by Qatar Central Bank and has since become Qatar's leading investment banking and asset management firm. Since its inception Amwal has been a pioneer in the Qatari market through several innovative initiatives such as the launch of the first investment portfolio and the first mutual fund investing in the Doha Securities Market, as well as the underwriting of the first non-Qatari Initial Public Offering in the country.

As a result of Amwal's rapid growth and landmark transactions, it was named in June 2006, the Leading Investment Firm in Qatar by Iktissad Wa Amal Group, the leading publishing group in the region.

The Firm boasts a strong shareholder base that includes some of the most respected financial institutions and business groups in the region including: Shuaa Capital from the UAE, Qatar Foundation, Qatar National Bank, Qatar Navigation & Prominent high net worth Qatari individuals .

Amwal has one of the largest and most talented investment banking and asset management teams in Qatar, employing a growing number of investment professionals drawn from a global pool of talent. Together, the teams have leveraged their outstanding international experience and skills to secure several high-profile mandates and to ensure the successful execution of some of the most prestigious landmark transactions in the region.

[c] 2007 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)