25 Sep 2018
Bahrain, 25 September 2018 – The Board of Directors of Investcorp, a global provider and manager of alternative investment products, held today its Ordinary General Meeting of the shareholders in Investcorp House in Bahrain to discuss and approve the Firm’s business and financial performance in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018. The meeting was chaired by Investcorp’s Executive Chairman, Mohammed Alardhi, and Chairman, Dr. Yousef Al-Ebraheem.
The meeting was followed by a press conference led by Investcorp’s Co-Chief Executive Officer, Hazem Ben-Gacem, and Chief Financial Officer, Jan Erik Back, who shared an update on the Firm’s performance in 2018 and outlined the key priorities for the next phase of its global growth.
“2018 was yet another strong year for Investcorp, during which we have made significant progress towards further diversifying our global investor base and business offering – two important pillars of our strategy for growth,” Hazem Ben-Gacem said. “During the year, we have seen robust levels of activity and growth across the board. This is supported by the strategic milestones we have achieved in the last 18 months, with our expansion into Asia, Strategic Investment in a Swiss Private Bank, the launch of our European real estate investment division, and the successful integration of Investcorp Credit Management. Today, our global presence and expertise, together with our solid financial position, give us the edge we need to continue our growth trajectory and capture the right investment opportunities for our clients around the world,” he added.
Ben-Gacem emphasised on Investcorp’s commitment to Bahrain and the Gulf region, and playing an active role in supporting its economic development. He said: “As a global investment firm that is deeply rooted in the Gulf region, and especially in Bahrain, Bahrain offers us three main optimal advantages: A top class regulatory system, a talented professional workforce and an ideal geographic location, less than one hour away from each gulf capital.
From here in Manama, we are uniquely positioned to be part of, and contribute to, the positive momentum in the regional economy. The strong fundraising and placement activity we have delivered in the Gulf in 2018 is true testament to this and to our resilience against the uncertain market conditions in the region.”
In its 2018 fiscal year, Investcorp reported $7.3 billion in fundraising and placement activities, more than $1.0 billion of which were in the Gulf, while investment activity rose 36% to $2.8 billion (FY17: $2.1 billion). Investcorp’s aggregate net income increased 4% year-on-year to $125 million (FY2017: $120 million). Distributions to Investcorp and its clients more than doubled to $7.0 billion (FY17: $3.4 billion).