QInvest Invests in the Landscaping Services Sector in Qatar

Doha- Qatar - Sunday, January 29th 2012 [ME NewsWire]

QInvest, Qatar’s leading Investment bank, has acquired 30.5% of Al Nakheel Agriculture and Trading Company W.L.L. and AG Middle East LLC (together the “Group"). Based in Doha, Qatar, the companies specialize in providing landscaping and related maintenance services to governmental, corporate and industrial customers.
This acquisition is the fourth private equity transaction completed by QInvest in the MENA region and is consistent with its strategy to partner with established businesses that are in need for growth capital to achieve their expansion objectives.
Al Nakheel is a fully integrated landscaping and Maintenance Company established in Qatar in 1998. AG Middle East, established in 1976, is a landscape and irrigation services company involved in the construction, improvement and maintenance of commercial and governmental properties. Al Nakheel's prestigious projects include The Pearl Qatar, Museum of Islamic Art Parks, Qatar Education City Convention Center, Barwa City, Dahlak Island Resort - Eritrea and Sidra Medical Research Canter. AGME’s prestigious projects include Doha 2006 Asian Games Village Hard & Soft Landscaping Works, Doha Golf Course, Ritz Carlton Hotel and the West Bay Lagoon Landscaping Works.
Commenting on the acquisition, QInvest’s CEO, Shahzad Shahbaz, said: “this investment represents the firm’s strategy to diversify its portfolio within the service sector. Our partnerships with Qatari organizations represent QInvest’s commitment to contribute to the growth of the private businesses in Qatar and the region aiming to benefit from the strong growth of the Qatari economy and the government’s strategy to expand and diversify the market”.
H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Fahd Al Thani, Chairman and majority shareholder of the Group, commented, “We are very happy partnering with QInvest and look forward to their support to help us retain our leading position in the market, institutionalize our business and strengthen our operations. We plan on leveraging this relationship to further expand our business and take it to the next level.”
Anuj Khanna, QInvest’s Head of Investment Management, said: “Al Nakheel Agriculture and Trading Company and AG Middle East have a long and successful track record of serving their customers’ needs and have executed several landmark projects in Qatar. We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with the existing shareholders and management team of both companies to help them realise their objectives.”
He added, “This is our second investment in the outsourced services sector, which is one of our target sectors for investment in Qatar and the region. We believe that Qatar’s strong fundamentals and outlook will benefit the Group as customers undertake major infrastructure and development projects over the next decade. The availability of increasingly sophisticated and environmentally friendly landscaping and maintenance solutions will be appreciated by customers as they drive the exciting transformation of  Qatar over the next few years.”

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Notes to the Editor
QInvest was licensed by the Qatar Financial Centre Authority in April 2007 and is authorised by the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority. The firm has authorized capital of USD 1 billion and paid up capital of USD 750 million.
Led by Chairman H.E. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al Thani, and Chief Executive Officer Shahzad Shahbaz, QInvest has created a world class investment banking capability operating under Sharia’a compliant structures, with the highest standards of governance and transparency.
The QInvest shareholder structure includes Qatar Islamic Bank and other institutional investors, as well as prominent high net worth individuals from across the region. The platform offers a broad range of expertise which enables QInvest to deliver a high value service to clients, seamlessly covering advisory, financing and investment needs.
QInvest’s business lines include investment banking, investment management, brokerage and wealth management, with dedicated origination and placement teams.
With over 130 staff, including 65 front office professionals, QInvest’s talented team of investment bankers brings a valuable mix of both international experience and regional knowledge, enabling the Firm to pursue opportunities across its chosen markets of the Middle East, Africa, Turkey, South Asia and South-East Asia.
Extending beyond this geographic focus, the firm also pursues opportunistic transactions globally where it identifies high value propositions for clients.
www.qinvest.com

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