Ahmet Bekce (left), Citi's Middle East Banking Head, receives the award.IN a clear vote of confidence in the bank's regional capabilities, Euromoney Magazine recently named Citi "Best Investment Bank in the Middle East" for the period covering the past 12 months. The prestigious accolade was part of the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2012, considered to be among the most respected global awards for banking excellence. The global bank, with a long and embedded presence in the region dating back to the 1950s, came ahead of the competition across all main categories, thanks to a dedicated team of bankers on the ground and a portfolio of transactions that helped top local issuers to tap capital markets, while advising on critical project finance and M&A deals, and customizing innovative financial solutions. The bank was particularly recognized for its leading key sovereign and corporate debt issues (both conventional and Islamic) for Qatar, Bahrain, Qatar National Bank, First Gulf Bank, Emirates Islamic Bank, Union National Bank, First Gulf Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Tamweel, among others; arranging all major debt restructuring and refinancing transactions (Citadel Capital, Orascom Construction Industries, Ports & Free Zone World, Sabic Innovative Plastics, Sabic Capital); developing innovative financing solutions (Salik Toll Securitization - First toll road financing in MENA, and Al Sufouh Transit System ECA Financing); leading in the financing and advisory of major industrial projects (Qatar Petroleum's Barzan Gas Project, Saudi Arabia's SEC Qurayyah project); and supporting clients in their efforts to diversify their investor base (DP World's Dual Listing at the London Stock Exchange). "We are deeply honored with this recognition from Euromoney. It is particularly gratifying that this year Citi is celebrating its 200th birthday," said Atiq Ur Rehman, Citi's Chief Executive Officer for the Middle East. "We are also extremely grateful to our clients who have put their trust and confidence in Citi to serve them on some very important and innovative transactions." Citi has been in the Arab world for nearly 50 years and views the region as critical to its global franchise. It currently offers full scale corporate and investment banking services in UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria.
