Al-Mahmoud and Keating: Sukuk franchise continues to generate international and regional interest.

QInvest has been selected as “sukuk manager of the year” by Global Investor/ISF.
“Whilst the volume of sukuk transactions has reduced, due to market volatility, QInvest’s sukuk franchise continues to generate international and regional interest in corporate and sovereign issuers,” said Nasser al-Mahmoud, managing director and head of strategic relations at QInvest, after receiving the award at the Middle East and North Africa Capital Markets Summit in Dubai.
QInvest may be coming from a low base - it was only founded in 2007 - but its performance in 2014 was outstanding, according to Sean Keating, editor of Global Investor.
Revenues were up 134% and net profit jumped eightfold, driven largely by sukuk issuance through its investment banking arm, he said.
QInvest previously announced the completion of its debut $200mn five-year syndicated facility, which was in line with the bank’s funding diversification and capital efficiency plan and was arranged by its key regional and international relationship banks, Masraf Al Rayan, Al Khaliji France and Natixis.
QInvest, licensed by the    Qatar Financial Center Regulatory Authority, has three business divisions: asset management, investment banking and principal institutional investors. It has authorised capital of $1bn and paid up capital of $750mn.