^{YEAR 2001 PRESS RELEASES}

The Leading Economic and Financial Forum of the Middle East that offers an exclusive opportunity for serious high-level business development

 Dubai, April 29^th , 2001

  Under the patronage of the Lebanese Prime Minister, HE Rafic Harriri, more than 700 participants, including Arab prime ministers, central bankers, senior banking officials and top executives, investors, economists and fund managers, are expected to attend the Seventh Annual Arab Capital Market Conference 2001, from the 10^th-12^th May 2001.

 The three-day conference, will take place at the Phoneicia Intercontinental Hotel, Beirut, and will focus on cross-border banking opportunities and the challenges facing the Arab countries in the next decade topics mentions the new climate for foreign investment, repositioning for the global economy, regionalization of trade and investment, and financing the next wave of mega projects.

 Antoine Massad, regional manager of Man Investment Products in the Middle East, one of the world’s leading alternative investment management houses said: “The Arab Capital Market 2001 is a major opportunity to demonstrate our financial capabilities in the Middle East as a significant alternative investments provider.   The presence of such a distinctive assembly of prominent and influential political and economical leaders will positively add to our Pan Arab Market exposure    and will provide future mutual cooperation opportunities with governments and financial institutions across the Middle East .”

 The conference is organised by Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group and the Central Bank of Lebanon and supported by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Association of Banks in Lebanon.  Man Investment Products, will participate in the conference as a support sponsor along with other major banks and financial institutes.

 In line with these developments the organisers of the forum will, starting the year 2001, dedicate a good part of the conference to open dialogues between official high-level delegations from guest countries and participants.  Official participation will consist of fully-fledged delegations from Arab and perhaps non-Arab countries. They would normally be chaired by the prime minister and will include highly representative delegations from public and private domain and reflecting the main strategic sectors of the economy.

 About Man Investment Products

 Man Investment Products is part of Man Group plc and currently manages over US$ 6 billion for institutions and private investors worldwide. It is a global business with offices in Dubai, Bahrain, Hong Kong, London, Chicago, Montevideo, Tokyo and Zurich and has launched more than 170 alternative investment vehicles worldwide.

About Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group

 Launched 21 years ago, Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal has steadily grown around its flagship, Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal magazine, and branched out, through a series of acquisitions, to become a diversified publishing company and, at the same time, the strongest private business information and communications group in the region.

 The group strength is best illustrated by the who’s who quality of its 50 shareholders comprising leaders of major corporations in the regions as well as leading bankers, industrialists, economists, and highly experienced statesmen and public figures.

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Issued by Gulf Hill and Knowlton on behalf of  Man Investment Products. For further information, please contact Gihan Abdallah on Tel: (+9714) 3344930 or Fax (+9714) 3344923/3344917/3360692 or e-mail: gabdallah@hillandknowlton.co.ae