SICO, a leading regional asset manager, broker and investment bank, was named the Best Investment Bank in Bahrain at the 2024 Global Finance World's Best Investment Banks Awards for the fifth consecutive year. 

 

The award affirms SICO’s ability to deliver advisory services and execute complex transactions across a broad spectrum of sectors consistently and efficiently.

 

SICO’s CEO, Najla Al Shirawi, said: “Receiving this recognition for the fifth consecutive year is a testament to the trust of our clients in the dedication and expertise of our accomplished team. SICO’s management and execution of a diverse range of innovative transactions, such as the sale of assets, primary and secondary listings, and mergers and acquisitions, have successfully established a track record of expertise and exceptional performance over the past 25 years. This acknowledgement further establishes our status as the prime gateway to capital markets for Bahrain and the region as a whole.”

 

In 2023, SICO Investment Banking served as the financial advisor for Dallah Al Baraka’s voluntary conditional exit offer of up to 100% of Al Baraka Group’s issued ordinary shares, with the aim of fully delisting from the Bahrain Bourse. 

 

Key role

SICO Investment Banking played a significant role in the successful sale of an 11% stake in Esterad, a listed company owned by the National Bank of Bahrain. The investment banking team also advised Al Jazeera Tourism Company’s (AJTC) 100% sale of Novotel Al Dana Resort to Gulf Hotels Group. 

 

Additionally, SICO was appointed as the financial advisor for Gulf Tamin Ltd on their partial acquisition of 13.85% of the issued ordinary shares of Arab Insurance Group. In Saudi, the team successfully carried out their role as the receiving agent for the Osool and Bakheet Investment IPO on the Saudi Parallel Market, Nomu.

 

SICO Investment Banking is a highly experienced and trusted partner in Bahrain, and has successfully advised on many of the largest and most complex transactions in the country, such as the Kuwait Finance House (KFH) cross-border acquisition of Bahrain-based Ahli United Bank (AUB) in a $10.9 billion deal in 2022, and the APM Terminals IPO, which was the most successful IPO on the Bahrain Bourse in the last ten years.--TradeArabia News Service