AREF

Established in 1975, AREF Investment Group is a Kuwaiti closed shareholding company listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. With a share capital of KD 106,129,148 million (approx. USD 399 million) the Company is monitored by the Central Bank of Kuwait. AREF is considered to be amongst the leading investment institutions in the region focusing investments in various sectors and activities. This is achieved through developing and nurturing local, regional and international partnerships.

AREF along with its’ affiliates and subsidiary companies, forms a conglomerate of Holding companies that are diversified in various sectors. This generates synergy whereby any area of specialty is covered under the leadership of a holding company to form a powerful team capable of conceiving, planning and executing mega projects in growing regional markets.

Sector wise, AREF and its affiliates have investments in the following sectors: Investment, Banking and Finance, Energy, Logistic Services (including Aviation, Sea and River Transportation), Real Estate Investment, Food services (including livestock and agriculture), and the Public Services sector which include Health, Educational and IT services.

BankMed

Headquartered in Beirut, BankMed, originally established in 1944, has grown to become one of Lebanon’s top banks. Its market share, measured by total assets, constitutes over 10% of the total of the Lebanese banking system.

BankMed, through its 44 branches spread all over Lebanon, provides a broad range of retail banking, corporate, wealth management, brokerage and investment banking products to both individuals and companies.

BankMed’s operations extend to Switzerland, where it has a subsidiary engaged in traditional private banking activities, and Cyprus, where it has a branch. BankMed has expanded its operation to Turkey via a commercial bank and to Saudi Arabia via an investment bank.

As of the end of 2007, BankMed had total assets of around US$9.2 billion, customer deposits of US$7 billion and total loans of US$2 billion. The Bank has a total client base of approximately 100,000 customers and employs around 1200 individuals.