IslamicFinance.de

Unicorn Investment Bank launches its new brand identity, as it has now officially changed its name to Bank Alkhair B.S.C. (c). The Bank’s subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Turkey will now officially perform under the names Alkhair Capital Saudi Arabia, Alkhair International Islamic Bank Malaysia and Alkhair Capital Turkey respectively.
Furthermore, the bank presented a streamlined and more modern logo and brand elements, in keeping with Bank Alkhair’s re-aligned and more focused approach and operating strategy.

Total income for 2010 was $12.3 million, down from $96.5 million in 2009. With limited exceptions, the reduction in income was due to a general lowering of deal flows, within a stressed financial and operating environment.
Unicorn saw major deleveraging of the balance sheet in 2010, which saw the timely repayment of over $250 million of short term funds. The bank also recently announced the successful repayment of a $125 million Syndicated Commodity Murabaha Facility upon its due repayment date on 27 January 2011.

Bahrain's Unicorn Investment Bank has dropped plans to buy Dubai Group's 40 percent stake in Malaysia's Bank Islam.
Dubai Group said in October 2009 it was reviewing options for the stake in Malaysia's second-largest Islamic bank as it shifts its focus closer to home.

Emirati housewife Sarah Alzarouni brushed past a group of women clad in floor-length black robes, some with only their eyes showing, to enter through the frosted doors of one of Dubai Islamic Bank’s women-only branches.
Clutching a Louis Vuitton bag to match her designer head scarf, Ms. Alzarouni greeted the female tellers and bank manager with three kisses on the cheek and sat down to do business.
Financial institutions in the conservative Gulf Arab region, where many women are reluctant to mix with men outside their families, are tapping into the niche, with women-only bank branches and investment funds mushrooming.
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam where unrelated men and women are not allowed to mix, is leading the charge.
Industry experts say more women need to participate in the Islamic banking industry at senior levels to help grow products that appeal to a female clientele. But while the finance industry remains a boys club around the world, the glass ceiling is lower in the Middle East.

Unicorn Investment Bank (Unicorn), the Bahrain-based financial services group, announces that its successful close of a US$450 million 5-year Sukuk on behalf of leading Saudi real estate developer Dar Al-Arkan Real Estate Development Company (Dar Al-Arkan) has been named Islamic Finance Deal of the Year for the Middle East by pre-eminent international business magazine The Banker.

Yasaar Media published a report about Islamic Investment Banking for free download, with the co-publishers Unicorn Investment Bank, Doha Islamic covering data and principles regarding Private Equity, Venture Capital, syndicated lending, real estate, asset management, fund manageement, liquidity management, treasury, trade finance and capital markets in an Islamic context.

Unicorn Investment Bank consider mergers in the Gulf, and acquisitions of about USD 2 bn in the Gulf, Europa and Asia. It plans a Sukuk Al Ijara about USD 425 mn in Q3 to fund its expansion reported Ulf Laessing and Raissa Kasolowsky on Reuters. Current targets are two Gulf firms, retail banks in Pakistan, India and Malaysia and one in Britain or continental Europe. Unicorn received also a license in Malaysia for a new set up.

Plans announced last September to issue USD 1.5 bn Sukuk by the end of 2008 had been postponed due to market conditions.

Dawood Islamic Bank Limited has received Rs. 1 billion (USD 12.9 mn) investment from Unicorn Investment Bank Limited, based in Bahrain , this was stated in a statement issued from Bank’s headoffice in Karachi. Dawood Islamic Bank launched in 2007 with an initial paid-up capital of Rs. 3 billion. The Dawood Islamic bank has a branch network of 21 branches spread over the major cities of Pakistan , including Karachi , Lahore , Islamabad , Faisalabad , Multan , Sialkot , Iqbalabad and Joharabad.

Unicorn already had a 22.2 % equity stake in Dawood Islamic Bank prior to the current investment. With the new investment the equity of Unicorn Investment Bank, in Dawood Islamic Bank has increased to 37% percent

Aamir Khan is Managing Director and Head Global Private Equity of Unicorn Investment Bank and a founder Director of Dawood Islamic Bank

Said Rafique Dawood is Chairman Dawood Islamic Bank.