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21 Mar 2007

Give him a place to stand, and he will move the world.

Hedge funds may give investors the ability to operate free from the shackles of the usual emotions and psychology of the marketplace



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Investcorp Launches Early Stage Fund & Wins Hedge Fund Award

Bahrain-based $5 billion hedge fund Investcorp has won the Institutional Hedge Fund Manager award at the inaugural Hedge Funds World Awards in Dubai. The awards are designed to recognise and encourage excellence in the Middle East hedge fund industry.

The award comes at a time when Investcorp is marketing to GCC investors its new Investcorp Early Stage Fund, which invests in newly formed hedge funds, the firm said in a statement. The initial portfolio will be composed of approximately 15-20 managers with targeted returns of 12-14% with annualized volatility of 5-7% over the medium term. The fund offers quarterly liquidity with a one-year lock up period.

Investcorp's co-heads Deepak Gurnani and Ibrahim Gharghour expressed their delight at receiving this industry recognition. "It is an outstanding tribute to be recognised by our industry peers at this leading event," said Mr Gurnani.

"We see this as a testament to the achievements of the past 10 years in pioneering acceptance of hedge funds as an asset class for institutions in the region, and in building a strong business based on superior performance grounded in an industry-leading risk management process."

Mr Gharghour said that the award reflected the fund's substantial progress in widening its business, through current initiatives such as its strategic partnership with London-based WMG. Investcorp and five other hedge funds were selected from over 20 finalists representing leading global hedge fund firms.

Since 1996, Investcorp has invested with more than 50 hedge funds within the first 12 months of their launch and now manage approximately $1 billion in early stage investments.