SICO BSC (c), a leading regional asset manager, broker, and investment bank, with direct presence in Bahrain, KSA, and UAE, was named 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.

Commenting on the award, SICO’s CEO, Najla Al Shirawi, expressed her satisfaction with SICO’s business lines’ continuous accomplishments, saying, “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. 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 USD 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.

Global Finance award winners are selected based on several criteria, including market share, number, and size of deals, level of service and advice offered to clients, structuring capabilities, distribution network, efforts to address market conditions, innovation, pricing, after-market performance of underwritings, and market reputation.

About SICO

SICO is a leading regional asset manager, broker, and investment bank, with USD 6 bn in assets under management (AUM). Today, SICO operates under a wholesale banking licence from the Central Bank of Bahrain and also oversees three wholly owned subsidiaries: an Abu Dhabi-based brokerage firm, SICO Invest, a specialised regional custody house, SICO Fund Services Company (SFS), and a full-fledged capital markets services firm, SICO Capital, based in Saudi Arabia. Headquartered in the Kingdom of Bahrain with a growing regional and international presence, SICO has a well-established track record as a trusted regional bank offering a comprehensive suite of financial solutions, including asset management, brokerage, investment banking, and market making, backed by a robust and experienced research team that provides regional insight and analysis of more than 90 percent of the region’s major equities. Since inception in 1995, SICO has consistently outperformed the market and developed a solid base of institutional clients. Going forward, the bank’s continued growth will be guided by its commitments to strong corporate governance and developing trusting relationships with its clients. The bank will also continue to invest in its information technology capabilities and the human capital of its 100 exceptional employees.

Media Contact:
Ms. Nadeen Oweis
Head of Corporate Communications, SICO
Email: noweis@sicobank.com