The Telecom Deal of the Year short list for the TMT Finance Middle East 2012 Awards have been announced highlighting over $10billion of successful merger and financing activity by the region’s leading telecom operators over the past year.
Saudi Telecom (STC), Etisalat, Orascom, Mobily, France Telecom, Zain and Viva Bahrain feature on this year’s short list which includes three completed merger and acquisition transactions and four financing deals. Investment Banks featured include Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, EFG Hermes, HSBC, Lazard, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, National Bank of Egypt, Samba Bank, Saudi Bank and the World Bank.
The 2012 Deal of the Year Winners, along with the rest of the 2012 TMT Finance Middle East Awards winners, will be presented on May 2 at the Gala Dinner of the TMT Finance and Investment Middle East 2012 Conference at Mina A’ Salam, Dubai, the 6th annual regional gathering for the telecom, finance and advisory community.
Telecom Deal of the Year 2012 short list, listed alphabetically Etisalat Egypt $1.24billion loan; Banks – National Bank of Egypt, Banque Misr and National Bank of Abu Dhabi; Korek Telecom sale of 44% stake to France Telecom and Agility for $580million (equity and debt) and Mobily $2.6billion Islamic financing and rights issue.
Orascom demerger as part of Vimplecom acquisition of Wind for $6.5billion
Credit Suisse, EFG Hermes and Lazard; Saudi Telecom (STC) acquisition of Axis $1.2billion financing; Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, HSBC and Saudi British Bank; Viva Bahrain Murabaha financing of $280million HSBC and Samba Bank; Zain Iraq raises $400million, IFC, the financing arm of the World Bank, Ahli United Bank.
“The 2012 short list shows a really impressive range of deals, especially considering the extremely challenging economic and geo-political conditions over the past 12 months,” Dominic Lowndes, Editor, TMT Finance News, who will chair the judging panel, said.
“In such a difficult climate it is important to give credit to successful financing deals as well as mergers and acquisitions and each transaction will be judged individually on difficulty, innovation and significance.”
The shortlists of the other TMT Finance Middle East 2012 Awards will be announced later this week including: Telecom CEO of the Year, Mobile Operator, M&A Adviser, Broadband Operator, Growth Story, Debt Bank, Technology Provider and Legal Adviser.