Abraaj Capital the Only Private Equity Group from Outside North America, Europe in Global Top 50 Ranking

DUBAI, UAE, May 5, 2010 -

    - Abraaj Capital Enters Private Equity International 2010
      Ranking of 50-Biggest Global Private Equity Groups
    - Abraaj Capital the Only Private Equity Group From Emerging
      Markets in Top 50
    - Abraaj Capital Raises US$ 6.46 bln During the Last Five Years

Abraaj Capital, which invests in the growing Middle East, North Africa
and South Asia (MENASA) region, has become one of the 50-biggest private
equity groups in the world, according to a ranking by London-based Private
Equity International (PEI), the leading magazine for the private equity
industry.

Abraaj Capital, which has raised US$ 6.46 billion during the last five
years, is the only private equity group in the global Top 50 from outside
North America and Europe, and the biggest from the emerging markets. Abraaj
Capital operates seven offices in the MENASA region, stretching from Istanbul
to Karachi and Cairo to Riyadh. Its headquarters are in Dubai.

The Top 50, part of a PEI ranking of the world's 300-biggest private
equity firms, includes names such as The Carlyle Group, Kohlberg Kravis
Roberts and TPG. See www.pei300.com for the list.

"Getting into the Top 50 shows that there is enormous interest and
potential in the emerging markets, and the MENASA region in particular, where
the opportunities for growth are remarkable," said Mustafa Abdel-Wadood, the
CEO of Abraaj Capital's private equity business. "The combination of a young
and expanding population, economic reform and the availability of capital
make this truly one of the most exciting growth regions in the world."

The PEI 300, now in its 4th year, is the only like-for-like ranking of
private equity firms by size. It ranks groups by the amount of
direct-investment private equity capital raised or formed during the last
five years. In the 2009 ranking, Abraaj Capital was number 54 in the world,
still the biggest from the emerging markets.

Abraaj Capital's $6.46 billion includes funds raised for its third and
fourth buyout Funds, its capital raising earlier this year, and almost
US$ 1 billion of funds from co-investors.

The 300 firms in the 2010 ranking have raised a total $1.32 trillion
during the last five years.

About Abraaj Capital: Abraaj Capital is the biggest private
equity group in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA). Since
inception in 2002, it has raised US$ 7 billion and distributed almost US$ 3
billion to its investors. With its headquarters in Dubai, the Abraaj Group
operates seven offices in the region including Istanbul, Cairo and Riyadh. It
has made more than 35 investments in 11 countries and achieved 20 exits. More
than 65 world-class investment professionals work for Abraaj Capital. Abraaj
Capital manages seven Funds; four buyout Funds; Riyada Enterprise Development
Fund, a Fund dedicated to small and medium enterprises; ASAS, an
income-generating, sale-and-leaseback Fund; and a real estate Fund. Funds
under management at the end of 2009 were US$ 6.6 billion. Funds managed by
Abraaj Capital Group have holdings in about two dozen companies in the region
including Air Arabia, the region's biggest low-cost carrier; Acibadem
Healthcare Group, Turkey's largest privately owned hospital operator; and Al
Borg Laboratories, the Middle East's biggest privately owned medical-testing
laboratory company. Abraaj Capital has won many regional and international
awards, including five consecutive years as 'Middle Eastern Private Equity
Firm of the Year' from London-based Private Equity International. Abraaj
Capital Ltd., a member of the Abraaj Capital Group, is licensed by the Dubai
Financial Services Authority.

    Contact

    James Cordahi
    Abraaj Capital
    james.cordahi@abraaj.com
    +971-50-554-7635

James Cordahi, Abraaj Capital, james.cordahi at abraaj.com, +971-50-554-7635