Third Investment in a Global Fortune 500 Company and First in Japan
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 26 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- NewDawn GSE Asset Management Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DIC Asset Management ('DICAM') and the General Partner for the US$2 billion Global Strategic Equities Fund ('GSEF'), today announced that it has made a substantial investment in Sony Corporation ('Sony'), one of the world’s premier consumer electronics and entertainment companies. The investment is the third by GSEF in Global Fortune 500 companies following the recent purchase of substantial stakes in HSBC Holdings plc and EADS N.V.
Sameer Al Ansari, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dubai International Capital LLC, said: "Sony provides GSEF with a compelling investment case, consistent with our mandate of supporting premier global companies. Whilst the restructuring process at Sony is well advanced, the recent successful listing of Sony Financial Holdings is evidence of management's ongoing strategy of focusing on capital efficiency and cash generation. The combination of Sony's truly global brand, its leadership in product design and its global footprint will spur the business' medium term growth as it capitalises on positive underlying trends and emerging technologies."
GSEF is promoted by DIC Asset Management ('DICAM'), the asset management subsidiary of Dubai International Capital ("DIC"). The fund seeks to become a leading shareholder in pre-eminent global large capitalisation stocks, whilst aiming to create value through long term exposure to a concentrated portfolio of undervalued companies. NewDawn GSE Asset Management Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DICAM is the General Partner for GSEF. DICAM and NewDawn GSE Asset Management Limited are licensed and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and GSEF is a DIFC registered fund.
Notes to Editors:
About Dubai International Capital LLC:
Established in 2004, DIC is a Dubai-based international investment company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dubai Holding. DIC manages an international portfolio of diverse assets that provide its stakeholders with value growth, diversification, and strategic investments and relationships.
DIC’s investments have included: GBP 800 million acquisition of The Tussauds Group (UK), one of the largest operators of visitor attractions in Europe and its subsequent partnership with Merlin Entertainments Group "Merlin" which positioned the combined Group as the world’s second biggest visitor attractions operator after Disney. DIC retained a 20% stake in the combined company.
DIC's investments also included the GBP 675 million acquisition of Travelodge (UK), Britain's fastest growing budget hotel company, US$ 1 billion stake in DaimlerChrysler, one of the world's leading carmakers; GBP 700 million acquisition of Doncasters Group (UK), an industrial manufacturing firm that produces precision engineering components across various industrial sectors; and EURO 850 million acquisition of Mauser AG, a world market leader in industrial packaging with approximately 3,700 employees operating in more than 50 locations across Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia.
Most recently, DIC has acquired a 9.9% outstanding equity stake in
Och-Ziff, a leading institutional alternative asset management firm and one of the largest alternative asset managers in the world in parallel with its initial public offering. DIC acquired Almatis, the global leader in the research, development and production of specialty alumina materials used in various industrial manufacturing processes. DIC also recently acquired for GBP 600 million Alliance Medical, the leading provider of diagnostic imaging services to the European healthcare sector. DIC's public equities investments include a 2.87% stake in ICICI, Bank Limited ('ICICI'), the leading Indian financial services firm.
DIC is also a substantial investor in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Investments include a significant stake in the Rivoli Group, one of the Gulf Co-operation Council’s (GCC) leading luxury retailers with over 215 outlets; Ishraq, a US$150 million investment company that was formed to bring the Holiday Inn Express brand of hotels to the GCC except Saudi Arabia; and the MENA Infrastructure Fund, a US$500 million fund targeting investment opportunities in infrastructure projects in the MENA region. In 2005, DIC launched Jordan Dubai Capital, a US$300 million investment company that targets private equity opportunities in the Jordanian economy. DIC is also a founding shareholder of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, a company building a global aerospace corporation that encompasses aircraft leasing, manufacturing, services, airports and education. In addition, DIC has a joint venture with CBRE that provides real estate asset management services in Dubai and the broader Middle East region.
Information about Dubai International Capital LLC is available at: http://www.dubaiic.com .
About Sony Corporation:
Sony Corporation, established in Japan in May 1946, is a leading global electronics manufacturer and entertainment company primarily focused on the electronics, game, entertainment, and financial services sectors. In Electronics, Sony's primary business, the company is engaged in the development, design, manufacture, and sale of various kinds of electronic equipment, instruments and devices for consumer and professional markets, including BRAVIA (TM) televisions and Cyber-shot(TM) digital still cameras. Sony’s Game business, organized under Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., develops, produces, markets and distributes video game hardware and related software under the PLAYSTATION (R) line, including the PLAYSTATION 3 ("PS3 (TM)") game console which launched in November 2006. In entertainment, Sony is primarily engaged in motion picture and television production and distribution, music recording and music publishing. Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. has released recent hit films such as Spider-Man 3 and Casino Royale. Sony’s financial services business is organized under the financial holding company Sony Financial Holdings Inc. (SFH) that, through three main operating subsidiaries, offers life insurance, non-life insurance and banking services primarily to individuals in Japan. SFH shares were publicly listed and began trading on October 11, 2007.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $70.3 billion. Approximately 65.4% of sales and operating revenue is derived from Electronics, 11.7% from Game, 11.7% from Pictures, 7.5% from Financial Services and the remainder from other business segments. By geographic area, 26.9% of sales and operating revenue are from the US market, 25.6% from Japan, 24.6% from Europe and 22.9% from all other regions. Sony employs approximately 163,000 people worldwide.
Fur further information, please contact:
Dubai International Capital LLC
Jehad Saleh
Email: Jehad.Saleh@dubaiic.com
Brunswick for Dubai International Capital LLC
Alex Blake-Milton (UAE)
Tel: +97-1431-99-228
Mobile: +97-1506-94-7589
Tim Payne (China)
Tel: +852-3512-5066
Mobile: +852-6104-6266