Fortune, a leading private equity firm listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, announced Wednesday that it will list its shares on the DIFX in a non-capital raising secondary listing. FMI shares will begin trading on the Dubai Exchange on 1st June 2006.

Fortune's shares have been one of the best performers on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange over the past three years, and enjoy substantial trading volume. Some of the world’s largest institutional investors are amongst the major shareholders of the company.

On 23 May 2006 the stock was trading at EUR2.8 (AED13.24), giving the Company a market capitalization of EUR340.9 million (AED 1.598 million).

Fortune, which has offices in Zug, Zurich, Geneva, Wuerzburg, Vienna and Dubai, has two main activities, Principal Investments and Private Equity Management, both operating from the same corporate platform.

Principal Investments comprises direct investments in different businesses, such as its Wealth Management business in Switzerland, Fortune Wealth Management Group Ltd., and one of Europe’s largest bio-diesel operations (oil mills and refineries), trading under the brand name Global Alternative Energy (GATE).

Private Equity Management holds actively managed stakes in various Private Equity Managers (primarily General Partners and Advisors of Private Equity Funds), such as Antarctic SA in Chile.

In the GCC region, Fortune is preparing the launch of a number of regional private equity funds in collaboration with local institutions. For that purpose, the company plans to substantially expand its current operation in Dubai.

Commenting on the listing, Rene Muller, CEO of Fortune, noted that:

"The DIFX listing shall show our partners Fortune’s long-term commitment, provide our investors and clients with the transparency they require and is a natural step in the realization of our global strategy."

Regarding Fortune's decision to launch a series of private equity funds from the region and for the region, Mr Muller added that:

"We will sign strategic deals through our Principal Investment vehicle and initiate the dialogue with independent asset managers for possible cooperations & acquisitions."

"While Private Equity is growing in the Middle East, Fortune’s mission is to create maximum value for all our stakeholders with the help of our unique integrated platform.”

According to Nasser Al Shaali, Chief Operating Officer of the DIFX, Fortune will be the first continental European company to list on the DIFX.

"Its arrival demonstrates the growing confidence that the financial community has in the exchange," he observed.

"As an issuer on the DIFX, Fortune will list on the region’s newest, best regulated and most international capital market. We hope that many other Western companies will see the attractiveness of such a dual listing and follow suit," he added.

Fortune announced a net profit of EUR11.8 million (AED55.41 million) or EUR0.16 per share (AED 0.751 per share), for the year which ended on December 31, 2005.