Amman 27/11/2005 - Jordan Dubai Capital (JD Capital), represented by Chairman of the Board and CEO of Dubai International Capital, Mr. Sameer Al Ansari and JD Capital CEO His Excellency Samir Zaid Al-Rifai will be participating in the 2nd Jordan Economic Forum (JEF) that will be held under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II. JD Capital is one of the major Arab investors to recently enter the Jordanian market.

JD Capital’s co-sponsorship of this year’s forum is an expression of the company’s commitment to the national economy and a clear recognition of the exceedingly attractive investment climate and opportunities now available in Jordan. JD Capital was recently established in Jordan with a capital of JD 200 million and is an affiliate of Dubai International Capital, which is the investment vehicle of the giant group, Dubai Holding. JD Capital will apply its enormous resources and skills in primary investment and will focus on opportunities that are emerging from privatization, development projects, and buyouts.

Al-Rifai, said: “We will be pursuing an investment strategy that is aimed at capitalizing on the robust growth of the Jordanian economy and the increasing number of solid investment opportunities; a vision that supports projects that not only benefit the investors but also strengthen the Jordanian economy and contribute to improving the lives of Jordanian citizens. At JD Capital, we strongly believe in the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II for a developed economy and an affluent society. We see this as an inspiration and a guiding theme of JD Capital's mandate.”

He added: "I am proud to announce the decision by the Arab Bank to invest in JD Capital. This agreement with such a large and important national institution further illustrates JD Capital's significance in developing Jordan's economy."

Regarding his move from the public to the private sector, Al-Rifai said: “Personally, I believe that serving in the private and public sectors are complementary. This is why I felt that the time had come for me to serve in a different capacity; and when the opportunity presented itself in JD Capital, I saw my role. I was particularly attracted to Dubai Holding and Dubai International Capital for all they have achieved for Dubai and their commitment to improving every aspect of life.”

Al-Rifai is a well known former Jordanian politician with nearly two decades of varied experience in management and public service, and a keen knowledge of the local and regional scenes. Al-Rifai’s leadership will undoubtedly steer JD Capital towards achieving its goals – benefiting both the investors and the national economy.

Born in 1966, Al-Rifai obtained his Bachelors degree in Middle East Studies from Harvard University, then went on to attain a Masters degree in International Relations from Cambridge University in the UK.

Al-Rifai started his career in the office of HRH the Crown Prince. In 1999 he was appointed secretary-general of the Royal Hashemite Court where he was instrumental in implementing a major programme of administrative and financial restructuring of the entire Royal Court. In 2003, His Majesty King Abdullah II promoted Al-Rifai to the position of minister of the Royal Hashemite Court to act as the main link between His Majesty and the government. In April Al-Rifai was appointed Advisor to His Majesty, until he accepted the position of CEO at JD Capital in October of this year.

The JEF will focus on developments in the Jordanian economy, which has been witnessing a period of economic growth as a result of a series of economic reform policies. These include the liberalization of markets, private sector involvement, privatization, and legislative review. Jordan has also provided a wealth of opportunities for investors since it entered into a number of free trade agreements with the US and European Union in addition to a number of bilateral trade and investment agreements with Arab and Islamic countries.

JEF, which will be held at Le Royal Hotel on November 27th and 28th, will be addressing important issues such as Jordan’s economic vision, the national agenda for economic reform, privatization, financial and capital markets, investment opportunities, Jordan’s role in the reconstruction of Iraq and Jordan’s economic role in the region. JEF will host several hundred participants, some of whom are governors of central banks, heads of Arab and international funding agencies, renowned public and private dignitaries, as well as economists and financial experts.