Dubai, UAE, 18 April, 2012 – The final shortlists for the TMT Finance Middle East 2012 Awards have been announced to celebrate achievements by the region’s leading telecom companies, investment banks and legal advisers.

Finalists this year include telecom companies Saudi Telecom (STC), Qtel, Etisalat, Viva Kuwait, Friendi Group, Du, Gulf Bridge International, Omantel, Zain and Viva Bahrain. Investment banks shortlisted include Citigroup, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, HSBC, Credit Suisse, Lazard, Samba, Saudi British Bank and EFG Hermes.

The annual Awards, now in their fourth year, will be presented on May 2 at the Gala Dinner of the TMT Finance & Investment Middle East 2012 Conference at Mina A’ Salam, Dubai, the premier regional event for leadership from the telecom and finance community.

The TMT Finance Middle East shortlists for 2012 are:

Outstanding Telecom Leader
Dr. Amer bin Awadh Al-Rawa,  CEO, Omantel
Ghassan Hasbani, CEO, STC International
Dr. Nasser Marafih , CEO, Qtel Group
Ahmed Mekky, CEO, Gulf Bridge International
Osman Sultan, CEO, Du
Mobile Operator of the Year
Etisalat
STC Group
Viva Bahrain
Qtel
Viva Kuwait

Growth Story
Viva Bahrain
Qtel
Friendi
STC Group
Zain

Broadband Operator
Viva Bahrain
STC KSA
Du
Etisalat
Viva Kuwait

Telecom M&A Adviser
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Citigroup
Lazard
Credit Suisse
EFG Hermes

Telecom Financing Bank
Citigroup
Deutsche Bank
HSBC
Samba Financial
Saudi British Bank

Telecom Legal Adviser
Linklaters
SNR Denton
Clifford Chance
Trowers and Hamlins
Al Tamimi & Company

The Telecom Deal of the Year Shortlists were announced earlier and are listed at www.tmtfinance.com/awards

“The awards provide an opportunity to celebrate outstanding activity by telecom operator management and their investment banking and legal partners active across the Middle East,” said Dominic Lowndes, Managing Director, TMT Ventures, the event organizers. “We have an exceptional list of nominees in all categories again this year demonstrating how telecom companies continue to successfully pursue growth and innovation across markets despite the challenging economic conditions.”

The TMT Finance Middle East Conference and Awards Dinner (www.tmtfinance.com/middleeast ) , now in its sixth year, brings together leadership from the telecom and finance community to debate international strategy, financing and partnership opportunities.   Over 50 speakers will feature at the event this year. Key sessions include the Global Telecom Leadership Round Table; The M&A Panel; The Telecom CFO and Telecom Policy Round Tables. Other key session themes include Raising Finance; Digital Leadership; Broadband Leadership;, Infrastructure Sharing and the Future of TMT.

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) is the Main Event Sponsor, with IHS, Booz & Company, Clifford Chance, Ernst & Young, Fitch Ratings, Tasc Towers and Capital MSL also key sponsors.

For full details of programme timings and speakers visit www.tmtfinance.com/middleeast/programme/

For more details on the Awards go to www.tmtfinance.com/awards

TMT Ventures provides specialist news, research and strategic networking and marketing opportunities for the telecom, media and technology sectors globally.

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This release was published on openPR.