CIMB Private Equity & Venture Capital Named The Best Halal Related Service Provider

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 (Bernama) — CIMB Private Equity & Venture
Capital Malaysia has won the award for The Best Halal Related Service
Provider, one of the eight categories under the Halal Journal awards,
the halal industry’s most prestigious awards that honour success,
innovation and excellence.

The company is one the largest private equity & venture capital
management companies in Malaysia with more than 40 portfolio companies.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi presented the award to
its director Darawati Hussain at the Gala Dinner of the World Halal
Forum 2008 here Monday night.

CIMB Private Equity & Venture Capital Malaysia manages US$107 million syariah-compliant funds.

The company has invested in several halal-related companies, such as
halal food manufacturing companies, restaurants and halal traceability
solution providers and global halal producers and exporters.

Hence, CIMB Private Equity & Venture Capital provides leadership in
financing the halal industry throughout the whole supply chain,
according to the citation for the award.

The company has shown calculated optimistic expectations that halal
will be one of the highest growth sectors globally and thus provide
financing services for local, regional and global halal-related
industry players.

The company also launched the first Asian-based Islamic Regional
Buy-Out Fund which demonstrated the company’s creativity in developing
innovative Islamic financial instruments. The company has shown its
capabilities in developing the halal industry, not only through finance
but also through management expertise and hence assist the halal
industry to grow further with world-class management and synergistic
opportunities.

For the other seven categories, US-based Nitta Casings Inc won the
award for The Best Halal Product; Marhaba Halal Food B.V. from the
Netherlands for The Most Creative Marketing Campaign; Kuwait Finance
House (M) Bhd for The Best Islamic Financial Service or Product;
Carrefour Malaysia/Magnificent Diagraph Sdn Bhd for The Best Corporate
Social Responsibility Project; and Zabihah.Com for The Best Travel
& Hospitality.

This year, there are two new awards for Best Innovation in the Halal
Industry, under which the first award – for Product & Process
Innovation – went to Darabif Meat Co Sdn Bhd and the second award –
Business & Strategy Innovation – went to Comgroup Prima (M) Sdn Bhd.

Dr Habib M’Nasria, responsible for Food Engineering, McDonalds Middle
East Development Company, UAE, won the award for The Outstanding
Personal Achievement in the Halal Industry.

At the dinner, which was also attended by Abdullah’s wife, Datin Seri
Jeanne Abdullah, Colgate Palmolive Thailand received its halal
certification from the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC).

Colgate Palmolive Thailand is the first recipient of HDC’s certification. The two-day Forum ends Tuesday.