Aabar Investments PJSC and Berndorf AG Establish Joint Investment Company – ABAG AG

Abu Dhabi / Berndorf/Vienna, July 20th, 2009 – Aabar Investments PJSC, an Abu Dhabi based company listed at the Abu Dhabi (UAE) stock exchange, and the Austrian based Berndorf AG have agreed to establish a joint investment company, ABAG Aktiengesellschaft, incorporated in Austria. Both, Aabar and Berndorf intend to use ABAG as their joint venture vehicle to earn long-term returns as substantial investors in medium-sized, internationally orientated technology based companies and act as well as holders of real estate portfolios in Europe. Aabar will hold two-thirds and Berndorf one-third of the share capital of ABAG. In addition, Berndorf will provide management services to ABAG.

"We believe ABAG is an excellent platform for Aabar to partner with Berndorf and invest in the growth of medium-sized technology based companies and real estate in Europe. We are and remain impressed by the continuous performance of the management of Berndorf and are excited to use such a resource for ABAG ", says HE Khadem Al Qubaisi, Chairman of Aabar.

"Synergies with Aabar enables us to significantly expand our strategic focus in medium-sized technology based companies in Europe. With Aabar as our partner, we have the opportunity to scale up our investments", commented Peter Pichler, Chief Executive Officer of Berndorf AG. "While the existing portfolio of Berndorf AG will not be affected, this new partnership will offer many opportunities and excellent return for both Aabar and Berndorf."

Envisaged Long-term Participation in ABAG
As a first step, ABAG has access to an equity funding amounting to in total 150 m EUR. According to the shareholding ratio 2:1, Aabar will contribute 100 m EUR and Berndorf 50 m EUR to ABAG. Berndorf will, given its long-term experience in investment management as well as acquisitions and restructurings in the segment of medium-sized companies in Europe, assume an important role in the management of ABAG.

"We expect to see interesting investment opportunities, particularly within the next 24 months, since many companies are currently comparatively inexpensive. In view of attractive prices, there are excellent investment opportunities for long-term oriented investors, says Peter Pichler. "The cooperation with Aabar starts exactly at the right point in time".

Aabar Investments PJSC:
Aabar Investments PJSC is an investment company headquartered in Abu Dhabi and is on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. It directly invests in various sectors including energy, infrastructure, real estate, automotive and financial services companies. Its largest shareholder is the International Petroleum Investment Company, which in turn is wholly owned by the Government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Contact for Further Inquiries:
Aabar Investments PJSC
Mohamed Badawy Al-Husseiny, Chief Executive Officer
Tel. +971 2 626 44 66
info@aabar.com

Berndorf AG:
The Berndorf group, privately owned and headquartered in Austria, comprises more than 60 entities in 20 countries predominantly operating in Europe, USA, China and India. The main focus of Berndorf’s business activities is the design and manufacturing of secondary heat treatment ovens, of injection moulding and punching tools, the development and manufacturing of solid stainless steel belts for applications in the wood and laminating, the chemical and food industry, as well as press plates for these industries and includes as well stainless steel swimming pools and process engineering activities. The group comprises leading firms like Berndorf Band, Berndorf Bäderbau, Aichelin and HASCO.

Contact for Further Inquiries:
Berndorf AG
Dr. Peter Pichler, Chief Executive Officer
Tel. +43 2 67 28 29 00 202
pp@berndorf.co.at

Hochegger|Financials
Mick Stempel
Tel. +43 1 50 46 98 73 85
m.stempel@hochegger.com