MEDIA CENTER

Launching Sharia Equity Portfolios

Sands Capital Management today announced the launch of a global growth equity strategy that enables institutional investors to allocate capital to a concentrated portfolio of leading growth businesses that comply with Sharia principles. The strategy is offered through segregated accounts that can be customized to a client’s needs.

A U.S. based investment management firm focused exclusively on growth investing, Sands Capital’s approach features deep, fundamental, business-focused research. Based on this research, the firm identifies businesses expected to grow into exponentially larger enterprises, capable of translating superior earnings growth into shareowner value over five years or more. The firm’s strategies concentrate investments in these businesses through high-conviction portfolios that differ greatly from the indexes. With a nearly 30-year track record, the firm has been gaining new mandates and increased allocations from investors across the Middle East.

“Sands Capital exists to add value and enhance the wealth of our clients with prudence over time. As a mission-driven, client-centered, global investment manager, we believe we are especially well suited to provide growth capital solutions that help Islamic investors achieve their financial goals,” said Stephen Nimmo, Executive Managing Director at Sands Capital.

“Recognizing that Sharia governance and supervisory challenges are growing, timelines for addressing them are contracting, and businesses are moving quickly to adapt Sharia supervisory structures in the GCC, we have decided to engage them to help us conform to Sharia principles and rules” said Mr. Nimmo. “Joining forces with Shariyah Review Bureau, which has a strong presence and reputation in the region, as well as the largest scholarly network in the industry, directly supports our strategy and commitment to create a truly Sharia compliant offering.”

Leveraging the expertise of Sharia advisory firms, such as Shariyah Review Bureau, as a catalyst for Sharia compliance value preservation has become a critical part of Islamic equity investing. Shariyah Review Bureau helps address a set of fundamental challenges including the assignment of Sharia Boards, the competitive advantage of in-house consultants, Sharia audit capabilities and the scalability of equities screening to support growth. “Equity investments management can gain access to significant expertise through our Sharia supervisory engagements” said Yasser S. Dahlawi, CEO of Shariyah Review Bureau. “Our approach allows us to respond in a unique way to a growing need from many equity funds and portfolios: a deeply integrated scholarly network and strong controls over certification and technical expertise in Sharia assurance,” said Yasser.

Commenting on the new assignment Yasser added “we are delighted to supervise this engagement for Sands Capital and look forward to collaborating with them on this new investment strategy.”

To learn more about Sands capital, please visit www.sandscapital.com