 WASHINGTON, D.C.—August 13, 2013, Interlink Capital Strategies, a Washington, D.C.-based emerging market financial advisory firm, and Melak Iraq, an Iraq-based advisory firm offering investment and merchant bank services, signed a Teaming Agreement to cooperatively offer value added financial advisory and other professional services to existing and new clients seeking funding for their activities in Iraq. Iraq continues to be a country with huge growth potential for investors. Adding Interlink’s experience in the use of financing structures from Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) and Developing Financial Institutions (DFIs) to Malek’s portfolio of investment and merchant banking services within Iraq, offers a truly unique expertise needed to assist investors properly quantify the risks and rewards and structure appropriate funding to capitalize on the rapid growth. Melak has successfully executed several transactions in Iraq including acting as Sole Adviser and Joint Lead Manager on the AsiaCell Telecom IPO, a $1.2 billion IPO on the Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX). The deal was the largest ever in Iraq and the largest in the Middle East since 2008 (the deal won ECM deal of the year by TMT Finance Middle East). Interlink has a proven track record of financing using DFIs and ECAs. This is further enhanced with several members of its team being former managers of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and EXIM Bank. In addition, Interlink has had several managers on the ground in Iraq providing consulting services; most recently Brady Edholm, Vice President (MENA) for Interlink was the portfolio manager for three years for an OPIC backed Small to Medium Sized Enterprise lending platform known as the Iraq Middle Market Development Foundation (www.immdf.org).
Mr. Munir from Melak, said, “We are excited about the opportunity to work with Interlink to identify new sources of funding for projects in the Country. Interlink’s access to sources of capital; especially from public sources, coupled with their understanding of the local market will help facilitate the process of financing and help realize many projects in the country” Mr. Edholm from Interlink, said, “We are excited to work alongside Melak to help get projects financed in Iraq. I have known its principals for years while I was working in the region. I believe their understanding and experience in the country will continue to build upon the success they have already achieved and that together we will be able to help some of the best projects in the country get the outside financing they desire.” About Interlink Capital Strategies Founded in 1994, Interlink is a Washington, DC based financial consulting firm that provides services and business development support focused on frontier and emerging markets. The Interlink team has arranged billions of dollars of structured and project financing, trade finance, business development and marketing support from government lending programs (i.e., Export Credit Agencies and Development Finance Institutions) and technical assistance for transactions in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, former Soviet Union countries and Eastern Europe. In 2010, Interlink Trade Finance was established as an export trading company focusing on procuring U.S. product and selling overseas by providing short-term financing. It is one of a small list of “qualified” ExIm Bank approved exporters to participate in a multi-billion specialized export program with the Chinese government. For more information please visit www.interlinkdc.com About Melak Iraq Melak is an independent financial services firm that provides investment banking and merchant banking solutions to Iraqi companies and foreign firms with strategic interests in Iraq. Melak is managed by a small core team of professionals with strategy consulting, investment banking, asset management and operations experience gained at premier global institutions. The Company's principals are Iraqi nationals and have vested interest in rebuilding the country in the long term. Melak has four offices currently, in Baghdad, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Istanbul and will be serving the whole of Iraq from these locations initially. Melak’s sister company, Rabee Securities, is a premier brokerage house on the Iraq Stock Exchange. For more information please visit www.melakinvestments.com Comments are closed.
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