Standard Chartered Wins Best Foreign Bank 2009 at the Banker Middle East Industry Awards

30 August 2009, Bahrain- Held under the patronage of the Central Bank of Bahrain, the 8th Annual Banker Middle East Industry Awards recently took place at the Gulf Hotel, Bahrain. Standard Chartered Bank was nominated and won 'Best Foreign Bank in the Region 2009' award.

Shayne Nelson Regional CEO Standard Chartered Bank MENA said: "This win is another prestigious addition to our rapidly growing tally of awards for the year, highlights our success story and is testament to our strong performance not only at a Group level, but also across the Middle East. Our MESA 2009 half year results have seen strong growth which is a result of a number of record months in the first half. The award is a collective win for the Bank which reinforces our strategy to continue focusing on our customers and deepening relationships with our stakeholders."

MESA income increased 29 per cent driven predominantly by Wholesale Banking, which experienced income growth of 51 per cent to $806 million. The Bank's MESA Consumer Banking income was $337 million, demonstrating continued revenue momentum in line with the same period for 2008, in spite of the difficult market conditions.

The winners of the Banker Middle East Industry Awards are chosen in an open vote. Only registered readers of Banker Middle East and subscribers to CPI Financial newsletters are eligible to vote. Thousands of senior executives in financial institutions throughout the MENA region voted over four weeks. Their decisions on the winners were based on institutions' overall performance based on results, innovation, improvement and growth over the last 12 months.

Jonathan Morris Chief Executive Officer Bahrain who accepted the award on behalf of the Bank, said: "This award is a fantastic achievement and is a further acknowledgement by our peers of Standard Chartered's outstanding performance in 2008 and the continuing confidence which they have in us."

Another big winner this year has been Standard Chartered Saadiq, the Bank's Islamic banking unit which has won more than 20 awards already including Euromoney's 'Best International Islamic Bank 2009 Award'.

For further information, please contact:

Nimmi Kamal
Head Corporate Affairs Bahrain, Standard Chartered Bank
Tel: +973 3977 076
E-mail: Nimmi.Kamal@sc.com

Standard Chartered - leading the way in Asia, Africa and the Middle East

Standard Chartered PLC, listed on both the London Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, ranks among the top 25 companies in the FTSE-100 by market capitalisation. The London-headquartered group has operated for over 150 years in some of the world's most dynamic markets, leading the way in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Its income and the number of employees have more than doubled over the last five years primarily as a result of organic growth and supplemented by acquisitions.

Standard Chartered aspires to be the best international bank in its markets through leading by example to be the right partner for its stakeholders. The group now employs 73,000 people, representing 115 nationalities, in more than 1,700 branches and outlets located in over 70 countries. The bank derives more than 90 per cent of its operating income and profits from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, with balanced income derived from both Wholesale and Consumer Banking.

The group is committed to building a sustainable business over the long term and is trusted worldwide for upholding high standards of corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection and employee diversity. For more information, please visit: www.standardchartered.com