NASDAQ PARTNERS WITH SAUDI INVESTMENT AUTHORITY ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE

Posted March 24, 2009

RIYADH and NEW YORK – The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) and The Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. plan a joint initiative to raise investor awareness of effective corporate governance around the world, enlisting 100 senior executives, including chairmen, chief executive officers and presidents of publicly traded companies who embody innovation, thought leadership and competitiveness.

The National Competitiveness Center (NCC), a division of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), and Nasdaq OMX will screen executives for the “100 CEOs List” using criteria based on best practice guidelines, competitiveness, financial performance and other data indicators. The list will serve as a reference tool for the investing public and provide another measure of corporate performance. The 100 CEOs list will highlight exemplary corporate governance and executives who have demonstrated a commitment to effective practices and policies.

“Saudi Arabia has worked over the last four years to improve its economy, using competitiveness as the driving discipline for its work,” says Amr Abdullah M.A. Al Dabbagh, SAGIA Governor and Chairman of the Board. “This dedicated focus has resulted, for example, in the World Bank ranking the country number 16 globally in its ease of doing business. We are now turning our attention to other aspects of competitiveness, including those impacting private sector. We are pleased to work with Nasdaq OMX in producing The 100 CEOs List, which will hopefully become a guide to good corporate citizenship, executive performance, and serve to further global understanding of how competitiveness principles can help to set apart corporate leaders as well as economies.”

The 100 CEOs List will be international in scope but will initially be comprised of corporate leaders from the Saudi private sector. The list will be announced at the Global Competitiveness Forum in January 2010.

“The 100 CEOs List will enhance transparency, raise investor awareness and inspire better corporate governance,” says Magnus Bocker, President of Nasdaq OMX.