Demonstrating Epicor for Financial Services for the First Time in Bahrain

Bahrain — 10 March 2010 — Epicor Software Corporation (NASDAQ: EPIC), a leading provider of enterprise business software solutions for the midmarket and divisions of Global 1000 companies, today announced that Matt Muldoon, Epicor’s senior director of product marketing will be presenting at the ICAI Conference on 12 March 2010. Muldoon is presenting at 11.00 a.m. on the topic “Leveraging Technology for Better Financial and Risk Management,” educating local businesses on how they can use technology to improve accounting and risk management processes. Epicor will also use the event to demonstrate Epicor for Financial Services, its industry-specific next-generation Epicor 9 enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, together with its local partner Incarnate ICT.

“The financial services industry is under pressure to look at ways of improving governance, risk and compliance management, while reducing costs at the same time,” said Matt Muldoon, senior director, product marketing for Epicor. “Many businesses in the Middle East are running large, expensive and aging accounting systems, or are stuck with cumbersome manual processes—not realizing that there are other options. Any financial services organization that is serious about growing its business should have a financial platform that is cost-effective in the long term yet flexible enough to change with the business where and when needed.”

“As the financial capital of the region, Bahrain is an important hub for Epicor, and with more than 400 customers and 15 partners in the Middle East, we are well placed to support local businesses across all industries,” said Basil Daniells, regional director for Epicor in the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and India. “We have been present in the Middle East for over ten years and during that time we have helped organizations to improve business processes and grow operations locally, regionally and internationally.”

“Business technology is an important part of local BCICAI’s members’ roles today and we want to help them understand how they can better use technology to their advantage when managing finances and risks within their organizations,” said BCICAI chairman Alok Gupta. “As a global company with experience of solving financial challenges for small and large businesses we believe that Epicor is well placed to advise our members during the event this week.”

Epicor’s next-generation software provides support for the world’s most complex tax, currency, and legal standards. Available in 30 languages and 60 countries worldwide Epicor offers the financial services sector an innovative and flexible solution that has been built on a technologically advanced infrastructure. With comprehensive Financial Management and Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) capabilities, Epicor also has expanded functionality for measuring key performance indicators across all operational aspects, helping organizations further their financial goals. Advanced financial reporting capabilities and a sophisticated advanced allocations module help finance departments greatly simplify business processes, and be integral to tracking financial performance across the enterprise, providing new levels of efficiency, visibility and audit-ability.

Incarnate ICT (ME) WLL, Epicor Authorised Partner in Bahrain, will be jointly participating for the event. Incarnate ICT has always focussed on achieving excellence by providing customer designed, client specific, result oriented IT solutions for a diverse set of clients. Incarnate prides itself in its perseverance to understand the clients business objectives, issues, processes, and resources; and then provide an effective solution built on its comprehensive repertoire of technologies, which are a natural extension of the existing setup. Their services include enterprise application software, networking, security consulting, IT audit, bio metric solutions, helpdesk management, and others.

Last week, Her Excellency Shaikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa , Chairperson of the Board of the Trustees of Bahrain’s recently launched arbitration and mediation centre, BCDR-AAA , welcomed The Right Honourable Lord Woolf of Barnes and President of the QFC Civil and Commercial Court to the BCDR-AAA’s offices in Bahrain. Others present at the meeting were Ahmed Hussain, Chief Registrar Arbitration BCDR-AAA, Dr. Hassan Radhi Member of the BCDR-AAA Board of Trustees, Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Khalifa and Malik Dahlan.

The BCDR-AAA opened its doors for business on 11 January 2010 and in doing so became the world’s first alternative dispute resolution centre to introduce statutory arbitration under section one of its decree which stipulates that cases where the amount contested exceeds 500,000BD (US$1.3million) will automatically be heard by the BCDR-AAA rather than the national courts.  It also became the first ever country to offer an arbitration “free zone” under section two of the decree which states that the national courts cannot interfere with the arbitral award granted by the BCDR-AAA where the two parties have agreed to be bound by the outcome.

Lord Woolf said: “I am very impressed by the openness and warmth in which I have been received by the BCDR-AAA.  The Chamber’s plans are very exciting and reflect forward looking approaches to dispute resolution.  The two part approach (statutory arbitration and the arbitration “free zone”) is both sensible and constructive and I would expect that the initiative will be very successful. The BCDR-AAA has a very long future which will be most important for Bahrain in particular and in the region in general.

I hope that there is going to be close co-operation between the QFC Civil and Commercial Court and ADR Centre in Doha and the BCDR-AAA because both in their respected ways are determined to assist those who seek help to resolve their disputes expeditiously, fairly and in a most straight forward manner.”

H.E. Shaikha Haya bint Rashid AL Khalifa, Chair of the BCDR-AAA said: “We are honoured to have received Lord Woolf at the BCDR-AAA.  He is an eminent legal figure of the highest order.  It is very important that arbitration and mediation centres in the region and in the world communicate.”.

Ahmed Husain, Chief Registrar, BCDR-AAA added: “The BCDR-AAA and the QFC Civil and Commercial Courts understand that the Gulf as a region is growing rapidly.  Foreign direct investment and the increase of multinationals in the region means that legal arbitration frameworks of the highest standard are needed in order to attract and maintain international trade and investment.”

Bahrain, Middle East – February 27th, 2010 – DuPont, one of a leading market-driven science companies, recently participated as a platinum sponsor of the 9th American Society of Safety Engineers [ASSE] Conference and exhibition held in Bahrain. Innovative DuPont Protection Technologies were presented at the exhibition, including DuPont Kevlar®, Nomex®, Tychem® and Tempro® personal protection apparel and chemical protective coveralls.

DuPont also highlighted the offerings of DuPont Safety Resources (DSR), the consulting and training arm of the company that provides organizations with solutions designed to shape and implement their strategic vision in workplace safety, process safety, environmental sustainability and operational excellence. Govert Griffioen, Delivery Director, DSR Europe, Middle East and Africa, chaired the “behavioral safety” session while Amr el Moniem, Business Manager, DuPont Protection Technologies, Middle East hosted the “heat stress management” session.

“DuPont has identified four “megatrends” at the intersection of global needs and the company’s science-based solutions and innovation pipeline including protecting people and the environment. Safety is one of our core values that underpin our vision at DuPont. With rapidly raising safety awareness across the globe, DuPont Protection technologies are helping to protect people with world class personal protective products and technologies. Participation in this exhibition is an effective tool to deliver a range of innovative products and services enhancing protection to our local customers in the Middle East,” said Andy Holdsworth, Director, Middle East and Senior Manager, DuPont Safety Resources.

Protective apparel made with DuPont™ Kevlar® brand fiber delivers the power of performance to workers exposed to a variety of cut, abrasion and high heat hazards. From the auto industry to glass handling, computer assembly to metal stamping, apparel made with Kevlar® performance technology meets specific performance and protection requirements of a diverse group of industries. Nomex® brand fiber is inherently flame-resistant, and thus thermal protection is permanent – it cannot be washed out or worn away. Tychem® garments are tested against a broad range of hazardous materials to determine permeation, a critical process for fabrics that are exposed to hazardous chemicals. Tempro® is also used as secondary protection to be worn over primary thermal protective garments.

Founded in 1911, ASSE is the oldest and largest professional safety organization. Its more than 32,000 members manage, supervise and consult on safety, health, and environmental issues in industry, insurance, government and education. ASSE has 16 practice specialties, 151 chapters, 28 sections and 58 student sections.

- Chairman says “Bahrain meets all required criteria for hosting our regional office” -

[3] February 2010, Manama:  The Talal Abu Ghazaleh Organisation (TAG-Org) has announced that it has decided to set up its regional headquarters in Bahrain, citing its decision as being based on a number of factors, including its tried and tested legal and regulatory framework, the skilled local workforce and its advanced ICT infrastructure.

The Index of Economic Freedom 2010, published by the Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal, which ranked Bahrain as the 13th freest economy in the world, and the most free in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, highlighted a number of these factors, saying “Bahrain is home to many multinational firms that do business in the region. It has a modern communications and transportation infrastructure, a reliable regulatory structure, and a cosmo¬politan outlook”. Furthermore, Bahrain was ranked first in the Gulf and wider Middle East and 13th of 192 countries worldwide in the 2010 United Nations Global e-Government Readiness Survey.

Shaikh Mohammed Bin Essa Al-Khalifa, Chief Executive of the EDB, said:  “We are delighted that TAG-Org has decided to set up its regional headquarters in Bahrain. It is one of the mostly widely recognised and respected professional services firms in the Middle East, and their decision to move here is a reflection of the positive impact resulting from the economic reforms that are being driven forward by the EDB in Bahrain.”

Talal Abu Ghazaleh, chairman of TAG-Org commented: “As the largest group of professional services firms in the Arab region, the leading intellectual property firm globally and a member of the international Forum of Firms (FOF) of trans-national accounting companies, we decided to benefit from the business friendly environment and the remarkable economic development strategies in place in Bahrain, including its advanced legal and regulatory framework, its attractive taxation system, the availability of qualified human resources, its most advanced ICT infrastructure, its supportive open market and its well established financial services industry. 

He continued “Bahrain thus meets all required criteria for hosting our regional office at our new corporate tower from which we will continue to service our international and regional client base through our network of over 70 offices. We are proud to be hosted by Bahrain

- SENIOR FIGURES TO SPEAK AT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM -

26 January 2010, Manama:  A Bahrain delegation led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of Bahrain and Chairman of the Kingdom’s Economic Development Board (EDB), will arrive in Davos, Switzerland, today for the 40th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting.

The global summit, which takes place from 27-31 January, will be a timely gathering of the foremost global leaders for whom reviving economic growth remains a priority.  Themed “Improve the State of the World: Rethink, Redesign, Rebuild”, the event is a call to action, seeking to encourage global cooperation across business, government, the media, science, religion, the arts and civil society in an effort to shape the global agenda for 2010.

The Bahrain delegation includes senior figures from the Government of Bahrain, the EDB and the private sector.  His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is one of three members of the delegation speaking in a high level session at the event:

• “Rethinking Market Capitalism”
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will contribute to a discussion on what elements of market capitalism should be rethought in light of the global recession
• “Creating Jobs and Strengthening Social Welfare”
His Excellency Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the EDB, will speak on what can be done to assist countries seeking to increase job creation
• “Wanted: Capital”
Talal Al Zain, Chief Executive Officer, Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, will offer his thoughts on how businesses can finance capital investments in an era of global deleveraging.

Shaikh Mohammed said: “We are here to address some of the foremost challenges on the global agenda; to propose a move towards the principles of sustainable growth in a re-set world.”

Last year, Shaikh Mohammed addressed Davos 2009 (January), WEF on the Middle East (May) and Summer Davos in Asia (September), saying Bahrain’s prudent financial regulation and combination of tradition and reform – both based on ethical values – deserves a second glance.

Bahrain has taken a number of domestic measures designed to strengthen the long term sustainability and prosperity of the Kingdom, including a prudent fiscal and monetary approach, long term strategy of economic diversification and tried and tested regulatory framework with a commitment to the highest international standards.  This approach is enshrined in Bahrain’s Vision 2030 and National Economic Strategy, both committed to maintaining the optimum business environment that will attract foreign investment and ultimately elevate national living standards by creating greater opportunities for Bahrainis.

Other members of the Bahrain delegation include:

• H.E. Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance/ Chairman of Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Co.
• H.E. Dr. Nazar Al Baharna, Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• H.E. Rasheed Al Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB)
• H.E. Nada Haffadh, Member of the Consultative Council of Bahrain 
• H.E. Dr. Essam Fakhro, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Samer Al Majali, CEO, Gulf Air
• Elham Hassan, Country Senior Partner, PriceWaterHouseCoopers
• Shaikh Khalifa bin Daij Al Khalifa, President of the Court of the Crown Prince of Bahrain
• Steve Harrison, Executive Director, EDB

25 January 2010, Manama:  The inaugural Bahrain International Airshow, held at the Sakhir air base, has proved to be a resounding success for the aviation industry as a whole and the Kingdom of Bahrain.  The event hosted 40 exhibitors, 94 aircraft and visiting delegates from 45 countries.  Early indications show that over one billion dollars worth of deals were signed at the air base with the attending companies from all over the world and thirty thousand visited the public and trade areas over the three days.

Amongst them Yemenia’s, Yemen’s national carrier, purchase of ten A320 planes from Airbus; Bahrain’s purchase of nine Blackhawk-M helicopters from US manufacturer, Sikorsky; Gulf Air’s preliminary agreement to lease two Embraer 170 jets; Selex’s award of $15 million contract by the Bahrain Civil Aviation Authority for primary surveillance radar and two Mode-S secondary surveillance raders at the Bahrain International Airport, Bahrain’s talks to purchase two airbus planes and Boeing’s announcement to deliver 1,700 aircraft in the next 20 years to the Middle East. 

Further strengthening Bahrain’s business and aviation credentials in the region, UK’s Aerospace Defence and Security organisation has announced they are to choose Bahrain to act as the central hub for the Middle East.  And in further news, Gulf Aviation Academy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company was launched and will play a key role in the development of Bahrain’s air transport training and infrastructure.

Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee, HH Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifha said:

“We are delighted by the results of the first Bahraini International Air Show.  The show brought manufacturers and users under the same roof enabling them to do business effectively and uniquely, reflecting Bahrain’s status as a regional centre for transport and trade.  The strong presence of the leading aerospace and defence manufactures signalled the inaugural shows success and reflected Bahrain’s status as a pioneer in the aerospace industry in the Middle East.  The air show is a welcome boost to Bahrain’s economy and to its profile as a business centre in the region.”

“A great amount of organisation went into creating the air show thanks to the tremendous efforts of Farnborough International, Bahrain’s Civil Aviation Affairs, the Royal Bahrain Air force and all of the exhibitors from Bahrain, the Middle East and the rest of the world for ensuring the success of Bahrain’s first air show.  Our most grateful thanks and gratitude is extended to the Royal Court and the Government ministries for making this event possible.”

Captain Abdulrahman Al Gaoud, Vice President of the Supreme Organising Committee added:

“The Bahrain International Airshow was tailored to meet the needs of the aerospace industry.  With Farnborough International, we were able to create a bespoke event attracting major aerospace players from around the globe.

“Over the coming weeks we will be carefully evaluating the final figures for business transacted at the Airshow and created by the Airshow, but what is clear so far, is that the event has been a tremendous success.”