Released on: August 6, 2008, 10:28 am

Press Release Author: Media Generation Exhibitions Ltd

Industry: Financial

Press Release Summary: MEFTEC, the world\'s leading banking & financial technology
event, is set to return to Bahrain from 10-11 February 2009 with anticipated
year-on-year growth of more than 30%.

Press Release Body: The launch of the event\'s fifth annual edition follows the
phenomenal success of MEFTEC 2008 that smashed all previous MEFTEC records by
bringing together 150 exhibitors over 6,000 square metres of exhibition space, and
800 senior industry buyers, including 300 fully hosted delegates from 27 countries.

A comprehensive post-exhibition survey conducted at the end of MEFTEC 2008 revealed
that almost 100% of the buyer-delegates and 90% of exhibitors declared the event a
major success and vowed to return next year.

The survey also revealed that 80% of the exhibitors were likely to close new deals
as a direct result of their participation at the show, while 97% of the
buyer-delegates ranked MEFTEC as significantly better than similar industry events.

\'MEFTEC simply goes from strength to strength, not only in terms of size, but also
in terms of quality,\' said Mark Beaumont, Director, International Projects at Media
Generation Exhibitions Ltd, organisers of MEFTEC. \'Now in its fifth year, MEFTEC is
firmly established as the most important, high-profile fixture on the global
financial technology calendar. We are delighted by the fantastic feedback from our
2008 participants. With a raft of exciting new initiatives planned for 2009, we look
forward to delivering an even bigger and better MEFTEC next year.\'

The robust growth of the event comes on the back of the burgeoning demand for
financial technology across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region.

By 2017, the IT spending of banks in the MEASA region is expected to reach $22bn per
annum, with GCC banks accounting for $12-14 bn of this demand.

MEFTEC is held under the auspices of the Central Bank of Bahrain and supported by
the Bahrain Financial Services Development.

The Kingdom of Bahrain is globally acclaimed as the banking & financial hub of the
Middle East, playing host to no fewer than 400 institutions, including the world\'s
largest single concentration of Islamic banks.

MEFTEC 2008 sponsors included Microsoft Corporation (Headline Sponsor);
ProgressSoft, TCS Financial Solutions, Misys, Nucleus Software, Raqmiyat and 01
Systems (Platinum Sponsors); Temenos, Reuters, Ernst & Young and InfoCall (Gold
Sponsors); ICS London, DST, IMTAC, afb Application Services, IND, Al-Moayyed
Computers, Thinksoft, EDATA and Intertech (Silver Sponsors); Xerox, Experian-Scorex,
Arab Financial Services, Path Solutions, Neutel, RSA Security, Gartner and Syntax IT
(Bronze Sponsors); IBS Publishing, Bobsguide.com and Banking Technology (Media
Partners); Zain (Official Communications Partner) and Gulf Air (Official Airline).

For more information contact:
Saud Ghayas
Sales Director
Media Generation Exhibitions Ltd.
Tel: +44 (0) 121 244 3500
Email: saud@mediageneration.co.uk

About Media Generation

Media Generation Group plc is a multi-channel media business with a proven track
record in developing, organising and managing exhibitions and conferences.

About MEFTEC

MEFTEC is the world\'s premier financial technology event, with a specific focus on
the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region and increasing participation
from other high-growth international markets. Powered by an invitation-only Hosted
Delegate Programme, MEFTEC brings together financial technology leaders for a
bespoke learning, networking and business experience that blends an industry-leading
conference with a tightly focused exhibition and high-class social functions.

A prestigious and exclusive event, MEFTEC is run like a private club with delegate
admission limited to the financial industry\'s finest IT buyers, and exhibitor
attendance to an elite band of leading-edge financial technology vendors.

A central feature of MEFTEC is its highly coveted, invitation-only Hosted Delegate
Programme®, as part of which professionals operating in the utmost echelons of IT in
the financial industry attend as Hosted Delegates and enjoy complimentary admission
to the event. A large number of these executives are fully hosted with their
flights, accommodation and transfers organised by MEFTEC. In doing so, MEFTEC not
only maximises the executives\' time - enabling them to focus on their objectives -
but also delivers a guaranteed audience of the highest caliber to the exhibiting
vendors. The result: a highly targeted, time-efficient and carefully choreographed
event that allows participants to achieve a year\'s worth of contacts in just two
days.

Web Site: http://www.meftec.com

Contact Details: Saud Ghayas
Sales Director
Media Generation Exhibitions Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 121 244 3500
Email: saud@mediageneration.co.uk