Regional investment bank EFG-Hermes has strengthened its research team with the appointment of Monica Malik as senior economist.

Malik’s scope of research will cover economies across the Middle East region, with a specific focus on the Gulf Cooperation Countries.

She brings extensive experience of over 13 years, conducting economic and private sector research at institutions that include Standard Chartered Bank and Dun & Bradstreet.

She holds a PhD in Middle Eastern economics from the University of Durham, UK.

Philip Khoury, head of research, EFG- Hermes said: “As the financial and economic map of the region expands, there is increasing need to provide value-generating research into sectors and geographies of relevance. The quality, independence and reach of our research is one of EFG-Hermes’ key strategic assets and we are proud to welcome someone of Monica’s calibre to the team.”

EFG-Hermes’ research coverage extends to the GCC, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Sudan, across economics, micro strategy, and the financial, real estate, construction, building materials, telecoms, consumer goods and utilities sectors. EFG-Hermes recently topped nine out of 14 categories examined in Euromoney’s inaugural poll, the Euromoney Middle East Equity Research Survey 2007.  –TradeArabia News Service