Deutsche Börse: Deutsche Börse Group, the Dubai International Financial Exchange (DIFX) and the University of Frankfurt will jointly develop a traders’ course and exam for the DIFX Academy, the training arm of the DIFX. Companies that wish to trade shares and other securities on the DIFX, which plans to open on September 26, 2005, must ensure that their trading managers pass the exam.

The DIFX Academy has chosen Deutsche Börse of Germany, one of the world’s leading exchanges, and the prestigious University of Frankfurt to jointly develop the exam because both partners have an excellent track record and proven expertise in financial markets training and exams. Deutsche Börse and the Chair of e-Finance at Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt will provide the DIFX with a complete service for the traders’ exams including the exam concept, training for the one-day course, working materials for traders and the holding of the exams in Dubai and London.

"Deutsche Börse’s training center has successfully established traders’ exams for both Xetra, the pan European trading platform, and Eurex, the world’s largest derivatives exchange, as well as for other cash markets and we are very pleased to be able to support the DIFX with the expertise of our training center in this context", said Rudolf Ferscha, member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Börse Group responsible for Trading and Clearing Services.

Prof. Dr. Peter Gomber, Chair of e-Finance at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Frankfurt, said: "Every first-class financial exchange ensures that traders on its market are skilled and fully trained in trading rules, market models and code of conduct. This course demonstrates the DIFX’s commitment to creating a market operating to the highest international business, regulatory and technical standards."

The DIFX Academy aims to be the leading provider of financial training courses in the Middle East and beyond. Pauline Olson, head of the Academy, said: "There is enormous demand for high quality financial services training in this part of the world. By partnering with the Deutsche Börse and the University of Frankfurt, we will help to meet that demand."

The first course will be held in Dubai on September 6th and the next in London on September 15th.

The DIFX Academy held its inaugural courses, on the topic of the capital markets, last month in Dubai. It will hold a course on Islamic finance on June 20th and 21st and plans other courses on topics ranging from corporate governance to derivatives.

Further Information:

Deutsche Börse is a service provider for the global securities industry and the world’s largest exchange organisation by revenues and market capitalisation. It provides products and services for issuers, investors, intermediaries and data vendors. The Group’s business portfolio covers the entire securities process chain from trading over clearing to settlement and custody as well as IT solutions.

The DIFX aims to become the leading international financial exchange between Western Europe and East Asia. As it progresses towards its launch, the DIFX is holding detailed discussions with banks and brokers who wish to become Members of the exchange, as well as with many potential issuers of securities. The DIFX is located inside the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), a free zone that opened for business in September 2004. The DIFX is applying to the independent regulator of financial services inside the DIFC, the Dubai Financial Services Authority, for licences to operate an exchange and Clearing house.

Frankfurt University has a strong focus on economics and business administration and close ties to the Banking and Trading community of Frankfurt. The research activities in the areas of finance, money and law will be brought together in the 'House of Finance', which will be established soon and be a unique center of excellence in this field of research. Interdisciplinary research is also carried out with scientific centers such as the Center for Financial Studies (CFS), the Institute for Law and Finance (ILF) or the e-Finance Lab. Goethe Business school, a co-operation with the Duke Fuqua School of Business, celebrated its inauguration recently.