Hasan Ismaik Elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Professional German Football Club, TSV 1860 München

ABU DHABI, UAE, July 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

• Ismaik is the first Arabic Chairman in German professional football
• Supervisory board reduced from nine to six members
• New composition of the supervisory board reflects Ismaik's 60% investment in the club

On 22 July 2011, the new supervisory board of the long-standing German football club TSV 1860 München elected businessman Hasan Ismaik to serve as Chairman. He is the first Arabic Chairman in German professional football. Following Ismaik's successful investment in TSV 1860 München in June 2011, when he bought 60% of the club's shares - 49% voting shares plus 11% non-voting shares -, the club's supervisory board was reduced from nine to six members.

With his investment, Ismaik safeguarded the survival of the long-established Munich football club, which was facing both insolvency and the loss of its professional license.

TSV 1860 München - colloquially referred to as "Die Löwen" (The Lions) - was one of the founding members of the German national Bundesliga. The club has played a total of 20 seasons in the top flight, winning the league title in the 1965/66 season. The club was relegated from the Bundesliga following the 2003/04 season.

"I feel honored to be Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TSV 1860, a club not only with a great tradition and identity, but also with a truly outstanding and passionate fan base," said Hasan Abdullah Mohamed Ismaik. "I will do everything to support the club and its management to make 1860 profitable again this season. We want to improve and elevate our game constantly, and clearly aim to successfully compete on the international level within a few years."

About MARYA:

MARYA is a private Abu Dhabi based investment company chaired and owned by Hasan Abdullah Mohamed Ismaik. The group has a broad investment mandate and its interest extends to various sectors, including sports, design, construction, real estate, automotive, travel, energy and oil and gas. MARYA has an excellent management team with experience that spans the globe and incorporates training and experience from various countries around the world including the UK, the Middle East and the US. MARYA's existing investments are located across UAE, GCC, Europe and the US and the company is also evaluating potential opportunities in Asia. A relatively young organization with ambitious expansion plans, MARYA is a vibrant and dynamic organization with strong leadership by Ismaik.