HONG KONG, December 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

US$50 million Fund to acquire direct interest in coal assets in Africa

JS Group, a Dubai based investment, banking and industrial holding group and Stanhill Capital Partners Limited ("Stanhill"), a Hong Kong based merchant banking group are pleased to announce the Africa Coal Fund, managed jointly with Stanhill Capital Partners.

The new fund has commenced operations with US$50 million seed investment primarily from the JS Group, but with a minority interest from Stanhill Capital Partners. There are no external investors. The Africa Coal Fund will hold a diversified portfolio of African based coal mining companies, and Stanhill will seek to offer strategic and financial advice to those companies backed by the Africa Coal Fund.

Ali Reza Siddiqui, Managing Director of the JS Group commented: "We have been interested in coal for some time, and we are already committed to a number of African ventures so a specialist fund makes sense as a way to acquire direct interest in coal resources."

"Stanhill's team in Hong Kong and Singapore has extensive experience of investing in the coal sector and at the same time augments the local access and knowledge possessed by the JS Group in Africa."

The fund expects to make its first investment as early as Q1 2012. The fund will be managed from Hong Kong.

For further information, please contact

Stanhill Capital Partners Limited
Waseem Shiraz, +852-2169-2817

SOURCE Stanhill Capital Partners Limited