Publishing partnership

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
10 September 2007



Bloomsbury Publishing and Qatar Financial Centre Authority announce major global
                   financial knowledge publishing partnership


Bloomsbury Publishing Plc and The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority
announce today a multi-year agreement to produce Qatar Finance - The Ultimate
Resource, an ambitious new banking and finance information resource and its
online version www.QFinance.com.


Created by 300 of the world's leading experts in the field, Qatar Finance - The
Ultimate Resource will meet the information and business needs of the
professional finance community worldwide and form a unique online forum for
finance professionals. Scheduled to launch in autumn 2009, the authoritative and
wide-ranging 1.5 million word database will give both online and in print access
to the latest information on current topics, best practice across all key areas
in finance and financial services, key thinkers, business leaders, thus
addressing the daily information and advice needs of an increasingly global
industry in a clear, accessible and regularly updated form.


The online service will offer finance professionals worldwide free access to the
huge breadth and depth of Qatar Finance: The Ultimate Resource, together with
compelling additional daily content updates and functionality targeted at the
needs of the global financial community, as well as academics and students of
business and finance.  The website QFinance.com will be supported by a series of
authoritative books.


Stuart Pearce, CEO and Director General of the Qatar Financial Centre Authority,
said:


'This exciting and ground-breaking project with Bloomsbury Publishing underlines
the importance of financial services in Qatar's development, and its role as a
key financial and commercial hub in the Middle East. The sheer scale of this
project also reflects the vision and ambition that characterises the meticulous
way Qatar's leaders are paving the way for its future. In a little over 2 years,
the QFC has established itself as one of the fastest-growing financial centres
in the world as Qatar increasingly commits itself to become a knowledge-based
economy.'


Nigel Newton, Founder and Chief Executive of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc said:


'Qatar Finance - The Ultimate Resource is a unique project of global
significance. It will be the definitive guide and reference to the financial
world today and will become the globally recognized print and online first point
of reference for people involved in finance from business leaders to students
and all levels in between. It will be of the highest quality and provide great
educational value and professional guidance to all who use it. Bloomsbury have a
tried and tested capability to manage a project of this ambition and scale, and
to deliver the intellectual input to ensure its success. With an organisation of
such dynamism as the QFC Authority, we are confident that Qatar Finance - The
Ultimate Resource will be a fitting legacy for this financial generation, and a
benchmark for the next.'


Further enquiries:


Bell Pottinger

PR advisor to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Ben Woodford/Dan de Belder

Tel [phone]


Steve Martin

Qatar Financial Centre Authority

Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing

Tel [phone] Mob [phone] e-mail [e-mail]


Notes to Editors:

Qatar Financial Centre

(http://www.qfc.com.qa/)


The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) is a financial and business centre established
by the Government of Qatar and located in Doha. It has been designed to attract
international financial services institutions and major multi-national
corporations and to encourage participation in the growing market for financial
services in Qatar and elsewhere in the region. The QFC will operate to
international standards and provide a first class legal and business
infrastructure for those operating within the QFC. The QFC was created by Qatar
Law No.(7) and has been open for business since 1 May 2005.


QFC Regulatory Authority

The QFC Regulatory Authority is an independent regulatory body established by
Article 8 of the QFC Law.  It regulates firms that conduct financial services in
or from the QFC. It has a broad range of regulatory powers to authorize,
supervise and, when necessary, discipline firms and individuals. The QFC
Regulatory Authority regulates firms using principle-based legislation of
international standard, modeled closely on that used in London and other major
financial centers.  The Regulatory Authority is currently receiving applications
and granting authorisations.


QFC Authority

The QFC Authority is the commercial, administrative and legislative body
responsible for driving the commercial strategy of the QFC and for developing
relationships with the global corporate community and other key institutions
both within and outside of Qatar.


The QFC Civil and Commercial Court and QFC Regulatory Tribunal

The QFC Civil and Commercial Court and QFC Regulatory Tribunal were launched in
February 2007. The President of the Court is Lord Woolf, formerly Lord Chief
Justice of England and Wales. The Court is modelled on the internationally
respected Commercial Court in London.  In the event of disputes in matters of
law, it will be the final arbiter.  The Regulatory Tribunal has been established
to hear and decide upon appeals from decisions of the QFC Regulatory Authority
and other QFC agencies.  Its Chairman is William Blair, QC.  Both the President
and the Chairman are supported by Judges who have held the highest judicial
offices in their own jurisdictions.


About Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

(www.bloomsbury.com and www.bloomsbury-ir.co.uk)


Bloomsbury Publishing is one of the world's leading independent, publicly quoted
publishing houses with a reputation for a high quality management team and a
highly valuable portfolio of intellectual properties including the Encarta World
English Dictionary, JK Rowling's Harry Potter, Margaret Atwood, John Irving,
David Guterson and Ben Schott. Other databases include Who's Who, Whitaker's
Almanack, Reed's Nautical Almanac, Black's Medical Dictionary, the Macmillan
English Dictionary for Advanced Learners of English, Business: The Ultimate
Resource and RSPB Handbook of British Birds.



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