Dubai police investigate alleged leaks about Maybourne hotels

Police in Dubai have recently launched an investigation concerning the Maybourne Hotel group after receiving a complaint alleging that confidential financial information was leaked to a broker in the emirate in 2011.

Shareholders in the Maybourne hotel group include Paddy McKillen, Derek Quinlan and the Barclay brothers who own the Telegraph media group.

The battle for control of the group has spawned myriad legal actions in Britain and Ireland, including a case launched recently by Mr McKillen in Dublin in which he is trying to ensure he gets first refusal if any shares are put up for sale by the other shareholders in Coroin, the company behind the hotel group.

The Maybourne group, comprising three top hotels in London – Claridge’s, the Connaught and the Berkley – is 36 per cent-owned by Mr McKillen, the developer who built the Jervis shopping centre in Dublin.

The Barclay brothers own more than 26 per cent of the group, while Mr Quinlan owns the remaining shares, although his shares are pledged to the Barclays, who control the voting rights.

Coroin recently received an approach from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority indicating it is prepared to buy the hotels for £1.6 billion.