20 May 2009

Media Release: Launch of AFG Venture Group

Asean Focus Group (www.aseanfocus.com) and Venture Group (www.theventurebankgroup.com) are pleased to announce that they have merged their business operations and will in future trade under the common brand of AFG Venture Group (www.afgventuregroup.com).

This merger of Asean Focus Group, with its 20 year history of creating alliances, relationships and transactions in Asia and in particular in South East Asia and India, and Venture Group, with its 14 year history of corporate and equities advisory in Australia, creates a dual Asia and Australia focused regional firm. In addition Asean Focus Group is the Australian member of the leading international mid market merger and acquisition network – IMAP (www.imap.com), thereby offering global reach to AFG Venture Group clients.

AFG Venture Group, its Directors, Executives and staff are excited by the opportunities this merger creates. It facilitates a strengthening of the base of key resources, superior transaction execution skills, enlarged capacity, increased geographical reach as well as greater counterparty access.

AFG Venture Group will retain the values based approach that was the foundation of each business, focusing on relationships rather than just transactions.

The Group Chairman, Peter Church said “Our two groups have worked closely on a number of transactions over the last couple of years and, as we got to know each other better, could see not only synergy in our corporate values but the obvious advantages for our clients in combining our skills and experience."

The Group CEO, Lindley Edwards, said “This is all about strengthening our ability to achieve, tangible, sustainable results for our clients. I am excited that this merger has the ability to create such added value and that we all share an aligned values based approach to business”.

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