Mondo Visione Worldwide Financial Markets Intelligence

FTSE Mondo Visione Exchanges Index:

Collins Stewart Europe Limited: New Member Firm For Irish Stock Exchange

Date 28/05/2008

The Irish Stock Exchange has admitted Collins Stewart Europe Limited – the independent investment banking group and a leading distributor of pan-European equities to the Irish market – as a new trading member firm. Collins Stewart Europe Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Collins Stewart plc.

Collins Stewart has been in Dublin since 2003 when it set up its institutional equity sales business. Since then, Collins Stewart has expanded its local capabilities significantly. Last month, the firm launched a new Corporate Finance boutique – Collins Stewart Frontier – in a joint venture with a group of senior Irish corporate financiers. The firm is also in the process of establishing a new Dublin fund management operation and earlier this year acquired ISTC.

Gary McCarthy, Managing Director of Collins Stewart’s Dublin office said: “This is further evidence of our ongoing commitment to the Irish market. Collins Stewart is the top fundraiser on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and intends to register shortly as an IEX Adviser. Membership of the ISE and registration as an IEX Adviser will enable the firm to service the IEX market and support Irish growth companies wishing to raise funds on the exchange.”

Brian Healy, Director of Traded Markets, Development, Operations at the ISE said: “We are delighted that Collins Stewart has joined the Exchange and welcome its direct participation in the Irish market through its connection to our electronic trading platform, ISE Xetra®. The Exchange remains focused on further increasing and internationalising its trading member firm base. Our market infrastructure and pricing continue to prove very attractive to market participants as evidenced by Collins Stewart’s commencement of trading on the ISE. We continue to have a strong pipeline of potential new trading member firms.”