As a precursor to greater international participation in these markets, the Exchange will be engaged in a combination of advertising, investor roadshows and Going Public seminars, which aim to build awareness and understanding of these markets.
Carrying the strapline 'Power to your thinking', the initiative begins with advertisements appearing in the UK, continental European and pan-European media including national newspapers, financial trade and online media. These advertisements feature innovative companies such as AIM-quoted Minorplanet Systems and techMARK-listed Antisoma plc and Autonomy plc.
During March and April, the Exchange will host a series of investor roadshows in key European financial centres, presenting a selection of companies from technology sectors on techMARK and AIM to fund managers and equity analysts. Subsequently, the Exchange will hold a number of events for issuers promoting the merits of joining techMARK and AIM and explaining innovations that will broaden access to those markets for international companies.
Commenting on the initiative, Clara Furse said: "The London Stock Exchange is committed to increasing international participation in its markets. This means more international issuers, more international intermediaries and more international investors. Repositioning AIM and techMARK is an integral part of that process.
"This initiative is a clear example of the London Stock Exchange actively supporting technology companies already listed here while also investing in our future as a premier international market."
London is already home to the largest pool of international investment capital (around £1.8 trillion/?2.8 trillion), with an unparalleled depth of supporting services including Europe's largest concentration of equity research analysts and specialist financial media. The Exchange itself is the world's most international equity market, both in terms of liquidity (annual international turnover of £3.5 trillion/?5.4 trillion) and number of companies (over 500 from 60 different countries). Internationalising AIM and techMARK is a logical extension of this that will augment that position, to the benefit of all market participants.
After completing this initial phase of the European marketing programme, the Exchange intends to extend the reach of the campaign globally with an initial emphasis on markets with high concentrations of growth companies, such as Israel, India and Japan.
