Meridith Alin

Putnam Investment Management LLC (PIM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor and mutual fund manager headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1971, the firm is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Putnam US Holdings I LLC and became an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE: BEN) in 2024. PIM provides investment advice across all asset classes to individuals and institutions worldwide through separately managed accounts and pooled investment funds.

NN Investment Partners North America LLC (NNIP NA) is the US-based hedge fund management subsidiary of NN Investment Partners International Holdings BV, ultimately held by NN Group NV (AMS: NN) in The Netherlands. The firm was founded in 2011 as ING Investment Management International LLC. In April 2015, ING Investment Management was rebranded into NN Investment Partners. Headquartered in New York City, NNIP NA provides investment advisory services to non-US institutional clients through sub-advisory arrangements with affiliates. The client portfolios include insurance companies, pension plans and pooled investment vehicles.

Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. is a global investment banking, securities trading and brokerage firm located in New York City with additional offices in Dallas, Boston and San Francisco. The firm is a subsidiary Bear Sterns Cos., Inc. (NYSE: BSC). Their equity research team consists of senior analysts located throughout the world. In addition to domestic coverage, they have research teams focusing on Latin America, Asia and Europe. The analysts use a bottom-up approach to stock selection. The Bear Stearns fixed-income research department provides coverage of every sector of the fixed-income universe. The financial analytics and structured transactions group (F.A.S.T) provides investment research, fixed-income portfolio management and analytical systems, trading technology and general financial expertise. The group also provides a broad range of services to financial institutions including asset-liability management, balance sheet restructuring, receivables-based financing analysis, security and portfolio analysis, peer analysis, and historical and real-time market-based information.

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (Credit Suisse Securities USA) is the broker/dealer division of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, an investment banking company headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1998 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Credit Suisse (USA), Inc., ultimately owned by Credit Suisse Group AG (SWX: CSGN) in Switzerland. Credit Suisse Securities USA offers a suite of equities, solutions and credit products and services which includes global securities sales, trading and execution, prime brokerage and comprehensive investment research. Their clients include financial institutions, corporations, governments, institutional investors, such as pension funds and hedge funds, and private individuals around the world.

PartnerRe Asset Management Corp. is an investment management firm headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. The firm is a subsidiary of PartnerRe US Corp., ultimately owned by Covéa SGAM in France. PartnerRe Asset Management provides investment products and services to various clients.