Sarwat Hassan

Standard & Poor's Investment Advisory Services LLC (SPIAS) is investment research firm and registered investment advisor headquartered in New York City. The firm is a wholly-owned subsidiary of S&P Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPGI), formerly McGraw Hill Financial, Inc. SPIAS’ advisory services are generally offered to institutions (e.g., broker-dealers, investment advisers, investment companies and other financial institutions). SPIAS does not generally provide its advisory services directly to retail clients, but its services may be used by its clients in advising their own underlying clients, which may include retail clients. SPIAS also provides advisory consulting services to institutional clients and investment managers-of-investment funds, and investment sub-advisory services for registered investment companies, including open-end mutual funds and other institutions. S&P Global's operations consist of three reportable segments: S&P Global Ratings, S&P Global Platts, and S&P Dow Jones Indices. S&P Global Ratings is an independent provider of credit ratings, research and analytics to investors, issuers and market participants. It includes the NRSRO and certain other ratings-related businesses. S&P Global Platts provides essential price data, analytics, and industry insight that enable commodities markets to perform with greater transparency and efficiency. S&P Dow Jones Indices is a global index provider that maintains a wide variety of indices to meet an array of investor needs. In 2016, CFRA acquired S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Equity and Fund Research business (formerly known as S&P Capital IQ and SNL) from S&P Global, Inc.

Standard & Poor's Investment Advisory Services (UK) Ltd. is the Great Britain-based financial research subsidiary of S&P Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPGI) in the US. Formerly known as McGraw-Hill Financial Research Europe Ltd., established in 1994 as Standard & Poor's LLC, the firm is located in London.

Société Générale SA (UK) (Société Générale UK) is the Great Britain-based brokerage division of Societe Generale SA (XP: GLE, ADR: SCGLY) in France. Headquartered in London, Société Générale UK was founded in 1993 and provides broking services.

CLSA Singapore Pte Ltd. is a broker-dealer headquartered in Singapore. The firm is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CLSA Ltd., which is owned by CITIC Securities Co., Ltd. (SHA: 600030; OTCMKTS: CIIHF) in China. CLSA Singapore provides sales and execution services to institutional investors and corporates world-wide.

CLSA Ltd. is the Hong Kong-based institutional brokerage subsidiary of CITIC Securities Co., Ltd. (SSE: 600030, SEHK: 6030), a full-service investment bank headquartered in China. Founded in 1986, the firm provides sales and execution services to global investors and corporates.

Commerzbank AG (UK) is the UK brokerage division of Commerzbank AG (FR: CBK) in Germany. Based in London, they engage in equity, debt and derivative instrument trading, investment banking, public finance and treasury, interest-rate and currency management, as well as corporate finance. In 2009 Dresdner Bank was acquired by and merged into Commerzbank and the London-based activities of Dresdner Kleinwort Securities absorbed into Commerzbank AG (UK). The firm provides capital markets services, corporate advisory, risk management, research and lending services focused on equity, corporate and emerging-market debt, derivatives and money market products. Their clients are European and international corporations, institutions and government entities. In terms of corporate finance they offer financial advisory as well as execution capabilities for a wide range of corporate finance-related transactions on a global basis. Their primary focus is on mergers and acquisitions, disposals, equity issues and initial public offerings.

Citigroup Global Markets Ltd. (CGML) is an international broker-dealer firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm was founded in 1983 and is a subsidiary of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Bahamas Ltd., ultimately held by Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE: C) in the US. CGML has a major presence in the international financial markets as a dealer, market-maker and underwriter in equity and fixed income securities and offers risk-based solutions to producers and investors in commodity markets. They also provide corporate finance services to a wide range of corporate, institutional and government clients. Their trading activities encompass cash, exchange traded and OTC derivative markets.

Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Ltd. (Credit Suisse Europe) is the Great Britain-based brokerage subsidiary of Credit Suisse Investment Holdings (UK), itself a subsidiary of Credit Suisse Group AG (SWX: CSGN) in Switzerland. The firm was founded in 1966 and formerly known as Credit Suisse First Boston (Europe) Ltd. Headquartered in London, Credit Suisse Europe arranges financing in international capital markets, provides financial advisory services and acts as a dealer in securities, derivatives and foreign exchange on a principal and agency basis for corporate and institutional investors.

PIMCO Europe Ltd. (PIMCO-Europe) is the Great Britain-based subsidiary of PIMCO Global Advisors LLC, ultimately held by Allianz SE (FR: ALV; ADR: AZSEY) in Germany. Established in 1997, PIMCO-Europe is headquartered in London with additional branches in Europe and global offices in Asia, Australia, and the Americas. The firm provides fixed-income investment management services to clients in Great Britain, Europe and the Middle East. In addition to corporate pension funds, their clientele includes foundations, endowments, public retirement plans, central banks and corporate treasury departments. They also serve retail and high-net worth individuals. PIMCO Europe manages discretionary accounts, institutional funds and mutual funds. The firm is involved in the institutional wholesale business, and sub-advises portfolios for third-party fund-of-fund managers.

JPMorgan Asset Management (UK) Ltd. (JPMAM-UK) is the wholly owned, Great Britain-based investment arm of JPMorgan Asset Management International Ltd., ultimately held by JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) in the US. The firm was founded in 1974 and formerly known as JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management. They changed their name to JPMorgan Asset Management UK Ltd. in 2005. Headquartered in London, JPAM-UK provides investment advisory services to institutional clients, both US and non-US.

Fédéral Finance Gestion SA (FFG) is an asset management firm headquartered in Le Relecq-Kerhuon, France. The firm was founded in 1980 and is a subsidiary of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa SA, ultimately owned by Confederation Nationale Crédit Mutuel SA in France. FFG provides mutual fund and investment management services to corporate clients, institutions and private individuals.

Fitch Ratings Ltd. (FRL) is an investment research firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm was founded in 1977 and is a subsidiary of Fitch Ratings, Inc., ultimately held by The Hearst Family Trust in the US. FRL provides research and specialized ratings of services to residential and commercial mortgages, asset managers and managed funds. They also publish quantitatively based ratings such as Q-IFS ratings.