Stuart J. Birdt

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.

Founded in 1994, Exane Ltd. is a British brokerage company that provides brokerage services. The company is based in London, UK and is part of Verner Investissements SAS.

Deutsche Bank AG (Deutsche Bank UK) is the UK-based securities brokerage division of Deutsche Bank AG (ETR: DBK) in Germany. The firm is headquartered in London and was founded in 1873. Deutsche Bank provides brokerage services to companies and institutions.

Goldman Sachs International (GSI) is the Great Britain-based, wholly-owned brokerage subsidiary of Goldman Sachs Group UK Ltd., ultimately held by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS) in the US. The firm was founded in 1988 and formerly known as Trushelfco Ltd. Headquartered in London, GSI provides prime brokerage, securities lending, futures services and financing services for a range of clients such as corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net worth individuals.