ACQ GLOBAL AWARDS 2015 by ACQ5 Magazine

Energy for a Changing World! Globeleq is an experienced developer, owner and operator of independent power generation projects specialising in the emerging markets. Since 2002, Globeleq has participated in nearly 14,000 MW of power assets in 27 countries investing approximately US$1.3 billion of equity across 44 different power projects.

Despite the fact that our main focus is equity investments in Russia and the CIS, we are not restricted to a particular region or asset class in our investment activities. This allows us to be much more flexible, looking for value in various markets around the world. This advantage becomes critical during periods of distressed economic conditions and political turbulence, something we had to witness last year in Russia.” David Amaryan, Copperstone Capital.

Great business is built through trust, transparency and reciprocity” Since its establishment, Intercorp Group has grown consistently to become a truly international operation with offices in both Miami and

“The technology we have in our systems and procedure will play a vital role in the implementation. We have analyzed the ins and outs of the Indian market space and have found Innovative methods to overcome challenges. The team works to find newer and more innovative methods to deal with problems to enable optimisation of costs and timelines of the project, alternative methods for construction through mechanisation and reducing dependencies on the vagaries of labour availability” Mr. Sankey Prasad, Chairman & Managing Director of Synergy Property Development Services

UAE - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR UAE - MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR, KAVITHA S. PANICKER Our promise to our clients is that we do not accept anything less than justice for them, and we assure them that our pursuit will continue to any extent the law permits.” Advocate Mehdi Safar Founding Partner, AL SAFAR AND PARTNERS

ZAMBIA

AUDITORS OF THE YEAR - KPMG ZAMBIA

With 60 years of operating in Zambia, we provide Audit, Tax and Advisory services, delivering a globally consistent set of multidisciplinary finance and accounting skills and capabilities based on deep industry knowledge . Our industry specialisation helps KPMG people to develop a rich understanding of clients’ businesses, acquire insight, skills and resources required to address industry -specific issues and opportunities . Audit services Our Audit services include: ■ Financial statement audit ■ Financial statement reviews ■ Agreed upon procedures Tax services Our Tax services include: ■ Corporate Tax ■ International Executive Services ■ Indirect Tax ■ Company Statutory Services Contact us: Advisory services Our Advisory services include amongst First Floor, Elunda Two others: Addis Ababa Roundabout ■ Transactions and Restructuring Rhodes Park ■ Risk and Compliance Lusaka ■ Internal Audit Co-sourcing Unit 14 Lyness House ■ Performance and Technology Freedom Avenue ■ Forensic Kitwe. ■ IT Advisory Telephone: +260 211 372 900 Email: zm-fmzambia@kpmg.com.

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Since 2003 ACQ, one of the world’s leading markets magazines has singled out the outstanding institutions and individuals in the sector. Over the years, the Awards for Excellence have evolved with the markets they cover. ACQ’s Awards now incorporate more global product categories than ANY other title in the arena, best-in class awards in all regions around the world. All of the awards have one central theme – they recognise institutions and individuals that demonstrate leadership, innovation, and momentum in the markets in which they excel. In this volatile and unpredictable environment, the need for business’s to be forward thinking and innovative has never been greater: the need for managers to think and plan beyond the short term; the need for workforces to embrace change; the need for companies, large and small, to consider how to build sustainable enterprises in a world where competition is tougher than ever. ACQ Magazine is the longest and most established magazine of its kind! Anybody can make that claim, but ACQ really is different. Serving the markets for over a decade, which other publications can draw on such experience? ACQ has been celebrating achievement, innovation and brilliance in our annual awards for much of that time. Every year, we seek the assistance of our tens of thousands of readers to nominate and recognise industry leaders, eminent individuals, exemplary teams and distinguished organisations, which we believe represent the benchmark of achievement and best practice in a variety of fields. We strive to recognise an ever-widening spectrum of services, markets, industries and organisations. We believe that by consulting our readers we can better identify the groups that are confronting the issues which face us at this complex juncture, and our awards will rise above the status of participation certificate and actually be an endorsement of their work. This year, awards again feature candidates from Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East/Africa. It is important to note that some notable examples are recognised for their International presence where geography is no barrier to their skills and performance. Finally, we would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to our principal sponsors, Widza.com for being so generous and for helping us make this event so successful in 2015.

HOW TO REACH ACQ ACQ welcomes news and views from its readers. Correspondence should be sent to jake.robson@acq5.com For more information about ACQ visit www.acq5.com. ACQ Copyright © 2015 ACQ is published under licence from Metropolis International Group Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without permission. SAFE HARBOR The interviews in this publication may contain certain forward looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations of the businesses profiled. These statements and forecasts involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend upon circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors which could cause actual results or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward looking statements and forecasts. The statements may have been made with reference to forecast price changes, economic conditions and the current regulatory environment. Nothing in these announcements should be construed as a profit forecast.

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It Is In A Lawyer’s Nature To Work Indipendently And Alone; But It Is Human Nature To Draw Strength from a Group. So We Simply Let Nature Take Over Our Lawyer Instincts To Further Empower Us All. Advocate Kavitha S. Panicker Managing Partner

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Strategic Legal Solutions

Q: Please give a brief introduction about your Firm Al Safar and Partners is a leading law firm in UAE since the past 33 years during which the firm has grown and progressed. With each passing year we get better and stronger in all facets of law and the legal profession. Our firm has legal consultants from various parts of the world bringing in their expertise in various fields of law, customs and culture of people from around the world which gives us a winning edge in our cases. The main areas of practice that we undertake are Real Estate, Commercial, Franchise Banking and Finance, Civil, Intellectual Property, Family, Criminal and Employment matters. Our firm is the one of the top four law firms in Dubai and has been awarded the title of ‘Strategic Partners of the Court’ by the Dubai Court due to our contributions and strategic co-operation with the Dubai Courts that have been very significant earning a prominent position among the top four firms which are most active in filing the highest number of cases with Dubai Courts System. Moreover we have been certified by ISO 9001:2008 for our management systems and quality assurance processes. Q: How is the law practice in UAE different from the other Countries? The law practice that prevails in UAE is very developed and modernized keeping in mind the expatriates living here and its nature as a tax free commercial hub. Hence, the cases are resolved speedily pronouncing judgments therein within 1 or 2 years. It is very rare to see a case still pending beyond that period. Also, as there are various free zones with the different applicable laws, there are also separate courts and tribunals to resolve disputes arising in such free zones hence the system is very wholesome covering all private, civil, commercial as well as criminal aspects. Q: What kind of disputes are more frequently observed in Dubai? UAE being a tax free commercial hub, we observe more commercial and property disputes than the others. UAE is well known for its tall sky scrapers and booming real estate market hence legal services in respect of the buying-selling, leasing, etc. of real estate property always keeps us busy.

Q: It is generally believed that UAE majorly operates by Sharia law in respect of all personal matters. eeping in mind the large population of expats from varied nationalities, how do you as a firm deal with such matters? Being an Islamic State, the Sharia aw is the main source of legislations in the UAE. Sharia takes greater precedence in personal and criminal matters. However, UAE has welcomed to its land people of various nationalities to live and earn their livelihood, in respect of the same, it has also made some changes in the laws applicable to the expatriates living here in accordance to their own cultures. For personal matters, we request the court for taking into account the laws prevalent in the client’s country in accordance to the client’s wishes. Q: Due to the large number of foreign companies operating in UAE through Free zones, do you face many jurisdictional issues in representing your clients against such companies? How do you tackle such issues? We have been representing our clients internationally in relation to their local and global transactions with foreign companies or inside UAE Freezones, and doing so without any hindrance due to proper legal management of their operations, we guide the clients to the suitable jurisdiction specific to their business activities. We have always aimed to protect the rights and interests of our corporate clients but have also kept in view the sanctity of the laws of UAE as well as international territorial laws for the smooth longterm operations of our clients’ companies. Q: our firm has received numerous awards, what is the key to such success? As a leading law firm in the country, we never waver from our established principles and professional ethics. Protecting the interests of our clients has always been and will always be our foremost priority due to which we only put in our best efforts and nothing less than that. We work in teams on every matter we handle, these teams compensate for any shortcomings of a any single lawyer. Our lawyers though from diverse nationalities, work as one to secure the needs of our clients and strive to maintain a very transparent and healthy relation based on trust. Organized teamwork to satisfy clients is the main key to our success. Contact Details: Tel no: 9 1 2219 , Fax no: 9 1 2219 3, Email: info alsafarpartners.com, Website: www.alsafarpartners.com

ISO 9001:2008 No 31802:A01

Address: Al Safar & Partners Burj halifa, Old Town Islands, Downtown Dubai, Al Saaha Ofﬁces Block D, Ofﬁce 01A P.O. Box: 283 3, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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Our promise to our clients is that we do not accept anything less than justice for them, and we assure them that our pursuit will continue to any extent the law permits. Advocate Mehdi Safar Founding Partner

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INTERNATIONAL – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (PROJECT MANAGEMENT), SANKEY PRASAD, SYNERGY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED INDIA – FULL SERVICE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR, SYNERGY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED MENA – FULL SERVICE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR, SYNERGY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED

Synergy: Embracing Innovation to Conquer the Global Construction Market The landscape of Indian Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities is in a state of overhaul today. Having overcome the e ects of global recession, the Indian economy has staged a comeback with a gross GDP growth rate of about 7.3 percent which was propelled by infrastructure development. A drive around various cities in India is enough to validate the fact that growth of infrastructure is in full swing with major projects under construction; whether IT or Industrial parks, Hotels, Residential complexes or Hospitals. This spurt in infrastructure investment is largely due to the increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) over the past few years. India’s growth story over the next ve years, therefore, is largely dependent on the management of its big spend on the infrastructure environment. Successful and timely execution of major projects is crucial to maintain this growth trajectory. Managing projects in India, as also other developing nations, has always been a challenge, especially as projects involve multiple stakeholders, new or unproven technology, shifting or unclear project requirements, and constrained resources. The importance of a systematic and comprehensive approach towards project planning is crucial while structuring a project. This puts the onus on Project Management organizations to help the construction companies gain e ciency. Mr. Sankey Prasad, Chairman & Managing Director of Synergy, a project management organization was one of the rst civil engineers to have identi ed the need of a company that could combine innovation, processes and quality. With the ambitious vision to help the Indian construction industry become more systematic, Sankey founded Synergy in 2003. The company today provides 360 degree project management services and is involved right from concept to close-out of the project. The organisation developed an Architectural wing and also a services wing. Besides providing support to the main business focus of PMC, these verticals are also fully developed into their own business lines. Apart from project management, the company also provides expert Advisory Services for technical due-diligence and audits. Journey to Conquering the Indian Construction Industry Having worked in the real estate industry at various capacities Sankey leveraged his years of experience to introduce the revolutionary concept of ‘a single point of responsibility’. The real estate market at that time was not open to this new concept though. He explains “Project Management being a new concept at that time (2003) in the Indian real estate sector, apprehensions were abounding about the feasibility of such a system”. But given Sankey’s vision, his expertise in his sphere of work and aided by a dynamic team of professionals, Synergy has grown into the biggest and one of the best project management companies in India today. This concept has become widely accepted in the real estate business. The organization commenced its journey with commercial o ce buildings and IT campuses in Bangalore, such as Embassy Golf Links Business Park and Manyata Business Park, and was followed by several other large IT parks, business parks across India for many leading developers and direct clients. For every aspect of the development process, the organization put in place comprehensive international procedures that were carefully tailor-made for Indian conditions. Other key success factors have been a central design review cell and procurement cell, both catering for consolidation of information to help in providing the best value to the customer. The organization noting the growth capability of the retail industry at the time, then diversi ed into that sector. “At that point in time retail malls were a rage and Synergy hopped on gracefully to start and complete several malls across the country,” adds Sankey. The company’s next move was to in the sphere of healthcare and it aided in the construction of two hospitals in Bangalore; a 100 & 200 bed multi-specialty hospitals, and the Medanta – The Medicity a 1,200 bed multi-specialty hospital in Gurgaon. Synergy is presently engaged in managing about 2000 beds in hospitals across India. Synergy has also been associated with the hospitality sector with repeated orders for the Accor group and the Hilton. Currently, Synergy has established a hospitality division that caters specially to the sector. This team guides developers for this specialist delivery right through the concept stage thus ensuing minimum changes during the tenure of the project. Eyeing Growth in the Global Market Synergy has constantly moved and evolved with the trends of the industry and has translated itself into a reliable single delivery point for o ce buildings, retail developments, hotels and hospitals. Having established itself as the largest PMC in the Indian construction industry, which is just one piece of the puzzle, it then set eyes on the global construction industry which is also seeing immense growth. Reports suggest that over the next 7 years the global construction industry will grow from $7.2 trillion to be worth $12 trillion. The global construction industry currently represents about 13% of global GDP and this number is all set to increase to 15% by 2020. It is thus an opportune time for project management companies as they hold the key to every real estate project’s success. Having identi ed the growth trends and after having worked with almost all major players in the Indian market, Synergy is now all set to capture the global market. The ambitious company is eyeing to expand in emerging markets such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, South East Asian countries, Middle East and the African subcontinent. “We are accelerating our growth outside

the country as we have already reached the top of the ladder in India. The company’s approach to work is the same but we have shifted our focus to take the company’s success across the border. We already have a presence in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines Dubai, Africa and Southern Europe” adds Sankey. The FIFA World Cup of 2020 is a major opportunity for the company as well. “We already have our offices in Dubai which is catering to the Middle Eastern market as well as to African countries,” he adds. Developing African nations also have a great need for Project Management expertise and Synergy has already tapped into this market with projects in Rwanda, Mozambique, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Innovating to Excel The Indian construction industry is quite different from the international construction industry. The Indian construction industry is known to be inefficient and highly resistant to change but this is not the case with the international market where leveraging technology and automation is a norm. The Indian construction industry is currently facing a 35% labour shortfall, which is of prime concern for the on-time delivery of real estate projects. This shortfall is only expected to increase exponentially in the coming years. Synergy is working hard to bring in technology, in order to help the Indian construction industry and also to be relevant in the international markets. “Technology is going to be our differentiator,” states Sankey. “The technology we have in our systems and procedure will play a vital role in the implementation. We have analyzed the ins and outs of the Indian market space and have found Innovative methods to overcome challenges. Cities such as Dubai which do not have half the volume of Bangalore still have the latest technologies and is building marvellous structures. India is still lagging in the race but is gradually moving ahead,” he adds. It is organizations such as Synergy that are working hard to fill the technological gaps by creating awareness and embracing new technologies. Synergy uses unique collaborative software, Asite which aids in the management of projects. This company has been implementing the software across all the teams to bring in discipline and better manage the project, the benefits of which are now much appreciated by its clients. Innovation has always been the key for an organization to stay relevant in any industry. Being a proactive organization, Synergy is working to harbour innovation within the organization and has therefore set up a special cell known as i2e, which stands for ‘Innovate to Excel’. The i2e team is responsible for collating and conducting research on the challenges faced by the on-site teams and general industry trends. The cell researches and forms a central repository of information which is required to understand the industry better and to identify more efficient processes. “The team works to find newer and more innovative methods to deal with problems to enable optimisation of costs and timelines of the project, alternative methods for construction through mechanisation and reducing dependencies on the vagaries of labour availability” explains Sankey. The organization has a committee that identifies areas of skills improvement. The internal department then forms training modules and arms the resources with the necessary information. These training programs are chartered during the initial few months of the year and training calendars are created accordingly. Besides technical skills, the company also provides leadership skills training for senior managers; health and safety training for other managers etc. The objective is to keep the resources up to date on the trends of the industry to enhance their performance. Synergy’s growth has been truly phenomenal since its inception. What started as a Project Management company in Bangalore with a team size of 8 has today become 900+ strong and is spread across 25+ offices across the globe. Having delivered more than a million sq ft, today Synergy manages close to 150+ million sq ft of development across various asset classes. Given the organizations innovative approach and expertise in the field, greater success is just around the corner for them. Game Changer In seeking to grow the company, Synergy in 2008 offered a 35% stake of the company to Blackstone, the PE giant who had just entered India. (Blackstone Real-estate Partners is an affiliate of The Blackstone Group, world’s largest PE with Assets Under Management (AUM) of over $ 300 billion). This enthused the company with extra zeal and Synergy then started undertaking Turnkey projects which helped boost the turnover of the company. This partnership also evolved the organization to take on due diligence and advisory services catering for customers interested in taking over existing properties. During this time, Synergy developed and managed 62 million sqft of space across asset classes. Given the growth story and his strong belief in the company, in November 2015, Sankey Prasad, in an unprecedented act acquired back 50% of the share held by Blackstone through a buy-back arrangement. Synergy has been recognised several times in the past for their accomplishments in India, and was awarded ‘Project Management Firm of the Year’ and ‘Company of the Year’, by several forums. The company is now becoming internationally recognized. Sankey Prasad, the man who engineered the Synergy success story so far and still at the helm of affairs, is set for giant leaps in the industry.

GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DR ANA ARMSTRONG - ARMSTRONG INVESTMENT MANAGERS LLP MULTI ASSET FUND OF THE YEAR, AIM MULTI ASSET FUND - ARMSTRONG INVESTMENT MANAGERS LLP MACRO FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR FOR A CONSECUTIVE YEAR - ARMSTRONG INVESTMENT MANAGERS LLP

Armstrong Investment Managers LLP Dr Ana Armstrong Address: 1 Royal Exchange, London EC3V 3LT Telephone: +44(0)20 7464 4330 Email: ana.armstrong@armstrongim.com Web Address: www.armstrongim.com

What do you believe are the reasons behind your success? AIM is extremely proud to be the recipient of this award, as it demonstrates our commitment to providing a leading UCITS solution for the multi-asset investment product range. Our business has strengthened across the board in terms of team, our distribution network and indeed the proprietary investment strategies we employ. Our strict focus on risk management has ensured we are always well placed to deal with volatility shocks, while still generating returns for our clients. How important do you believe awards like this to be, both to individual businesses like yourselves and to your wider industry? In the ever-growing and increasingly competitive investment landscape, investors (and their advisors) face a much tougher task in finding the right opportunities or solutions that most suit their requirements. Awards like this go a long way in helping to establish a connection between the investor and the established managers who are best suited to providing the solutions they are seeking. Please give us a brief overview of Armstrong Investment Managers LLP, your clients and the services you offer? AIM is a FCA regulated asset manager, which is focused on providing structured financial solutions to a diverse international client base. AIM has an in-house team of award winning fund managers and analysts that create excellent results for our clients. Our focus is to ensure that whatever solutions we provide to clients, that these solutions achieve a practical, successful and sustainable financial result for the future. Our team is expertly managed by Dr. Ana Cukic Armstrong, an investment professional with over 20 years of financial institutional experience. With her leadership, the Armstrong team strives to combine the experience and reliability of an institution, with the client-focus of a boutique firm. Our services include: Structured solutions to increase liquidity for existing portfolios Liquidity solutions to private equity investors Access to an existing Multi Asset fund, an award Global Macro fund and a UK OEIC Funds to an Irish UCITS/QIAIF platform onshore Segregated managed accounts While working on a fund, what measures do you take to ensure that it performs to its full potential and beyond? AIM start with the risk budget of a fund. The weight of each position is determined on the basis of the level of conviction and its marginal contribution to risk. Risk is used interactively in portfolio construction. We apply the quantitative models that we have been developing over the last 20 years to identify the best investment opportunities. What is your philosophy behind client service? How do you maintain the high standards you set yourselves across your company? Our investment process is built on a set of key beliefs: s 4HE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN HUMAN CAPITAL s 4HE INTERACTION OF MODEL DRIVEN TRADE AND DISCRETIONARY BELIEFS IS THE KEY TO LONG RUN OUT PERFORMANCE s 0EER REVIEWED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ARE REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES s /UR RESEARCH MANDATE FOCUSES ON (i) Generating superior alpha by identifying asset pricing anomalies; (ii) Generating superior returns by harvesting risk premia within ex-ante volatility bounds. s /UR INVESTMENT MANTRA ALLOCATES BETWEEN CONTRARIAN AND TREND FOLLOWING STRATEGIES VALUE GROWTH AND CARRY INVESTING WITHIN and across asset classes. s )NFLATION IS THE ULTIMATE DESTROYER OF LONG RUN PURCHASING POWER 2EAL DIVERSIFICATION IS A KEY COMPONENT OF OUR INVESTMENT beliefs. While working in an industry that is constantly changing, what measures do you to ensure that you are at the forefront of any emerging developments and trends? AIM work closely with academic developments and concepts that involve the asset allocation, quantitative modelling, risk premia, portfolio construction and risk management. We have developed the following risk premia strategies: s s s

#ROSS SECTIONAL MOMENTUM ACROSS 53 5+ AND %5 EQUITIES 4IME SERIES MOMENTUM ACROSS &8 #OMMODITIES AND %1 )NDEX FUTURES #ARRY WITHIN &8 AND #OMMODITIES FUTURES MARKETS These strategies have delivered a robust return during the recent market sell-off.

What makes your firm unique? How do you distinguish yourselves from your competitors, and present yourselves as an exclusive option for your clients? AIMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience and expertise has allowed us to remain flexible and open to the requirements of all investors. Our knowledge of UCITS products puts us ahead of the increasing number of firms who are rushing to provide similar solutions. Dr. Ana Armstrongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core strengths in asset allocation and risk management, developed over 20 years, provide clients with the assurances they need that their capital is protected and managed to the highest standard. Tell us about the culture within your company and the things you do to maintain and develop it. How does it influence your interactions with and results achieved for your clients? Dr Armstrong has fostered an environment of collaboration and knowledge sharing across functions, where each individual brings different expertise to the each of the investment, operational and distribution efforts. The variety of background and strengths ensures a diversified outlook is utilised when filtering towards each decision, but crucially also significantly lowers any key-person operational risks in the company. What have been the most prevalent trends in your industry over the past 12 months? The robust portfolio solutions will focus on cross sectional models that are long and short different market segments. Asset allocation calls are increasingly difficult to make and there has clearly been an increase in the demand for multi asset products that can invest across different asset classes. What does the future hold for your firm? What plans do you have to both maintain and build upon your success? -

Further development of intellectual property, focusing on quantitative and empirically tested investment models. Expansion to other markets including the Middle East and Asia.

UK - SHIPPING & MARITIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, BARGATE MURRAY SOLICITORS UK - COMMERCIAL LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, BARGATE MURRAY SOLICITORS UK - MARITIME LAWYER OF THE YEAR, QUENTIN BARGATE, BARGATE MURRAY SOLICITORS

Business Lawyers

Quentin Bargate, Senior Partner at Bargate Murray Solicitors AS ONE OF THE LEADING UK SHIPPING AND MARITIME LAW FIRMS, BARGATE MURRAY STANDS OUT STRONGLY REPRESENTING THE EVOLVING SUPERYACHT INDUSTRY. IN THE MID-SEVENTIES YACHT WORK WAS RARE COMPARED TO THE FINANCING OF BULK CARRIERS AND OTHER VESSELS BUILT BY EUROPEAN YARDS - THE PAST TWO DECADES HAVE SEEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ONCE MODEST YACHT, INTO THE VAST SUPERYACHTS AND NOW MEGA-YACHTS THAT EXIST TODAY.

“I think the root of our success has been a

joint emphasis on the quality standards that we insist upon, and the personalised way in which we deliver our services. We also have a young, talented and highly driven team that believes in those principles

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Q. As a partner in shipping and maritime law firm Bargate Murray, can you tell us about yourself? I have a great passion for the law, and the intellectual challenges it presents but, first and foremost, I am a devoted family man. I have three outstanding sons that are at the centre of my life and of whom my wife Glynis and I are very proud. Q. What motivated you to launch yourself into law? I like the challenge of complex intellectual problems and finding ways to solve them. I also pride myself on my understanding of the English language and enjoy using it to its fullest extent. Q. Do remind us and for those who don’t know, what does being a superyacht lawyer entail? The work is complex and international in its scope. When you think that, essentially, a superyacht is a highly complex construction project that is subject to international regulation and control, along with the laws of whichever jurisdiction it may be visiting at any given time, you begin to see what I mean… Q. What was it that initially interested you in the superyacht industry? I was initially attracted to the industry through instructions I received from existing clients’ interest in investing in yachts. I was, at that time, already a maritime lawyer and yachts just seemed to be a fascinating and exotic subset of maritime law. Q. With the launching of Triple Deuce, the world’s largest superyacht at a whopping 728ft in length, there’s clearly a consistency in eclipsing for their billionaire owners. Putting aside harboring issues, is there a point where these “floating palaces” become too big? In my view, the answer is probably yes, but then I am not a potential yacht builder or owner! There is, and has been for some time, a certain cache associated with being the owner of the world’s largest yacht, so I do not see this trend of ever-bigger yachts ending any time soon. That said, I hope that todays yacht owners also embrace technological advancements with newbuild yachts, making them ever more sophisticated as well as simply larger. Also, I hope to see the adoption of greener technologies. Q. With 223 sold already so far in 2015, 81 orders placed and an impressive 115 launched putting 2015 on an increase from last year’s progress already, we can see that the superyacht industry is vastly expanding. What does the future hold for superyacht acquisitions and trade? I don’t believe we have even scratched the surface of the potential of superyacht ownership globally. I believe there is great potential for further expansion, not only in superyacht ownership in the developing parts of the world, but also in the associated development of marinas in new cruising destinations. Q. With the majority of the globe’s superyachts being flagged within Europe and Central America, it was recently reported that China (now the world’s largest economy) possess a minute 0.7% of the world’s 4,836 superyachts – in your opinion, why are there so few flagged throughout Asia and Africa? Does the sheer volume of piracy across the two continents have any impact on this? I’m not sure it’s correct to say that the majority of superyachts are flagged in Europe. Red ensign flags such as Cayman and Bermuda account for a very substantial portion of the world’s superyacht fleet. There is a good reason for this, namely long experience and expertise. Nonetheless, I do see a greater role for alternative flag jurisdictions provided this does not adversely impact upon quality. I don’t believe the risk of piracy is a material factor at this time.

Q. What are your most recent highlights as a firm at Bargate Murray? We have taken on some fabulous new clients in 2015, which I put down to the strength of our team. This has been one factor in the continuing development and success of some of my more junior colleagues, with Mark Needham, my former Senior Associate being promoted to Partner in September. Q. You have previously said that you’re very much a family man, how do you balance the sheer intensity that comes as a superyacht lawyer with family life? I find my role as a superyacht lawyer is a cathartic experience because I get so much satisfaction out of the work I do, and the clients I meet. I try to bring that positive energy into my family life; my family knows that I enjoy my work and they are very supportive so I try to make sure the time I spend with them is valued. Q. The launch of Bargate Murray’s new Property Department is an exciting prospect; please tell us more about this… Given our UHNW client base, this seemed like a natural progression for the firm and, whilst it is very much in its infancy by comparison to our superyacht practice, our experience and knowledge is growing daily and we look forward to taking on ever bigger and more complex cases in the future. Q. Is this a preview of what’s to come for Bargate Murray; currently standing as a boutique law firm, are there any more plans to branch? I think our “boutiqueness” is actually one of the key factors that set us apart from our competitors, so that is factored in to any discussions my Partners and I have regarding growth. Put another way, we are not dead set on “growth for growth’s sake”. It will only be considered if we take the view that it will improve the quality of our business, not dilute it. Q. When we last spoke we focused solely round Bargate Murray and the super yachting industry. With 14 years of experience as a partner at your previous firm, what do you feel that you took from your time at Simmons and Simmons that has transferred into the success of Bargate Murray? Commercial savvy. There is no substitute for experience, a point often lost in a world driven by an obsession with youth culture. Q. As head of the Superyacht Group as well, in your opinion, what are the common struggles within the development of yachting? One thing I have noticed is the struggles that yacht class regulations seem to have to keep up with ever-larger yachts. The large yacht code, for example, mandates that the maximum number of guests a yacht can accommodate is 12, but in a time when yachts regularly exceed 100m in length, this seems unduly restrictive. That said, the introduction of the Passenger Yacht Code, which permits the carriage of up to 36 guests, might go some way to assuaging the problem. Q. As an advocate for ADR, what experiences do you feel influenced you to take preference to this approach? If I’m honest, litigation is little more than a lottery and often a complete waste of time, money and resources. The big advantage of ADR, particularly mediation, is that not only are the parties in control of the process but they can also, with the assistance of the mediator, design solutions to their dispute that can preserve their business relationship. Never forget that Judges are civil servants; you get to choose your mediator but you have no choice over which judge you get. In my view only a mad person would choose litigation over mediation. Q. With the rise of the superyacht and heightened media interest seeing an increase in headlines every year, how do you manage the critics? We take a very strict approach to confidentiality; criticism from the general public is not something we often have to deal with. It’s in our own best interests as well as our clients’ that we generally stay out of the public eye. Q. In your 34 years’ experience in law, what were some of the memorable and most challenging events so far in your career? The most challenging and exciting event was starting BM in 2004. It was a leap in the dark, and very hard work, but the challenge was very worthwhile and the last 11 years since the firm’s foundation have been the most rewarding of my life. Q. As one of the world’s leading superyacht law firms, how do you keep one step ahead of the game? I think the root of our success has been a joint emphasis on the quality standards that we insist upon and the personalised way in which we deliver our services. We also have a young, talented and highly driven team that believes in those principles. Q. What does success mean to you? Happy clients. Q. If you could choose one yacht, any yacht to be in possession of yourself, which would you choose? My ideal yacht has not yet been built, but if it is, I’ll let you know. Q. Is it all sun, sea and superyachts? In short, no – that’s the preserve of the owners! The vast majority of our work is very similar to that of most practice areas; we spend a lot of time poring over contracts, articles and the latest case law. However, my team and I do travel from time to time to various yacht shows or closing meetings. Monaco, Fort Lauderdale, Cannes and various spots in Italy are popular destinations!

Business Lawyers

Bargate Murray, Business Lawyers Tel: (switchboard): +44 (0) 20 7375 1393 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7392 9529 Email (general office) info@bargatemurray.com Our Website: www.bargatemurray.com On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bargatemurray

Business Lawyers

The man behind the brand… Which three people would you most like to invite to a dinner party? Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Caan, and Sigourney Weaver. What is your most used phrase in both work and play? It is clear beyond peradventure. Who outside of your field of interest inspires you and why? John Cleese (as Basil Fawlty) because he proved that success & madness are not mutually exclusive. What animal do you take the most inspiration from? Border Terrier because it’s bright, tough and very loyal, just like me! Most common thought when you first wake? WHERE’S THE BACON? The last before you sleep? Did I finish the bacon? What song, film or literature best describes your life? 2001 – A Space Odyssey. Full of mystery and very unpredictable. What makes you howl with laughter? Politicians, because of their desperate attempt at false sincerity. Ocean bed or outer space? Outer space. Have you ever stolen a pen from work? Of course, who hasn’t? But in my case, as I own all the pens (and have eaten all the pies) it doesn’t really count.

“What makes you cry or angry? An unpaid invoice”

Energy

Mining

Cement

Agrifoods

AFRICAN LEADER IN INFRASTRUCTURE & INDUSTRY

Transportation & Logistics

ISLAMIC FINANCIAL CRIMINOLOGY RESEARCH BODY OF THE YEAR, ACCOUNTING RESEARCH INSTITUTE – UITM

Quote from the Director of ARI: “ The Accounting Research Institute (ARI) is proud to be recognized as ISLAMIC FINANCIAL CRIMINOLOGY RESEARCH BODY OF THE YEAR at ACQ Award 2015. This recognition greatly re ects ACQ’s strong e ort to promote and advocate leading academic research in Islamic Finance globally. This award reinforces ARI’s reputation as a prominent research centre and we appreciate the recognition it provides us - that ARI aspires to continuously support the prosperity of Islamic Finance and aims to become a reference centre for global research in Islamic Finance Governance and Financial Criminology” Prof. Dr Normah Omar Director of Accounting Research Institute Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Accounting Research Institute or ARI in common parlance has covered lots of territory in a short span of time. The social science research organization of Malaysia’s Universiti Teknologi MARA, one of the leading institutes of higher learning in the country began life as a special interest group or SIG, a term of endearment given by the accounting profession. The SIG’s idea of adding nobility to one of the oldest profession in history by protecting it from commercial greed is re ected in ARI’s Vision statement. ARI’s Vision is not only to be the most successful research and reference centre in Malaysia and the Asia-Paci c Region but also the most respected research institute in the Region.

This National Centre of Excellence’s Vision has taken the organization and its people on a discerning journey. Today ARI has morphed into eight research centres, each devoted to the advancement of an area of deep and weighty interest to the accounting profession and academia. Speci cally the research centre are CIMA-UiTM Asian Management Accounting Research Centre AMARC; UiTM-MICG Corporate Governance Research Centre or CGRC; UiTM-ACCA Financial Reporting Research Centre or FCRC; UiTM-ACFE Asia-Paci c Forensic Accounting Research Centre or AFARe; UiTM-CPA Australia Public Sector Accounting Research Centre or PSARC; UiTM-ACCA Asia-Paci c Sustainability Research Centre or APCeS, Islamic Accounting and Muamalat Research Centre or IAMRC and Government-Linked Companies Research Centre or GLCRC. When ARI was accorded the HICoE status in 2010, the main research focus of all research centres was realigned to support the new research niche agenda of Islamic Financial Criminology. Besides accounting, ARI HICoE is also supported by other disciplines such as law, information communication technology (ICT), business management, administrative policy and information management.

ARI’s Research Efforts in Islamic Financial Criminology Although global interest in the Islamic financial industry are escalating, the industry itself are not immune from the challenges of corporate world. Being far less leveraged than conventional finance industry, ARI’s niche interest on the Islamic finance industry are right on track in facilitating the country’s aspiration to become the international Shariah compliant financial hub. ARI facilitates the development of the Islamic Finance industry through its fundamental and applied research projects by providing solutions and continuously developing new products for the industry. Equally important, ARI has also produced post graduate students specializing in Islamic Finance and Muamalat. Re¬flecting the huge expectation that it carries, ARI always strives to become an outstanding entity which pioneers research in Islamic Finance and Financial Criminology.

As a HICoE, ARI is funded directly by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education. ARI focuses on a specific niche research area – Islamic Financial Criminology (IFC). In essence, IFC encompasses two very important conceptual domains: Islamic Finance & Muamalat and Financial Criminology. IFC is further divided into four main clusters namely (i) Islamic Finance Governance/Audit; (ii) Corporate Integrity System/Ethics; (iii) Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) and (iv) Methodologies in Financial Fraud Detection and Investigation.

ISLAMIC FINANCIAL CRIMINOLOGY RESEARCH BODY OF THE YEAR, ACCOUNTING RESEARCH INSTITUTE – UITM

Research in Islamic Financial Criminology therefore focuses on developing possible fraud prevention mechanisms, to protect the Islamic finance industry. ARI offers two main postgraduate programmes: Islamic Finance & Muamalat and Financial Criminology. Currently, ARI members consist of professors from renowned universities locally and abroad. It is also supported by fifteen full-time research fellows from the university and more than fifty research associates from various academic institutions and from amongst industry players. As a HICoE, ARI has developed three research laboratories: Polygraph, Forensic Accounting and Islamic Finance. In addition, ARI provides opportunity for postgraduate students and scholars to embark research on its niche research area. Product Development in ARI Professor Dr Normah Haji Omar who heads the research institute as its director said “the sustainability of the Islamic Finance sector is very important and ARI aims to contribute to this”. ARI’s forte and expertise in research in Islamic finance has been acknowledge by the Global Islamic Finance Award in two consecutive years. GIFA is the most prestigious award in the Islamic Finance industry. GIFA awards are accorded to either individuals or organizations for their contribution to the best practices in Islamic Finance. Earlier in 2014, ARI was already awarded the Best Islamic Finance Education Provider, in a ceremony held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In 2015, ARI was again awarded by GIFA for its contribution in pioneering research in Islamic Financial Criminology in Bahrain.

It is for this reason that ARI is constantly looks out for new products and services. One such product of ARI is the recently launched micro financing scheme in association with Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia or AIM and the country’s home-grown hypermarket operator Mydin Holdings. Needless to say, the participation of low-income groups who have little experience with formal finance and low levels of financial literacy and capability in the formal financial sector posed several challenges. Those segments require microfinance programs that include streamlined, efficient, simple borrower procedures, alternative approaches to collateral, as well as reliable, and convenient financial services tailored to their needs. ARI develops a business model whereby the small business persons, the retail outlet and the fund providers in the collaboration to meet their mutual goals.

The small business operator gets access to affordable shariah compliant funds, low-priced raw materials and a guaranteed outlet for the finish products. Meanwhile, the fund provider AIM gets to fulfil its social responsibility by making available sharia compliant funds. Mydin Holdings too gets to meet its social responsibility goal by supplying affordable raw materials in return for guaranteed quality offinished products at reasonable prices. Professor Dr Normah says ARI has tested this business model with tailor-entrepreneurs in Tanjung Karang, village not very far from Malaysiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital city Kuala Lumpur. ARI has transplanted this in the east coast state of Terengganu, known to the world as the landing point of the leatherback turtles. As this article goes to the press, ARI is in talks with retailers, fund providers and entrepreneurs in Kelantan and Pulau Pinang to replicate the micro financing business model in these two states. Tunisia and Philippines have adopted this micro financing business model. I N T E R N AT I O N A L AWA R D S

Accounting Research Institute (ARI-HICoE) Level 12, Menara SAAS, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Telephone number : 603 55444829 Fax number : 603 55444992 Email : normah645@salam.uitm.edu.my http://ari.uitm.edu.my; http://accounting-research-institute.blogspot.my/

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KPMG INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL - OVERALL AML ADVISORY OF THE YEAR KPMG INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, TERESA PESCE KPMG INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL - FINANCIAL / REGULATORY RISK ADVISORY OF THE YEAR LAUREOLA ADVISORS INC. INTERNATIONAL - NICHE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (LIFE SETTLEMENTS) LIQUIDITY SERVICES INTERNATIONAL - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, WILLIAM P. ANGRICK, III MAITLAND INTERNATIONAL - FUND ADMINISTRATION FIRM OF THE YEAR MIDAXO INTERNATIONAL - M&A SOFTWARE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR ORANGEFIELD LEGIS FUND SERVICES LIMITED OFFSHORE - FUND AMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR (CHANNEL ISLANDS) PATH SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL - CORE BANKING SYSTEM PROVIDER OF THE YEAR - (ISLAMIC FINANCE) RICHARD TYLER INTERNATIONAL, INC. INTERNATIONAL - SALES TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTING FIRM OF THE YEAR RIMES INTERNATIONAL - DATA PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (BUY-SIDE)

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SCAFFPAD EUROPE LTD INTERNATIONAL – H&S COMPANY OF THE YEAR (OFFSHORE)

EQUIPNET, INC. INTERNATIONAL – ASSET MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

SOLOMON HARRIS INTERNATIONAL - OFFSHORE LAW OF THE YEAR

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FRAGOMEN INTERNATIONAL - DIVERSITY FIRM OF THE YEAR GLOBALCARE CLINICAL TRIALS, LTD INTERNATIONAL – NICHE SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (BIOPHARMACEUTICAL / HEALTHCARE) GLOBALCARE CLINICAL TRIALS, LTD INTERNATIONAL – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (BIOPHARMACEUTICAL / HEALTHCARE), GAIL ADINAMIS GLOBELEQ INTERNATIONAL - ENERGY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (EMERGING MARKETS) GLOBELEQ INTERNATIONAL - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (ENERGY), MIKAEL KARLSSON GOAL GROUP INTERNATIONAL - CLASS ACTIONS RECOVERY FIRM OF THE YEAR

TRAXPAY INTERNATIONAL - B2B PAYMENTS PLATFORM OF THE YEAR, TRAXPAY B2B DYNAMIC PAYMENTS TRAXPAY INTERNATIONAL - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FINTECH), JOHN BRUGGEMAN VALENTE ASSOCIATI GEB PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (TAX) - PIERGIORGIO VALENTE VITEOS INTERNATIONAL - NICHE HF SERVICES PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (SHADOW ACCOUNTING) V-ROOMS INTERNATIONAL - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DAN BRADBARY V-ROOMS INTERNATIONAL - VDR OF THE YEAR

AGRIFOODS

Energy

Cement

Agrifoods

Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n & Lo g i s t i c s

Mining

Qalaa Holdings (CCAP.CA on the Egyptian Stock Exchange) is an African leader in infrastructure and industry. Formerly known as Citadel Capital, Qalaa Holdings controls subsidiaries in core industries including Energy, Cement, Agrifoods, Transportation & Logistics, and Mining. To learn more, please visit qalaaholdings.com. qalaaholdings.com Qalaa Holdings, previously Citadel Capital

African Leader in Infrastructure & Industry

361 CAPITAL US - ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FUND OF THE YEAR - 361 MANAGED FUTURES STRATEGY FUND

CADWALADER, WICKERSHAM & TAFT LLP US (NEW YORK) - LEADING DIVERSITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

361 CAPITAL US – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, TOM FLORENCE

CAMPBELLS CAYMAN ISLANDS - INSOLVENCY AND RESTRUCTURING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

361 CAPITAL US - 40 ACT MUTUAL FUND OF THE YEAR, 361 MANAGED FUTURES STRATEGY FUND

CAMPBELLS OFFSHORE - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ACCENTURE SOFTWARE US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (HUMAN SERVICES)

CAMPBELLS CAYMAN ISLANDS - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AGECROFT PARTNERS US - INVESTOR RELATIONS TEAM OF THE YEAR

CAMPBELLS CAYMAN ISLANDS - BANKING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ALCHEMY SYSTEMS US - CORPORATE TRAINING FIRM OF THE YEAR

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ALLIED WALLET US - WORKPLACE OF THE YEAR

CAMPBELLS CAYMAN ISLANDS - LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AMETHYST CAPTIVE INSURANCE SOLUTIONS, INC. US - INSURANCE MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

CAMPBELLS CAYMAN ISLANDS - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ANTARCTICA ADVISORS, LLC US – NICHE INVESTMENT BANKING ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (FOODS)

CAMPBELLS CAYMAN ISLANDS – INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARK GOODMAN

ANTARCTICA ADVISORS, LLC US – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, IGNACIO J. KLEIMAN

CAPITAL CONFIRMATION US - NICHE TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM OF THE YEAR (AUDIT),

APPROPRIATE DISPUTE SOLUTIONS US (NJ) - ADR LAWYER OF THE YEAR, LAURA KASTER

CAPITAL CONFIRMATION US - TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION OF THE YEAR (TAX / LEGAL)

ARIAS, MEURINNE Y RODRÍGUEZ, S.C. MEXICO - TAX LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CAPITAL CONFIRMATION US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, CHRIS SCHELLHORN

AVASCENT US - NICHE STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

CAPSTONE PARTNERS LLC US - MIDDLE MARKET INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR

AVASCENT US - STRATEGIC DUE DILIGENCE ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (PE)

CAPSTONE PARTNERS LLC US - LEADING M&A DEALMAKER OF THE YEAR, JOHN FERRARA CASTELLANOS & CO COLOMBIA - IP PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

B&R LATIN AMERICA COLOMBIA - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BAY TRUST INTERNATIONAL LTD BELIZE - INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR BENNETT JONES CANADA - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BENNETT JONES CANADA - ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BENNETT JONES CANADA - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BENNETT JONES CANADA - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARTIN P.J. KRATZ BINGHAM GREENEBAUM DOLL LLP USA (KENTUCKY) - CORPORATE TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BINGHAM GREENEBAUM DOLL LLP USA (KENTUCKY) - MID-MARKET - BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BINGHAM GREENEBAUM DOLL LLP USA (KENTUCKY) - TAX & EMPLOYEE BENEFITS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BINGHAM GREENEBAUM DOLL LLP USA - DIVERSITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR, WOMEN’S FORUM BINGHAM GREENEBAUM DOLL LLP USA (INDIANAPOLIS) - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (GOVERNMENT LAW), TOBIN MCCLAMROCH BROWN & LIPINSKY LLP US - WHISTLEBLOWER ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR, DAREN H. LIPINSKY, ESQ. BRUNET & CO. CANADA – PATENT PROSECUTION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR BRUNET & CO. CANADA – ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC DEVICES ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR BRUNET & CO. CANADA – LEADING IP ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, ROBERT BRUNET BUFETE AGUIRRE SOC CIV BOLIVIA - CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BUFETE AGUIRRE SOC CIV BOLIVIA - MINING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BUFETE AGUIRRE SOC CIV BOLIVIA - LEADING CLIENT CARE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BUFETE AGUIRRE SOC CIV BOLIVIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (COMMERCIAL) - FERNANDO AGUIRRE B. BURLESON LLP US - OVERALL ENERGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BURLESON LLP US - LEADING INDEPENDENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR C&L ATTORNEYS S.C. MEXICO - LEADING IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR C&L ATTORNEYS S.C. MEXICO - IP LITIGATION FIRM OF THE YEAR C. N.WHITE LAW CHAMBERS CANADA (TORONTO) – INDEPENDENT SMALL FAMILY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR CADWALADER, WICKERSHAM & TAFT LLP US (NEW YORK) - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, GREGORY A. MARKEL CADWALADER, WICKERSHAM & TAFT LLP US (NEW YORK) - ANTITRUST LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CATTERTON US - PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM OF THE YEAR (CONSUMER) CATTERTON US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (PE), J. MICHAEL CHU CENDYN® US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (ONLINE HOSPITALITY MARKETING SOLUTIONS), CHARLES DEYO CENTAUR ASSET MANAGEMENT BERMUDA - LEGAL FINANCING HEDGE FUND OF THE YEAR CENTAUR ASSET MANAGEMENT BERMUDA - INVESTMENT / FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR CENTRAL LAW - DIAZ DURAN & ASOCIADOS GUATEMALA - INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR CLARK+ELBING LLP US – NICHE IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (BIOTECHNOLOGY / MEDICINE / CHEMISTRY) CLARK+ELBING LLP US – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (IP), PAUL CLARK CLARK+ELBING LLP US – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (IP), KAREN ELBING CLEARPATH CAPITAL PARTNERS US – BOUTIQUE WEALTH MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR CLEARPATH CAPITAL PARTNERS US – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (WEALTH MANAGEMENT), PAUL J. BOYD COGDELL LAW GROUP US (TEXAS, HOUSTON) - BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (CRIMINAL LAW) COGDELL LAW GROUP US (TEXAS, HOUSTON) - BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (APPELLATE LAW) COGDELL LAW GROUP US (TEXAS, HOUSTON) - LAWYER OF THE YEAR (CRIMINAL LAW), DAN COGDELL COHEN & GRESSER LLP US (NY) - MIDSIZE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR COHEN & GRESSER LLP US (NY) - WHITE COLLAR CRIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR COHEN & GRESSER LLP US (NY) - GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR COHEN & GRESSER LLP US (NY) - DIVERSITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR COHEN & GRESSER LLP US (NY) - WHITE COLLAR CRIME LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARK S. COHEN COHEN & GRESSER LLP US (NY) - MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR, LAWRENCE T GRESSER COMPASS STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS, LLC US - COMMODITY TRADING ADVISOR OF THE YEAR COMPASS STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS, LLC US - ABSOLUTE RETURN PROGRAM OF THE YEAR, CUSTOM ALPHA BOND INVESTMENT PROGRAM CONDUIT CONSULTING LLC US - INDEPENDENT STRATEGIC ADVISER OF THE YEAR CONDUIT CONSULTING LLC US - VENDOR DUE DILIGENCE ADVISOR OF THE YEAR CONDUIT CONSULTING LLC US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, JILLIAN ALEXANDER (MANAGEMENT CONSULTING)

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SANJINES & ASOCIADOS ABOGADOS MACAU - M&A LAWYER OF THE YEAR, RAUL SANJINES ELIZAGOYEN

PORTILLA, RUY-DÍAZ & AGUILAR S.C. ABOGADOS MEXICO - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SANTIVAÑEZ ABOGADOS PERU - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS S. C. MEXICO - TRANSFER PRICING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

SANTIVAÑEZ ABOGADOS PERU - ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRIETO CABRERA & ASOCIADOS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – ASSET FORFEITURE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SANTIVAÑEZ ABOGADOS PERU - ENVIRONMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRIETO CABRERA & ASOCIADOS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – ASSET RECOVERY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SANTIVAÑEZ ABOGADOS PERU - LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRIETO CABRERA & ASOCIADOS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SANTIVAÑEZ ABOGADOS PERU - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRIVATE WEALTH SYSTEMS US - INVESTMENT REPORTING PLATFORM OF THE YEAR

SANTOS NETO ADVOGADOS BRAZIL - AGRIBUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

QUIÑONES CRUZ ABOGADOS COLOMBIA - TAX LAWYER OF THE YEAR, LUCY CRUZ DE QUIÑONES

SANTOS NETO ADVOGADOS BRAZIL – TRADE FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

QUIÑONES CRUZ ABOGADOS COLOMBIA - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SANTOS NETO ADVOGADOS BRAZIL - TRADE FINANCE LAWYER OF THE YEAR, DOMICIO DOS SANTOS NETO

QUIÑONES, IBARGÜEN, LUJAN & MATA GUATEMALA - M&A LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARCOS IBARGUEN

SANTOS NETO ADVOGADOS BRAZIL - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

REDWOOD CAPITAL GROUP US (NY) - BOUTIQUE INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR (GROWTH INDUSTRIES) REDWOOD CAPITAL GROUP US (NY) - INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR (CO-INVESTMENTS) REDWOOD CAPITAL GROUP US (NY) - LEADING M&A DEALMAKER OF THE YEAR, GREGORY BEDROSIAN RFE INVESTMENT PARTNERS US - LEADING DEALMAKER OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE EQUITY), JIM PARSONS RFE INVESTMENT PARTNERS US - EQUITY INVESTOR OF THE YEAR (SMALL MARKET COMPANIES) RICHARD TYLER INTERNATIONAL, INC. US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, RICHARD TYLER ROBERT MCMECHAN PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, HAZLOLAW CANADA (OTTAWA) - TAX LITIGATOR OF THE YEAR, ROBERT MCMECHAN ROBUST METHODS LLC US - ABSOLUTE RETURNS FIRM OF THE YEAR RODRIGUEZ-AZUERO ASOCIADOS COLOMBIA - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SCHEEF & STONE, L.L.P. US (TEXAS) - MOST RESPECTED BRAND OF THE YEAR (LEGAL) SCHEEF & STONE, L.L.P. US (TEXAS) - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SCHEEF & STONE, L.L.P. US (TEXAS) - COMMERCIAL LITIGATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, RICHARD WALLACE SCHWEITZER & ASSOCIATES, INC. US – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, JUDI SCHWEITZER SCHWEITZER & ASSOCIATES, INC. US – NICHE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF THE YEAR (SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT) SECOND ALPHA PARTNERS US - SECONDARY INVESTMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR SEVERSON & WERSON US (CA) - INSURANCE DEFENSE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SEVERSON & WERSON US (SAN FRANCISCO) - FINANCIAL SERVICES LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SEVERSON & WERSON US (SAN FRANCISCO) - INSURANCE LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MICHAEL B. MURPHY

RODRIGUEZ-AZUERO ASOCIADOS COLOMBIA - CAPITAL MARKETS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SEWARD & KISSEL LLP US - SHIPPING & MARITIME LAWYER OF THE YEAR - LARRY RUTKOWSKI

RODRIGUEZ-AZUERO ASOCIADOS COLOMBIA - INSURANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SEWARD & KISSEL LLP US - SHIPPING & MARITIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SEWARD & KISSEL LLP US (NY) - PROJECT FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

THE SPAULDING GROUP US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT), DAVID SPAULDING

SHEARMAN & STERLING, LLP US - LEADING CLIENT CARE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

THOMAE MALONEY, S.C. MEXICO – BOUTIQUE IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR THOMAE MALONEY, S.C. MEXICO – LEADING IP ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, CHRISTIAN THOMAE

SHEARMAN & STERLING, LLP US (NY) - LEADING M&A LAWYER OF THE YEAR, GEORGE A. CASEY SHEARMAN & STERLING, LLP US (SAN FRANCISCO) - LEADING M&A LAWYER OF THE YEAR, STEVE L. CAMAHORT

THOMPSON HINE US - CREDITORS' RIGHTS & BANKRUPTCY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SHEARMAN & STERLING, LLP UK - RISING LAWYER OF THE YEAR (ISLAMIC FINANCE), BARRY COSGRAVE

THOMPSON HINE US - PUBLIC FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SHERMAN & HOWARD L.L.C. US - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR (COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION) - DAVID B. WILSON

THOMPSON HINE US (NY) - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SHERMAN & HOWARD L.L.C. US - SUPER-REGIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

THOMPSON HINE US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, KATHERINE D. BRANDT

SIMOES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY BRAZIL - BOUTIQUE IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

THORNTON SMITH BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SIMOES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY BRAZIL - PATENTS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SIMOES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY BRAZIL - MOST TRUSTED IP FIRM OF THE YEAR SIMOES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY BRAZIL - LEADING IP LAWYER OF THE YEAR, IGOR SIMÕES SIMON LESSER PC US (NEW YORK) - COPYRIGHT LAWYER OF THE YEAR, LEONARD F. LESSER, ESQ. SOLOMON HARRIS CAYMAN ISLANDS - LAW OF THE YEAR SOLOMON HARRIS CAYMAN ISLANDS - FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING), LAURA HATFIELD SOLOMON HARRIS CAYMAN ISLANDS - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (LEGAL), SOPHIA HARRIS STEINMAN & RODGERS LLP US (WASHINGTON D.C.) - BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR STEINMAN & RODGERS LLP US (WASHINGTON D.C.) - REGULATORY LAWYER OF THE YEAR, BROOKE D. RODGERS STONE AND ASSOCIATES LTD US (ILLINOIS) - CRIMINAL DEFENCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR STRATEGIC PARTNERS FUND SOLUTIONS US - SECONDARY FUND OF THE YEAR, GLOBAL PRIVATE EQUITY SECONDARIES FUND

THORNTON SMITH BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS – M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR THORNTON SMITH BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS - LAWYER OF THE YEAR, JAMAL S. SMITH TRINITY LAW GROUP LLC US (BOSTON) - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR TRINITY LAW GROUP LLC US (BOSTON) - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (M&A), WALTER WRIGHT TRINITY LAW GROUP LLC US (BOSTON) - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (M&A), DANIEL T. CLARK UMB FUND SERVICES US - FUND ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR (ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS) VANRELL IP URUGUAY - IP ADVISORY OF THE YEAR VARADERO CAPITAL, L.P. US - EMERGING MANAGER OF THE YEAR VARADERO CAPITAL, L.P. US - VALUE CREDIT FUND OF THE YEAR (VARADERO MASTER FUND) VARADERO CAPITAL, L.P. US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INVESTMENT ADVISORY), FERNANDO GUERRERO

STRATEGIC PARTNERS FUND SOLUTIONS US - SECONDARY FUND PLATFORM OF THE YEAR

VAZQUEZ ALDANA, HERNANDEZ GOMEZ & ASOCIADOS MEXICO - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP US - LEADING DIVERSITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VAZQUEZ ALDANA, HERNANDEZ GOMEZ & ASOCIADOS MEXICO - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP US - SECURITIES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VAZQUEZ ALDANA, HERNANDEZ GOMEZ & ASOCIADOS MEXICO - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP US (NY) - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP US - BANKING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, RODGIN COHEN

VAZQUEZ ALDANA, HERNANDEZ GOMEZ & ASOCIADOS MEXICO - MID-MARKET CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP US - HEALTHCARE AND LIFE SCIENCES LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MATTHEW G. HURD SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP US - UP & COMING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, GWEN WONG SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP US - UP & COMING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, BRIAN GLUECKSTEIN SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP US - UP & COMING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MATTHEW SCHWARTZ SWIFT, CURRIE, MCGHEE & HIERS, LLP US – NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (PREMISES LIABILITY) SWIFT, CURRIE, MCGHEE & HIERS, LLP US - PREMISES LIABILITY ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR - TERRY O. BRANTLEY

VAZQUEZ ALDANA, HERNANDEZ GOMEZ & ASOCIADOS MEXICO - COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR VAZQUEZ, SIERRA & GARCIA, S.C MEXICO - MINING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR VAZQUEZ, SIERRA & GARCIA, S.C MEXICO - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR VERTICAL ADVISORS LLP US (CA) – NEXT GENERATION ACCOUNTING FIRM OF THE YEAR VERTICAL ADVISORS LLP US (CA) – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INVESTMENT & WEALTH MANAGEMENT), PETER DEGREGORI VITEOS US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (HEDGE FUND TECHNOLOGY), SHANKAR IYER

SWIFT, CURRIE, MCGHEE & HIERS, LLP US (ATLANTA) – MID-SIZE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR AND PEASE LLP USA (COLUMBUS) - INDEPENDENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SWIFT, CURRIE, MCGHEE & HIERS, LLP US (ATLANTA) – LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR AND PEASE LLP USA (COLUMBUS) - LABOR LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SYNCHRONY CAPITAL US - INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR (SMALL)

VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR AND PEASE LLP USA (COLUMBUS) - EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SYNCHRONY CAPITAL US (VA) - BOUTIQUE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR (SMALL)

VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR AND PEASE LLP USA (COLUMBUS) - CONTRACTS LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SYNCHRONY CAPITAL US - ABSOLUTE RETURN DERIVATIVE BASED SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR AND PEASE LLP USA (COLUMBUS) - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (GOVERNANCE), RUSSELL M. GERTMENIAN

SYNCHRONY CAPITAL US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT), ERIC D. LYONS SYNCHRONY CAPITAL US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT), PAUL D. LYONS THE ENTREPRENEUR LAW CENTER, P.L. US - ENTREPRENEURIAL SERVICES ADVISORY OF THE YEAR THE ENTREPRENEUR LAW CENTER, P.L. US (FLORIDA) - INDEPENDENT BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR THE ENTREPRENEUR LAW CENTER, P.L. US (FLORIDA) - VENTURE CAPITAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR THE LOVELL FIRM, P.C. US – ENTERTAINMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR THE LOVELL FIRM, P.C. US – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (ENTERTAINMENT LAW), TRE LOVELL, ESQ THE SPAULDING GROUP US - GIPS CONSULTING FIRM OF THE YEAR

WEED & CO. US (CA) - SECURITIES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR WEED & CO. US (CA) - SECURITIES LAWYER OF THE YEAR, RICK WEED WINTHROP COUCHOT PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION US (CA) - BANKRUPTCY ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR, RICHARD H GOLUBOW WOODFIELD FUND ADMINISTRATION, LLC US (IL) - PRIVATE INVESTMENT FUNDS ADVISORY OF THE YEAR YULISH & ASSOCIATES US (CA) - FUND ADMINISTRATION FIRM OF THE YEAR (ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT) YULISH & ASSOCIATES US (CA) - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT), KATHRYN YULISH ZRRG ABOGADOS S.C. MEXICO - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ALEJANDRO I. RODRÍGUEZ GALLEGOS

ABE & PARTNERS JAPAN - INTERNATIONAL IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BELL GULLY NEW ZEALAND - COMPETITION/ANTITRUST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ABE & PARTNERS JAPAN - DOMESTIC IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BELL GULLY NEW ZEALAND - ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW MALAYSIA – OVERALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BELL GULLY NEW ZEALAND - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW MALAYSIA – BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BELL GULLY NEW ZEALAND - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, CHRIS GORDON

ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW MALAYSIA – ISLAMIC FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BROADLINE CAPITAL ASIA – PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM OF THE YEAR (TECHNOLOGY)

ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW MALAYSIA – PROJECT FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CHIA WONG LLP SINGAPORE - BOUTIQUE FAMILY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW MALAYSIA – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, MR. DEEPAK SADASIVAN

CHINA PATENT AGENT (H.K.) LTD. HONG KONG - INTERNATIONAL PATENTS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ADVISORS INCORPORATED PTE LTD SINGAPORE - BOUTIQUE TAX CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

BROADLINE CAPITAL ASIA – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE EQUITY), CHRISTOPHER THORNE

ADVISORS INCORPORATED PTE LTD SINGAPORE - TAX DUE DILLIGENCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

CLARENDON LAWYERS AUSTRALIA (MELBOURNE) - BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AGNUS LAW INDIA (BANGALORE) - LITIGATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MR CHANDAN

CLAYMORE ADVISORY PTY LIMITED AUSTRALIA – SPECIALIST FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

AGNUS LAW INDIA (BANGALORE) - LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CLAYMORE ADVISORY PTY LIMITED AUSTRALIA – PROJECT FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

AGNUS LAW INDIA (BANGALORE) - FULL SERVICE IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CLAYTON UTZ AUSTRALIA - OIL & GAS LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ANDREW SMITH

AGNUS LAW INDIA (BANGALORE) - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CLEGG & MOPITT LLP PHILIPPINES - OFFSHORE OUTSOURCING CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

AGNUS LAW INDIA (BANGALORE) - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

COMMERCIAL & LEGAL SOUTH AUSTRALIA - FULL SERVICE PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AGNUS LAW INDIA (BANGALORE) - CORPORATE FIRM OF THE YEAR

CORRS CHAMBERS WESTGARTH AUSTRALIA - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AGNUS LAW INDIA (BANGALORE) - BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CORRS CHAMBERS WESTGARTH AUSTRALIA - PRODUCT LIABILITY LAWYER OF THE YEAR (LITIGATION), ANNETTE HUGHES

ANDERSON MORI & TOMOTSUNE JAPAN - CORPORATE & M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CRUZ MARCELO AND TENEFRANCIA (CMTLAW) THE PHILIPPINES – MOST RESPECTED LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ANDERSON MORI & TOMOTSUNE JAPAN - ANTITRUST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CRUZ MARCELO AND TENEFRANCIA (CMTLAW) THE PHILIPPINES – LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ANDERSON MORI & TOMOTSUNE JAPAN - BANKING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CRUZ MARCELO AND TENEFRANCIA (CMTLAW) THE PHILIPPINES – IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ACCOUNTING RESEARCH INSTITUTE – UITM MALAYSIA – ISLAMIC FINANCIAL CRIMINOLOGY RESEARCH BODY OF THE YEAR

CRUZ MARCELO AND TENEFRANCIA (CMTLAW) THE PHILIPPINES – MINING AND NATURAL RESOURCES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ANOVIP ASIA - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

CRUZ MARCELO AND TENEFRANCIA (CMTLAW) THE PHILIPPINES – CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ANOVIP INDIA - PATENT LICENSING & TRANSACTION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

CRUZ MARCELO AND TENEFRANCIA (CMTLAW) THE PHILIPPINES – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION), SIMEON V. MARCELO

ANOVIP INDIA - INTELLECTUAL ASSETS ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR ANOVIP INDIA - DOMAIN AGENT ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR AQUARIUS LAWYERS AUSTRALIA - SHIPPING & MARITIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR AQUARIUS LAWYERS AUSTRALIA - LEADING CLIENT CARE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR AQUARIUS LAWYERS AUSTRALIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (SHIPPING & MARITIME) - KATHERINE HAWES ARIELLE LAW CORPORATION SINGAPORE - CONTRACT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (BOUTIQUE) ARIELLE LAW CORPORATION SINGAPORE - PERSONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ARIELLE LAW CORPORATION SINGAPORE - IP REGISTRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ARIELLE LAW CORPORATION SINGAPORE - IP ADVISER OF THE YEAR, KOH C-U PINN ARSS LEGAL, ADVOCATES & ATTORNEYS INDIA - LARGE TIER - IP DUE DILIGENCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ARSS LEGAL, ADVOCATES & ATTORNEYS INDIA - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ASIA FRONTIER CAPITAL LIMITED ASIA - BOUTIQUE FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR / NICHE FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR AUSCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA - LONG SHORT EQUITIES FUND OF THE YEAR AUSCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA - VALUE-BASED ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR AUSCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (ASSET MANAGEMENT), TIM CARLETON AUSCAP ASSET MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (ASSET MANAGEMENT), MATTHEW PARKER AVENIR CAPITAL AUSTRALIA - ABSOLUTE RETURN FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR BANCO CHAMBERS AUSTRALIA - LEADING FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (COMPETITION LAW), RUTH C A HIGGINS BELL GULLY NEW ZEALAND - OVERALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CULLENS PATENT AND TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS AUSTRALIA - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR DEEP & FAR ATTORNEYS AT LAW TAIWAN - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY) DELOITTE THAILAND - TRANSFER PRICING FIRM OF THE YEAR DELOITTE THAILAND - TRANSACTION TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR DELOITTE THAILAND - INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR DELOITTE THAILAND - TAX RISK ADVISORY OF THE YEAR DELOITTE THAILAND - INDIRECT TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR DELOITTE THAILAND - HUMAN CAPITAL ADVISORY OF THE YEAR DISINI & DISINI LAW OFFICE THE PHILIPPINES – FULL SERVICE TECHNOLOGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR DISINI & DISINI LAW OFFICE THE PHILIPPINES - CYBERCRIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR DISINI & DISINI LAW OFFICE THE PHILIPPINES - LEADING CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR DISINI & DISINI LAW OFFICE THE PHILIPPINES - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, JJ DISINI DISINI & DISINI LAW OFFICE THE PHILIPPINES - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, ROWENA S. DISINI DOROTHY CHAI LAW PRACTICE SINGAPORE - FAMILY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR DOROTHY CHAI LAW PRACTICE SINGAPORE - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR DOROTHY CHAI LAW PRACTICE SINGAPORE - EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR DOROTHY CHAI LAW PRACTICE SINGAPORE - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DOROTHY CHAI EFA GROUP SINGAPORE - BOUTIQUE FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR

BELL GULLY NEW ZEALAND - BANKING AND FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EFA GROUP SINGAPORE - INDEPENDENT WEALTH MANAGER OF THE YEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PHILIPPINES - COMPANY OF THE YEAR (ENERGY)

BELL GULLY NEW ZEALAND - CORPORATE/COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PHILIPPINES - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, RICHARD TANTOCO

ENOLIL LOO ADVOCATES & SOLICITORS KUALA LUMPUR - CAPITAL MARKETS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KHAITAN & CO LLP INDIA - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ENOLIL LOO ADVOCATES & SOLICITORS KUALA LUMPUR - MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KHURANA & KHURANA, ADVOCATES AND IP ATTORNEYS INDIA - IP PATENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EP LEGAL LTD VIETNAM - COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KHURANA & KHURANA, ADVOCATES AND IP ATTORNEYS INDIA - IP VALUATION FIRM OF THE YEAR

EP LEGAL LTD VIETNAM - SHIPPING & MARITIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KHURANA & KHURANA, ADVOCATES AND IP ATTORNEYS INDIA - ANTI-COUNTERFEITING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EP LEGAL LTD VIETNAM - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KPMG HONG KONG - AML FIRM OF THE YEAR

EP LEGAL LTD VIETNAM - ENERGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KPMG ASPAC - FULL SERVICE FORENSIC ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

EQUIS FUNDS GROUP ASIA - ENERGY / INFRASTRUCTURE PE MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

KPMG ASPAC - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (RISK) - GRANT JAMIESON

EXPORT IMPORT BANK OF BANGLADESH LIMITED BANGLADESH - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DR. MOHAMMED HAIDER ALI MIAH

KPMG ASIA - AML ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

EXPORT IMPORT BANK OF BANGLADESH LIMITED BANGLADESH - BANK OF THE YEAR

KRIYA CAPITAL HONG KONG – FUND OF THE YEAR (LONG/SHORT FUND (3 YEARS), KRIYA CHINA FUND

EY INDIA - TRANSACTION TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

KRIYA CAPITAL / PERFORMING HONG KONG – FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR

FRAGOMEN ASIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (IMMIGRATION), ROBERT WALSH

LEE AND LI LEAVEN IPR AGENCY LTD CHINA - SME - PATENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FRAGOMEN (AUSTRALIA) PTY LIMITED AUSTRALIA - IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LEE INTERNATIONAL IP & LAW GROUP SOUTH KOREA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (LITIGATION AND ARBITRATION), LANCE LEE

GEN2 PARTNERS ASIA (HONG KONG) - MULTI-STRATEGY FUND OF THE YEAR (KS ASIA ABSOLUTE RETURN FUND)

LLS I LALL LAHIRI & SALHOTRA INDIA - IP ENFORCEMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (SME)

GEN2 PARTNERS ASIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (KS ASIA ABSOLUTE RETURN FUND), KYLE SHIN

LOWNDES NEW ZEALAND - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARK LOWNDES

GIA CAT CONSULTING AND AUDITING COMPANY VIETNAM - TAX ACCOUNTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR

LOWNDES NEW ZEALAND - MID SIZE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GIA CAT CONSULTING AND AUDITING COMPANY VIETNAM - LEADING INDEPENDENT ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

LOWNDES NEW ZEALAND - INSOLVENCY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GLORIA JAMES-CIVETTA & CO SINGAPORE - LAWYER OF THE YEAR, GLORIA JAMES-CIVETTA

LOWNDES NEW ZEALAND - CAPITAL MARKETS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HARRY RIGNEY AUSTRALIA - SUPERANNUATION/TRUSTS LAWYER OF THE YEAR

LOWNDES NEW ZEALAND - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HARRY RIGNEY AUSTRALIA - SUPERANNUATION/TRUSTS LAWYER OF THE YEAR

LUBIS GANIE SUROWIDJOJO INDONESIA - OVERALL LAWYER OF THE YEAR, DR. MOHAMED IDWAN GANIE

HOLDING REDLICH AUSTRALIA - SHIPPING & MARITIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LUBIS GANIE SUROWIDJOJO INDONESIA - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MR. TIMBUL THOMAS LUBIS

HOLDING REDLICH AUSTRALIA - TRANSPORT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LUBIS GANIE SUROWIDJOJO INDONESIA - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MR ARIEF TARUNAKARYA SUROWIDJOJO

IMMIGRATION SOLUTIONS LAWYERS AUSTRALIA - IMMIGRATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR AWARD, ANNE O'DONOGHUE

LUBIS GANIE SUROWIDJOJO INDONESIA - ARBITRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

INPACT INNOVATION PTY LTD AUSTRALIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (PACKAGING SOLUTIONS )

LUBIS GANIE SUROWIDJOJO INDONESIA - CAPITAL MARKETS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ISKANDARSYAH & PARTNERS INDONESIA - CORPORATE LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LUBIS GANIE SUROWIDJOJO INDONESIA - CLIENT CHOICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ISKANDARSYAH & PARTNERS INDONESIA - CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LUBIS GANIE SUROWIDJOJO INDONESIA - COMMERCIAL LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ISKANDARSYAH & PARTNERS INDONESIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, RENO ISKANDARSYAH

LUBIS GANIE SUROWIDJOJO INDONESIA - INSOLVENCY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

JOHN HU MIGRATION CONSULTING HONG KONG - IMMIGRATION FIRM OF THE YEAR

LUBIS GANIE SUROWIDJOJO INDONESIA - PROJECT FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

JOHNSON WINTER & SLATTERY AUSTRALIA - INSOLVENCY AND RESTRUCTURING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP CHINA - OVERSEAS BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

JOHNSON WINTER & SLATTERY AUSTRALIA - M&A TEAM OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP CHINA - INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

JOHNSON WINTER & SLATTERY AUSTRALIA - LEADING DEALMAKER OF THE YEAR, DAMIAN REICHEL

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP CHINA - OVERSEAS M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

JOHNSON WINTER & SLATTERY AUSTRALIA - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAKES & PARTNERS LAW OFFICE INDONESIA - NATIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

JOHNSON WINTER & SLATTERY AUSTRALIA - LEADING TAX CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR, RICHARD GELSKI

MAKES & PARTNERS LAW OFFICE INDONESIA - CAPITAL MARKETS LAWYER OF THE YEAR, YOZUA MAKES

KADIR ANDRI & PARTNERS MALAYSIA - CAPITAL MARKETS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MBMG LAW OFFICE THAILAND - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KADIR ANDRI & PARTNERS MALAYSIA - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MBMG LAW OFFICE THAILAND - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, OVER 40 FEE EARNERS

KADIR ANDRI & PARTNERS MALAYSIA - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MBMG LAW OFFICE THAILAND - MID-TIER FIRM OF THE YEAR

KADIR ANDRI & PARTNERS MALAYSIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, ABDUL KADIR KASSIM

MBMG LAW OFFICE THAILAND - REAL ESTATE FIRM OF THE YEAR

KAP RTS INDONESIA - AUDIT ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

MBMG LAW OFFICE THAILAND - PRIVATE CLIENT TAX FIRM OF THE YEAR

KARANJAWALA & COMPANY INDIA - AVIATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MCKINLEY PLOWMAN & ASSOCIATES AUSTRALIA - CROSS BORDER ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

KARANJAWALA & COMPANY INDIA - BOUTIQUE LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MERRICKS CAPITAL PTY LIMITED AUSTRALIA - SOFT COMMODITIES HEDGE FUND OF THE YEAR

KARANJAWALA & COMPANY INDIA - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MERRICKS CAPITAL PTY LIMITED AUSTRALIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FUNDS MANAGEMENT), ADRIAN REDLICH

KARANJAWALA & COMPANY INDIA - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MR R N KARANJAWALA

MESSRS. JULIUS & CREASY SRI LANKA - OVERALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KHAITAN & CO INDIA (MUMBAI) - LEADING ARBITRATION & ADR LAWYER OF THE YEAR, CHAKRAPANI MISRA

MESSRS. JULIUS & CREASY SRI LANKA - EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KHAITAN & CO LLP INDIA - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MINTER ELLISON RUDD WATTS NEW ZEALAND - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KHAITAN & CO LLP INDIA - CORPORATE & SECURITIES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MINTER ELLISON RUDD WATTS NEW ZEALAND - TRADEMARKS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KHAITAN & CO LLP INDIA - TECHNOLOGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MINTER ELLISON RUDD WATTS NEW ZEALAND - IP LAWYER OF THE YEAR, CHRIS YOUNG

MUC INDONESIA - TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

SLP ENVIRONMENTAL CO., LTD LAOS - ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

MUC INDONESIA - TRANSFER PRICING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS AUSTRALIA – FUNDS MANAGEMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MUNDKUR LAW PARTNERS INDIA - BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS AUSTRALIA – CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (REGULATED / UNREGULATED)

MUNDKUR LAW PARTNERS INDIA - COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS AUSTRALIA – FUNDS MANAGEMENT LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MICHELLE SEGAERT

MUNDKUR LAW PARTNERS INDIA - CORPORATE & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

STAMFORD LAW CORPORATION SINGAPORE - CONSTRUCTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

NAVARATNAM CHAMBERS MALAYSIA - LITIGATION CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR

STAMFORD LAW CORPORATION SINGAPORE - CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

NAVARATNAM CHAMBERS MALAYSIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (LITIGATION), NAHENDRAN NAVARATNAM

STAMFORD LAW CORPORATION SINGAPORE - ARBITRATION AND LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

OPAL LAWYERS LLC SINGAPORE - IPO LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

STAMFORD LAW CORPORATION SINGAPORE - BANKING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

OPAL LAWYERS LLC SINGAPORE - CORPORATE ACTIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

STAMFORD LAW CORPORATION SINGAPORE - CAPITAL MARKETS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PACIFIC PATENT MULTIGLOBAL INDONESIA - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

STANDARD CHARTERED INDIA - BANK OF THE YEAR (WEALTH MANAGEMENT) OF THE YEAR

PACIFIC PATENT MULTIGLOBAL INDONESIA - FULL SERVICE IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

STRATEGIC CAPITAL SERVICES LIMITED AUSTRALIA - PLACEMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR

PACIFIC PATENT MULTIGLOBAL INDONESIA - TRADEMARK LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

STUART BLAKE BARRISTER NEW ZEALAND – NICHE BARRISTER OF THE YEAR (TRAFFIC LAW) - STUART BLAKE

PACIFIC PATENT MULTIGLOBAL INDONESIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, LANNY SETIAWAN

SUDATH PERERA ASSOCIATES SRI LANKA - MOST RESPECTED LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PACIFIC RISK ADVISORS HONG KONG - CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR

SUDATH PERERA ASSOCIATES SRI LANKA - BANKING & ASSET FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PACIFIC RISK ADVISORS ASIA - SRM CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

SUDATH PERERA ASSOCIATES SRI LANKA - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PACT GROUP AUSTRALIA - COMPANY OF THE YEAR (MANUFACTURING)

SUDATH PERERA ASSOCIATES SRI LANKA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, SUDATH PERERA

PHOENIX CAPITAL VIETNAM - EMERGING MARKETS FUND OF THE YEAR

SUPATOOLS NEW ZEALAND – NICHE SOFTWARE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (SERVICE MANAGEMENT)

PIPARA & COMPANY INDIA - AUDIT ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

SUPERCFO INDIA - NICHE SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

PKWA LAW PRACTICE LLC SINGAPORE - CIVIL & FAMILY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SUPERCFO INDIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, BHAIRAV KOTHARI

PKWA LAW PRACTICE LLC SINGAPORE - LAWYER OF THE YEAR (CIVIL & FAMILY LAW) - LIM CHONG BOON

SYNERGY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED INDIA – FULL SERVICE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRADHAN, GHIMIRE & ASSOCIATES NEPAL - OVERALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SYNERGY PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED MENA – FULL SERVICE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRADHAN, GHIMIRE & ASSOCIATES NEPAL - COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TANNER DE WITT SOLICITORS HONG KONG - OVERALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRADHAN, GHIMIRE & ASSOCIATES NEPAL - AVIATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TANNER DE WITT SOLICITORS HONG KONG - RESTRUCTURING AND INSOLVENCY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRADHAN, GHIMIRE & ASSOCIATES NEPAL - TRADEMARKS & PATENTS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TANNER DE WITT SOLICITORS HONG KONG - EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRADHAN, GHIMIRE & ASSOCIATES NEPAL - MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TANNER DE WITT SOLICITORS HONG KONG - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PRADHAN, GHIMIRE & ASSOCIATES NEPAL - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TANNER DE WITT SOLICITORS HONG KONG - ASSET RECOVERY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

REDART CAPITAL INDIA - INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR (VALUE ORIENTED)

TANNER DE WITT SOLICITORS HONG KONG - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INSOLVENCY AND RESTRUCTURING), IAN DE WITT

REDART CAPITAL INDIA - HEDGE FUND OF THE YEAR (REDART FOCUS FUND)

TARASCON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT (HONG KONG) LIMITED ASIA - FUND OF THE YEAR - TARASCON ASIA ABSOLUTE FUND

REDART CAPITAL INDIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (HF), ANUJ DIDWANIA

TARASCON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT (HONG KONG) LIMITED ASIA - LEADING FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR - JONATHAN IU

SECURITY BANK PHILIPPINES - BANK OF THE YEAR

TAURUS INFOTEK INDIA - IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR, MR.MANOJ PALWE

SECURITY BANK PHILIPPINES - MOST TRUSTED BANK OF THE YEAR

VCI-LEGAL VIETNAM - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SECURITY BANK PHILIPPINES - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR - FREDERICK Y. DY

VCI-LEGAL VIETNAM - CAPITAL MARKETS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SHOOK LIN & BOK MALAYSIA - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VCI-LEGAL VIETNAM - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SKYBOUND CAPITAL ASIA - FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR

VCI-LEGAL VIETNAM - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SKYBOUND CAPITAL ASIA - FUND OF THE YEAR, FIRECREST INTERNATIONAL FUND

VICCA CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS AUSTRALIA - TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

SKYBOUND CAPITAL ASIA – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, CLIFF WARREN

WADIA GHANDY & CO INDIA - LITIGATION (PROPERTY) LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SLATER AND GORDON LAWYERS AUSTRALIA - ESTATE PLANNING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WADIA GHANDY & CO INDIA - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SLATER AND GORDON LAWYERS AUSTRALIA - ESTATE PLANNING LAWYER OF THE YEAR - ROD CUNICH

WADIA GHANDY & CO INDIA - AVIATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SLP ENVIRONMENTAL CO., LTD INDONESIA - ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

WANG JING & CO CHINA - SHIPPING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SLP ENVIRONMENTAL CO., LTD THAILAND - ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

WILSON HARLE NEW ZEALAND - ANTITRUST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SLP ENVIRONMENTAL CO., LTD CAMBODIA - ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

YUASA AND HARA JAPAN - BIOTECHNOLOGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, OSAMU YAMAMOTO

SLP ENVIRONMENTAL CO., LTD SINGAPORE - ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

YUASA AND HARA JAPAN - BIOTECHNOLOGY LAWYER OF THE YEAR - OSAMU YAMAMOTO

SLP ENVIRONMENTAL CO., LTD VIETNAM - ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR SLP ENVIRONMENTAL CO., LTD MALAYSIA - ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR SLP ENVIRONMENTAL CO., LTD MYANMAR (BURMA) - ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

36 BEDFORD ROW UK - LEADING FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (ART LAW) - JESSICA FRANSES

AON BENFIELD EUROPE - REINSURANCE BROKER OF THE YEAR

39 ESSEX CHAMBERS UK – MEDIATION BARRISTER OF THE YEAR (PLANNING LAW), JOHN PUGH-SMITH

AON BENFIELD UK - REINSURANCE BROKER OF THE YEAR

4-5 GRAY'S INN SQUARE UK - LEADING IP BARRISTER OF THE YEAR, ARFAN KHAN

APARTMENT LAW IRELAND - NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (APARTMENT LAW)

4-5 GRAY'S INN SQUARE UK - LEADING CHANCERY BARRISTER OF THE YEAR, ARFAN KHAN

ARMSTRONG INVESTMENT MANAGERS LLP UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DR ANA ARMSTRONG

A. & K. METAXOPOULOS & PARTNERS LAW FIRM GREECE - IP LAWYER OF THE YEAR, KRITON METAXOPOULOS

ARMSTRONG INVESTMENT MANAGERS LLP UK - MULTI ASSET FUND OF THE YEAR, AIM MULTI ASSET FUND

A. & K. METAXOPOULOS & PARTNERS LAW FIRM GREECE - MEDIA LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ARNOLD RUESS GERMANY - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, PETER RUESS

A.A. XENOPHONTOS & ASSOCIATES CYPRUS - FULL SERVICE ACCOUTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR

ARMSTRONG INVESTMENT MANAGERS LLP UK - MACRO FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR

ABG PATENTES, SL EUROPEAN UNION - LEADING CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ARNOLD RUESS GERMANY - FULL SERVICE IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ABG PATENTES, SL SPAIN - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ARNOLD RUESS GERMANY - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, PETER RUESS

ABG PATENTES, SL SPAIN - TRADEMARK LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ATRIUM PARTNERS A/S DENMARK - M&A ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

ACI PARTNERS SRL MOLDOVA - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ATRIUM PARTNERS A/S DENMARK - CORPORATE FINANCE HOUSE OF THE YEAR

ACI PARTNERS SRL MOLDOVA - BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ATRIUM PARTNERS A/S DENMARK - DEBT & CAPITAL ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

ACI PARTNERS SRL MOLDOVA - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AVAST SOFTWARE S.R.O. CZECH - OVERALL COMPANY OF THE YEAR

ACI PARTNERS SRL MOLDOVA - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AVONDALE UK - M&A ADVISER OF THE YEAR

ACI PARTNERS SRL MOLDOVA - LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AVONDALE UK - BUSINESS VALUATION APPRAISAL ADVISER OF THE YEAR

ACXIT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT GMBH GERMANY – BOUTIQUE MERCHANT BANKING FIRM OF THE YEAR

AVONDALE UK - LEAD ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

ACXIT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT GMBH GERMANY – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (CORPORATE FINANCE AND INVESTMENT ADVISORY)

AVONDALE UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR - KEVIN UPHILL

ADDLESHAW GODDARD LLP UK - ASSET BASED LENDING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BABBE CHANNEL ISLANDS - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ADMINISTRACE INSOLVENCI CITY TOWER CZECH REPUBLIC - INSOLVENCY ADMINISTRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BABBE GUERNSEY - COMMERCIAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ADVO GROUP UK - HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (CORPORATE)

BABBE GUERNSEY - OVERALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ADVO GROUP UK - EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR

BABBE CHANNEL ISLANDS - TRUSTS AND ESTATES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AECOM UK - ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE FIRM OF THE YEAR

BAHAS, GRAMATIDIS & PARTNERS GREECE - PRODUCT LIABILITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AECOM GERMANY - ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE FIRM OF THE YEAR

BAMBRIDGE ACCOUNTANTS UK - NICHE TAX PLANNING ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (ENTERTAINMENT)

AECOM GERMANY - GOVERNANCE DUE DILIGENCE FIRM OF THE YEAR

BAMBRIDGE ACCOUNTANTS UK - NICHE TAX PLANNING ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (US TAX)

AECOM GERMANY - M&A TRANSACTIONS ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

BANCA IMI ITALY - INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR

AFRICAN ALPHA INVESTMENT PARTNERS UK - NICHE INVESTMENTS FIRM OF THE YEAR AFRICAN ALPHA INVESTMENT PARTNERS

BANK LEUMI (UK) GROUP UK - BOUTIQUE BANK OF THE YEAR

AFSCHRIFT LAW FIRM BELGIUM - BUSINESS CRIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BAPTISTA, MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL - CROSS BORDER LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AFSCHRIFT LAW FIRM BELGIUM - INTERNATIONAL TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BAPTISTA, MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AFSCHRIFT LAW FIRM BELGIUM - LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MRS. MURIEL IGALSON

BAPTISTA, MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL - PATENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AFSCHRIFT LAW FIRM BELGIUM - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BARGATE MURRAY SOLICITORS UK - SHIPPING & MARITIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AFSCHRIFT LAW FIRM SWITZERLAND - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BARGATE MURRAY SOLICITORS UK - COMMERCIAL LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AKUGUR LAW FIRM TURKEY - ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION FIRM OF THE YEAR

BARGATE MURRAY SOLICITORS UK - MARITIME LAWYER OF THE YEAR

ALBUQUERQUE & ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL - PHARMACEUTICAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BARNETT WADDINGHAM LLP UK - ACTUARIAL ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

ALBUQUERQUE & ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL - PHARMACEUTICAL ANTITRUST LAWYER OF THE YEAR - GONÇALO PINTO FERREIRA

BARNETT WADDINGHAM LLP UK - PENSIONS ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

ALCEDA FUND MANAGEMENT S.A. LUXEMBOURG - UCITS PLATFORM OF THE YEAR

BCM & PARTNERS SA SWITZERLAND - CREDIT FUND SPECIALISTS OF THE YEAR

ALCEDA FUND MANAGEMENT S.A. LUXEMBOURG - ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

BCMS UK – LARGE CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (SELL-SIDE)

ALEXANDER ASH CONSULTING UK – NICHE RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR (FINANCIAL SERVICES)

BCMS UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (CORPORATE FINANCE), DAVE REBBETTES

ALISON MATTHEWS CONSULTING LTD UK - MONEY LAUNDERING ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, ALISON MATTHEWS

BECKER LAW AUSTRIA - COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AMC ECONOMICS LLP UK - ECONOMICS CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

BECKER LAW AUSTRIA - LEADING DIVORCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ANDREAS NEOCLEOUS & CO LLC CYPRUS - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BECKER LAW AUSTRIA – CHINESE LAW LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ANTON BECKER

ANDREAS NEOCLEOUS & CO LLC CYPRUS - ARBITRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BEVILACQUA LENER MORRONE & PARTNERS ITALY - BANKRUPTCY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ANGERMANN / M&A INTERNATIONAL GERMANY - INDUSTRY MERGER OF THE YEAR

BIRD & BIRD LLP UK - AVIATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ANGERMANN M&A INTERNATIONAL GMBH GERMANY - CORPORATE FINANCE BOUTIQUE OF THE YEAR ANGERMANN M&A INTERNATIONAL GMBH GERMANY - REFINANCING OF THE YEAR (REFINANCING OF KAFFEE PARTNER HOLDING) - FINANCIAL ADVISER TO THE DEBT REFINANCING ANGERMANN M&A INTERNATIONAL GMBH GERMANY - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DR. AXEL GOLLNICK ANWALTSKANZLEI HILD & KOLLEGEN GERMANY - NATIONAL - IT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ANWALTSKANZLEI HILD & KOLLEGEN GERMANY - ENTERTAINMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ANWALTSKANZLEI HILD & KOLLEGEN GERMANY - NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (EBAY LAW) ANWALTSKANZLEI HILD & KOLLEGEN GERMANY - IT LAWYER OF THE YEAR, HAGEN HILD

BLACK HORSE FINANCE UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (MOTOR FINANCE) BLACKSTONE CHAMBERS UK - OVERALL CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR BLACKSTONE CHAMBERS UK - HUMAN RIGHTS & PUBLIC LAW CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR BLACKTRACE B.V. NETHERLANDS - INDEPENDENT M&A ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR BLS ATTORNEYS AT LAW AUSTRIA - BANKING AND FINANCIAL REGULATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BLS ATTORNEYS AT LAW AUSTRIA - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BLS ATTORNEYS AT LAW AUSTRIA - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BLS ATTORNEYS AT LAW AUSTRIA - INSURANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FFBLUEBOX CORPORATE FINANCE UK - CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (MID MARKET)

CAIADO GUERREIRO & ASSOCIADOS, SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L.PORTUGAL - TMT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BLUEBOX CORPORATE FINANCE UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, PAUL HERMAN

CAIADO GUERREIRO & ASSOCIADOS, SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L.PORTUGAL - ENERGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BNY MELLON UK - INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT ADVISORY (INSURANCE) OF THE YEAR

CAIADO GUERREIRO & ASSOCIADOS, SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L.PORTUGAL - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BNY MELLON UK - PENSIONS CUSTODIAN ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

CAMDEN ASSOCIATES UK - NICHE CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (MINING)

BNY MELLON UK - DIVERSITY CORPORATION OF THE YEAR (FINANCIAL SERVICES)

CAMDEN ASSOCIATES UK – NICHE CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (BIOTECH)

BNY MELLON FUND SERVICES (IRELAND) LTD IRELAND - ACCOUNTING & ADMINISTRATION ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

CAMDEN ASSOCIATES UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, JEAN-CLAUDE GONNEAU

BNY MELLON FUND SERVICES (IRELAND) LTD IRELAND - CUSTODY TRANSFER AGENCY OF THE YEAR

CAMPION INSURANCE IRELAND - IRISH INSURANCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

BNY MELLON FUND SERVICES (IRELAND) LTD IRELAND - FUND ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR

CAPITALMIND BENELUX - INDEPENDENT CORPORATE FINANCE FIRM OF THE YEAR

BODDY MATTHEWS LIMITED UK – NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (FRANCHISE)

CAPITALMIND EUROPE - MARKET MERGER OF THE YEAR (CAPITAL PARTNER FRANCE / BLUEMIND NETHERLANDS)

BODDY MATTHEWS LIMITED UK – LEADING CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CAPITALMIND EUROPE - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (CORPORATE FINANCE) - BART JONKMAN

BOJORGE & ASSOCIATES SPAIN - IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CAPPCOPARTNERS UK - OPERATIONAL TRANSFORMATION ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

BOJORGE & ASSOCIATES SPAIN - IMMIGRATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARLA BOJORGE

CAPSTAN CAPITAL PARTNERS LLP UK - CAPITAL RAISING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

BOJORGE & ASSOCIATES LAW FIRM SPAIN - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARLA BOJORGE

CARBON ZERO UK (WALES) - BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

BONN STEICHEN & PARTNER LUXEMBOURG - PRIVATE EQUITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CARBON ZERO UK (WALES) - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR - GARETH JONES

BONN STEICHEN & PARTNER LUXEMBOURG - BANKING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CAREY OLSEN GUERNSEY - OFFSHORE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BONN STEICHEN & PARTNERS LUXEMBOURG - ISLAMIC FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CAREY OLSEN GUERNSEY - LITIGATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BONN STEICHEN & PARTNERS LUXEMBOURG - ADVISORY TEAM OF THE YEAR

CARLISLE MANAGEMENT COMPANY SCA LUXEMBOURG - EUROPEAN LONG-TERM GROWTH FUND OF THE YEAR - LUXEMBOURG LIFE FUND FCP SIF

BONN STEICHEN & PARTNERS LUXEMBOURG - INVESTMENT FUNDS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CARLISLE MANAGEMENT COMPANY SCA LUXEMBOURG - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FUND MANAGEMENT) - JOSE GARCIA

BONN STEICHEN & PARTNERS LUXEMBOURG - ISLAMIC FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CARLOS PINTO DE ABREU E ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL – PUNITIVE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BONN STEICHEN & PARTNERS LUXEMBOURG - PRIVATE EQUITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CARLOS PINTO DE ABREU E ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL - HUMAN RIGHTS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BONN STEICHEN & PARTNERS LUXEMBOURG - BANKING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CARLOS PINTO DE ABREU E ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL - LAWYER OF THE YEAR, CARLOS PINTO DE ABREU

BONN STEICHEN & PARTNERS LUXEMBOURG - INVESTMENT FUNDS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CARTERWOOD UK - PROPERTY CONSULTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR

BONN STEICHEN & PARTNERS LUXEMBOURG - ADVISORY TEAM OF THE YEAR

CASTLE CORPORATE FINANCE UK - OWNER MANAGED BUSINESS ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

BP&E GLOBAL LTD UK - GOVERNANCE & REGULATORY CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

CAVENDISH CORPORATE FINANCE LLP UK - LEADING INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

BP&E GLOBAL LTD UK - BOARD & DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

CAVENDISH CORPORATE FINANCE LLP UK - CORPORATE FINANCE BOUTIQUE OF THE YEAR

BP&E GLOBAL LTD UK - BUSINESS SUCCESSION CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

CESKOSLOVENSKA OBCHODNI BANKA, A. S. CZECH REPUBLIC - BANK OF THE YEAR

BRIDGEWATER MANAGEMENT CONSULTING GROUP IRELAND - BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

CITIRECRUIT UK – NICHE RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR (HOSPITALITY)

BRYAN CAVE LLP UK - FUND FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CLERKSROOM DIRECT UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (LEGAL REFERRAL), STEPHEN WARD

BRYAN CAVE LLP UK - LEADING ARBITRATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ROBERT DOUGANS

CLEVELAND UK - NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (DESIGN LAW)

BRYAN CAVE LLP UK - LEADING FUND FINANCE LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARTHA COLLINS ROLLE

COLLER IP UK - IP ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

BRYAN CAVE LLP UK - LITIGATION & ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

COLLER IP UK - IP VALUATION FIRM OF THE YEAR

BUDIN & PARTNERS SWITZERLAND - CROSS BORDER LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

COLLER IP UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (IP), DR JACKIE MAGUIRE

BULLGUARD UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR , NEDKO IVANOV

COMMERCIAL FINANCE BROKERS (UK) LIMITED UK - BROKER OF THE YEAR (COMMERCIAL FINANCE)

BULLGUARD UK - MOBILE SECURITY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

COMPANY FUSION UK – REGIONAL EXECUTIVE SEARCH AGENCY OF THE YEAR (SENIOR)

BUREAU VAN DIJK UK - TRANSFER PRICING SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

CONFIDENTUS UAB LITHUANIA - CORPORATE FINANCE BOUTIQUE OF THE YEAR

BUREAU VAN DIJK UK - M&A SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE)

COOPER ASSOCIATES LTD UK (SOUTH WEST) - FINANCIAL ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

BURLINGTON ASSOCIATES LIMITED UK – HOLISTIC FINANCIAL PLANNING ADVISER OF THE YEAR (OWNER MANAGED BUSINESSES)

COPPERSTONE ALPHA FUND RUSSIA - FUND OF THE YEAR

BURLINGTON ASSOCIATES LIMITED UK – FINANCIAL PLANNERS / INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISER OF THE YEAR (INVESTMENT BANKING)

COPPERSTONE CAPITAL RUSSIA - INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

BUSINESS CENTRIC SERVICES GROUP UK - FINTECH SOLUTION PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (CUSTOMER LOYALTY)

COPPERSTONE CAPITAL RUSSIA - FAMILY OFFICE SERVICES FIRM OF THE YEAR

BYRNEWALLACE IRELAND - INDEPENDENT BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CORATELLA - STUDIO LEGALE ITALY - ECONOMIC CRIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BYRNEWALLACE IRELAND - LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CORKER BINNING ENGLAND - WHITE COLLAR CRIME LAWYER OF THE YEAR, PETER BINNING

BYRNEWALLACE IRELAND – REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CORKER BINNING ENGLAND - CARTEL INVESTIGATIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

BYRNEWALLACE IRELAND – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR - CATHERINE GUY

COUNTED4 UK - NICHE COMMERCIAL CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR (SUBSTANCE TESTING)

CABINET BORNHAUSER FRANCE - TRUST & ESTATE LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARC BORNHAUSER

COUNTED4 UK - NICHE COMMERCIAL CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR (SUBSTANCE MISUSE SERVICE)

CABINET BORNHAUSER FRANCE - PATRIMONIAL TAXATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CPS SCHLIEßMANN GERMANY - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CAIADO GUERREIRO & ASSOCIADOS, SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L.PORTUGAL - AVIATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CPS SCHLIEßMANN GERMANY - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CAIADO GUERREIRO & ASSOCIADOS, SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L.PORTUGAL - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CPS SCHLIEßMANN GERMANY - INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CAIADO GUERREIRO & ASSOCIADOS, SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L.PORTUGAL - COMPETITION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CPS SCHLIEßMANN GERMANY - INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CAIADO GUERREIRO & ASSOCIADOS, SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L.PORTUGAL - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, JOÃO CAIADO GUERREIRO

CPV PARTNERS SWITZERLAND - M&A BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CROWDCONTROLHQ UK - NICHE CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR (SOCIAL MEDIA RISK MANAGEMENT)

EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC CYPRUS - EUROPEAN UNION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

CUNNINGHAMS SOLICITORS UK - REGIONAL FRAUD & BUSINESS CRIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC CYPRUS - INSURANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

DABELSTEIN & PASSEHL GERMANY - TRANSPORT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ENGEL PATENTANWALTSKANZLEI GERMANY - LEADING IP ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

DABELSTEIN & PASSEHL GERMANY - INSURANCE & REINSURANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EQUITA CORPORATE FINANCE LLP UK - LEAD TRANSACTION ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

DABELSTEIN & PASSEHL GERMANY - SHIPPING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EURO PROJECTS RECRUITMENT LTD UK – NICHE RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR (ENGINEERING)

DABELSTEIN & PASSEHL GERMANY - AVIATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EUROPEAN WEALTH UK - DISCRETIONARY FUND MANAGERS FIRM OF THE YEAR

DALLA VERITÀ & ASSOCIATI ITALY - BOUTIQUE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

EUROPEAN WEALTH UK - INVESTMENT STRATEGY FIRM OF THE YEAR

DANUBIA PATENT AND LAW OFFICE LLC HUNGARY – INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EUROPEAN WEALTH UK - INVESTMENT STRATEGIST OF THE YEAR, RICHARD STAMMERS

DANUBIA PATENT AND LAW OFFICE LLC HUNGARY – INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWYER OF THE YEAR, DR. ARPAD PETHŐ

EUROPEAN WEALTH MANAGEMENT GROUP LIMITED UK - MOST TRUSTED - WEALTH MANAGEMENT ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

DAVID CONWAY & CO UK (WEST END) - NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EXCELLO LAW UK - DEBT RECOVERY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

DAX & PARTNER AUSTRIA - NICHE - CONTRACT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EXCEPTION CAPITAL LLP UK – BOUTIQUE INVESTMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

DBK PARTNERS CZECH REPUBLIC - COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EXCEPTION CAPITAL LLP UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT), ADRIAN FAIRBOURN

DE GRAVE DE MÖNNINK SPLIET ADVOCATEN NETHERLANDS - FRANCHISE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EY SLOVAK REPUBLIC - HUMAN CAPITAL ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

DE GRAVE DE MÖNNINK SPLIET ADVOCATEN NETHERLANDS - NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (WORKS COUNCIL LAW)

EY SLOVAK REPUBLIC - INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

DEALMARKET SWITZERLAND - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (DEAL FLOW MANAGEMENT )

EY SLOVAK REPUBLIC - BUSINESS TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

DELOITTE UK – TRANSFER PRICING FIRM OF THE YEAR

EY SLOVAK REPUBLIC - COMPLIANCE & REPORTING ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

DELOITTE UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (TRANSFER PRICING), SHAUN AUSTIN

EY SLOVAK REPUBLIC - INDIRECT TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

DELOITTE UK – RISING STAR OF THE YEAR (TRANSFER PRICING), ROY DONEGAN

EY SLOVAK REPUBLIC - TRANSACTION TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

DELOITTE IRELAND - FORENSIC / ENTERPRISE RISK ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

FDL STUDIO LEGALE E TRIBUTARIO ITALY - COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

DELOITTE IRELAND - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, COLM MCDONNELL

FEATURESPACE UK - NICHE SOLUTION PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (FRAUD AND COMPLIANCE)

DELOITTE UK – FORENSIC ACCOUNTING FIRM OF THE YEAR (LARGE)

FEATURESPACE UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FRAUD AND COMPLIANCE), MARTINA KING

DELOITTE UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, MARK TANTAM

FINANCIAL MARKETING UK - FINANCIAL MARKETING AGENCY OF THE YEAR

DENNEMEYER & ASSOCIATES GERMANY - IP DUE DILIGENCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FINANZ KONZEPT AG SWITZERLAND – FUND OF THE YEAR, PHYSICAL DIAMOND FUND

DENNEMEYER & ASSOCIATES GERMANY - PATENT MONETIZATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FINANZ KONZEPT AG SWITZERLAND – WEALTH MANAGER OF THE YEAR

DENNEMEYER & ASSOCIATES EUROPE - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FINANZ KONZEPT AG SWITZERLAND – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, LARS OBERLE

DENNEMEYER & ASSOCIATES EUROPE - IP LAWYER OF THE YEAR, DR. MALTE KÖLLNER

FIREFLY PARTNERS UK – EXECUTIVE SEARCH ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (PE)

DER YACHT ANWALT THE YACHT ATTORNEY GERMANY - YACHT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FIREFLY PARTNERS UK – MANAGEMENT DUE DILIGENCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (PE)

DEUTSCHE FINANCE GROUP EUROPE - PRIVATE MARKET INVESTOR OF THE YEAR (REAL ASSET INFRASTRUCTURE)

FISCALREPS UK - NICHE ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE TAX SOLUTIONS)

DIENER ADVISORY SWITZERLAND - ACCOUNTING ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, FLORIAN DIENER

FRESHFIELDS GERMANY - ARBITRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

DIENER ADVISORY SWITZERLAND - ACCOUNTING FIRM OF THE YEAR

FRESHFIELDS BRUCKHAUS DERINGER LLP GERMANY - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

DISTEFANO LAW OFFICE BELGIUM – ANTITRUST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FRESHFIELDS BRUCKHAUS DERINGER LLP GERMANY - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ROLF TRITTMANN

DISTEFANO LAW OFFICE BELGIUM – ENERGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FRUYTIER LAWYERS IN BUSINESS NETHERLANDS - BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

DISTEFANO LAW OFFICE BELGIUM – LAWYER OF THE YEAR, FLAVIA DISTEFANO

FRUYTIER LAWYERS IN BUSINESS NETHERLANDS – BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

DIVJAK, TOPIC & BAHTIJAREVIC LAW FIRM CROATIA - REAL ESTATE LAWYER OF THE YEAR, EMIR BAHTIJAREVIĆ

FRUYTIER LAWYERS IN BUSINESS NETHERLANDS - EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

DOUGLAS SILAS SOLICITORS UK - EDUCATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, DOUGLAS SILAS

FRUYTIER LAWYERS IN BUSINESS NETHERLANDS - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

DOUGLAS SILAS SOLICITORS UK - NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (EDUCATION)

FRUYTIER LAWYERS IN BUSINESS NETHERLANDS - LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARCEL FRUYTIER

DPS FINANCIAL MARKETING LTD UK - FINANCIAL MARKETING AGENCY OF THE YEAR

FTI CONSULTING UK - TRANSFER PRICING & TAX VALUATION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

DR. HORST IHLAS GERMANY - INSURANCE BROKER OF THE YEAR

FULCRUM CHAMBERS LTD ENGLAND - CORPORATE BRIBERY & CORRUPTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

DROOMS EUROPE - VDR PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

FULCRUM CHAMBERS LTD ENGLAND - AML CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR

DVIURIS ITALY - LEADING CLIENT CARE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FULCRUM CHAMBERS LTD ENGLAND - CORPORATE BRIBERY & CORRUPTION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, IVAN PEARCE

EC3\LEGAL UK - INSURANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GARANTIBANK TURKEY - PROJECT & ACQUISITION FINANCE BANK OF THE YEAR

EDMONDS MARSHALL MCMAHON UK - PRIVATE PROSECUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GARANTIBANK TURKEY - BANK OF THE YEAR (SUSTAINABILITY)

EDMONDS MARSHALL MCMAHON UK (CITY) - BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GARANTIBANK TURKEY - COMMERCIAL BANK OF THE YEAR

ELMAN WALL CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS UK - NICHE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (TRAVEL)

GARANTIBANK TURKEY - TRADE FINANCE BANK OF THE YEAR

EMERGENCY FIRE & SAFETY LTD UK - SAFETY TRAINING CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR (MARINE & OFFSHORE)

GARANTIBANK TURKEY - PRIVATE BANK OF THE YEAR

EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC CYPRUS - COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GARANTIBANK TURKEY - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FINANCIAL SERVICES), ERGUN ÖZEN

EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC CYPRUS - MID MARKET - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC CYPRUS - LEADING CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC CYPRUS - CIVIL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GÁRDOS, FÜREDI, MOSONYI, TOMORI LAW OFFICE HUNGARY - INSURANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR GÁRDOS, FÜREDI, MOSONYI, TOMORI LAW OFFICE HUNGARY - BANKING & SECURITIES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR GÁRDOS, FÜREDI, MOSONYI, TOMORI LAW OFFICE HUNGARY - LAWYER OF THE YEAR, PÉTER GÁRDOS

GBSH CONSULT GROUP UK - ADVISORY TEAM OF THE YEAR

INDEPENDENT MEDIATORS LIMITED UK - COMMERCIAL MEDIATION CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR

GEORGIA CONSTANTINOU-PANAYIOTOU LLC CYPRUS - CONTRACT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

INDEPENDENT MEDIATORS LIMITED UK - LEADING MEDIATION ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, PHILLIP HOWELL-RICHARDSON

GEORGIA CONSTANTINOU-PANAYIOTOU LLC CYPRUS - TRUST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

INDEPENDENT MEDIATORS LIMITED UK - LEADING MEDIATION ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, MICHEL KALLIPETIS QC

GEORGIA CONSTANTINOU-PANAYIOTOU LLC CYPRUS - AML LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

INDEPENDENT MEDIATORS LIMITED UK - LEADING MEDIATION ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, MARK LOMAS QC

GEORGIA CONSTANTINOU-PANAYIOTOU LLC CYPRUS - CONTRACT LAWYER OF THE YEAR, GEORGIA CONSTANTINOU-PANAYIOTOU

INFINITY PARTNERSHIP LIMITED SCOTLAND - CORPORATE FINANCE BOUTIQUE OF THE YEAR

GILSON GRAY LLP SCOTLAND - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

INTER-TAX CONSULTANTS SWITZERLAND - INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

GILSON GRAY LLP SCOTLAND - PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

INTRALINKS UK - VDR PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

GILSON GRAY LLP SCOTLAND - MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR, GLEN GILSON

INVESTEC PRIVATE BANK UK – NICHE LENDING BANK OF THE YEAR (MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT), ANDREW MICHAEL

GLATZOVA & CO., S.R.O. CZECH REPUBLIC - MANAGEMENT LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

INVESTMENT QUORUM LIMITED UK - FINANCIAL PLANNER OF THE YEAR

GLI FINANCE LIMITED GUERNSEY - INVESTMENT FUNDS FIRM OF THE YEAR

INVESTMENT QUORUM LIMITED UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (WEALTH MANAGEMENT), LEE ROBERTSON

GOINDUSTRY DOVEBID UK - ASSET DISPOSAL FIRM OF THE YEAR

ITEM SLOVENIA - TRADEMARKS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GRAHAM ASSOCIATES (INTERNATIONAL) LTD UK - TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

ITEM SLOVENIA – IP LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GRANT THORNTON LIMITED CHANNEL ISLANDS - LEADING ADVISORY (ACCOUNTANCY & AUDIT) OF THE YEAR

ITEM SLOVENIA - TRADEMARKS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GREEN SQUARE UK - NICHE CORPORATE FINANCE BOUTIQUE OF THE YEAR

ITEM SLOVENIA - TRADEMARKS LAWYER OF THE YEAR, GREGOR MAČEK

GRUENDELPARTNER GERMANY - VENTURE CAPITAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

J A KEMP UK – IP PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GRUENDELPARTNER GERMANY - MOST RESPECTED SMALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

J A KEMP UK – IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACEUTICALS)

GRUENDELPARTNER GERMANY - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR - MIRKO GRÜNDEL

J A KEMP UK – IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (ENGINEERING AND IT)

GUGUSHEV AND PARTNERS LAW OFFICE BULGARIA - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

J PEREIRA DA CRUZ, SA PORTUGAL - LEADING TRADEMARK FIRM OF THE YEAR

GUGUSHEV AND PARTNERS LAW OFFICE BULGARIA - RESTRUCTURING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, STEFAN GUGUSHEV

JABRE CAPITAL PARTNERS S.A. SWITZERLAND - INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT / ADVISORY SERVICES PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE CLIENT)

HABERMAN ILETT LLP UK - FORENSIC ACCOUNTANCY PRACTICE OF THE YEAR HABERMAN ILETT LLP UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FORENSIC ACCOUNTANCY), PHILIP HABERMAN

JAMES COUZENS NOTARY PUBLIC UK - REGIONAL NOTARY PUBLIC OF THE YEAR, JAMES COUZENS JASMIN CAPITAL FRANCE - PRIVATE PLACEMENT AGENT OF THE YEAR

HAELLMIGK GERMANY – FOREIGN TRADE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

JASMIN CAPITAL SWITZERLAND - PRIVATE PLACEMENT AGENT OF THE YEAR

HAELLMIGK GERMANY – COMPLIANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, HAELLMIGK

JOELSON WILSON LLP UK - LICENSING & GAMBLING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HAELLMIGK GERMANY – LAWYER OF THE YEAR (FOREIGN TRADE), DR. PHILIP HAELLMIGK, LL.M., HAELLMIGK

JOELSON WILSON LLP UK - BOUTIQUE CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HAGER & PARTNERS ITALY - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (CORPORATE TAX) - DIETMAR HUBER

JOHN HARRISON AND CO UK - REGIONAL TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

HARWOOD HUTTON CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS UK - REGIONAL ACCOUNTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR

KALLIOLAW ASIANAJOTOIMISTO OY - ATTORNEYS AT LAW FINLAND - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HAUSER PARTNERS RECHTSANWÄLTE GMBH AUSTRIA - ARBITRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KALLIOLAW ASIANAJOTOIMISTO OY - ATTORNEYS AT LAW FINLAND - LAWYER OF THE YEAR - JUKKA KALLIO

HAUSER PARTNERS RECHTSANWÄLTE GMBH AUSTRIA - MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KB ASSOCIATES OFFSHORE - SPECIALIST FUNDS CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

HCT GROUP UK - COMPANY OF THE YEAR (TRANSPORT)

KBS CORPORATE UK - CF ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (UPTO £50M)

HCT GROUP UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (TRANSPORT), DAI POWELL

KEMP LITTLE LLP UK – TECHNOLOGY / MEDIA LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HEADSTART ADVISERS UK - BOUTIQUE INVESTMENT ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS)

KEMP LITTLE LLP UK – PE / VC LAWYER OF THE YEAR, CHARLES CLAISSE

HEADSTART ADVISERS UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INVESTMENT ADVISORY), NAJY NASSER

KEMP LITTLE LLP UK – LAWYER OF THE YEAR (DIGITAL MEDIA), ANDY MOSEBY

HEADSTART FUND OF FUNDS UK - DIVERSIFIED FUND OF HEDGE FUNDS OF THE YEAR

KEMP LITTLE LLP UK – LAWYER OF THE YEAR (OUTSOURCING), PAUL O'HARE

HEYMANN & PARTNER GERMANY - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KEMP LITTLE LLP UK – ONLINE KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM OF THE YEAR, FLIGHTDECK

HEYMANN & PARTNER GERMANY - PRIVATE EQUITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KERMAN & CO LLP UK - AIM ADVISORY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HEYMANN & PARTNER GERMANY - LABOR LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KERMAN & CO LLP UK - ENERGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HILCO VALUATION SERVICES UK - VALUATIONS ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

KERMAN & CO LLP UK - SPORT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HINDESITE LTD UK – NICHE RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR (IT)

KERMAN & CO LLP UK - RETAIL & LEISURE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HITACHI CAPITAL BUSINESS FINANCE UK - BLOCK DISCOUNTER OF THE YEAR

KERMAN & CO LLP UK - DIVERSITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HITACHI CAPITAL BUSINESS FINANCE UK - RETAIL FINANCE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR HITACHI CAPITAL BUSINESS FINANCE UK - FACTORING LENDER OF THE YEAR HÖHNE, IN DER MAUR & PARTNER RECHTSANWÄLTE OG AUSTRIA - MEDIA LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KERMAN & CO LLP UK - COMMERCIAL LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MICHAEL CORCORAN KG LEGAL LAW FIRM POLAND - CROSS BORDER TRANSACTIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (BOUTIQUE) KG LEGAL LAW FIRM POLAND - PHARMACEUTICAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ICON CORPORATE FINANCE UK - CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (SELL-SIDE)

KG LEGAL LAW FIRM POLAND - TRANSPORT. FREIGHT. LOGISTICS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR KG LEGAL LAW FIRM POLAND – ADR LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

IDEAL SHOPPING DIRECT UK - GROWTH COMPANY OF THE YEAR (TV & RADIO)

KINGS CHAMBERS UK - CONSTRUCTION LAW BARRISTER OF THE YEAR, ANDREW SINGER

IDEAL SHOPPING DIRECT UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, MICHAEL HANCOX

KINGS CHAMBERS UK - ARBITRATION AND ADR CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR

INCLUSIVE TECHNOLOGY LTD UK - NICHE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (EDUCATION)

KINGS CHAMBERS UK - DIVERSITY CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR

INCREMENTUM AG LIECHTENSTEIN - OWNER MANAGED ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR

KONEČNÁ & ZACHA CZECH REPUBLIC - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

INCREMENTUM AG LIECHTENSTEIN - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR - RONALD-PETER STOEFERLE

KONEČNÁ & ZACHA CENTRAL EUROPE - OVERALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR KOTIRANTA & CO ATTORNEY AT LAW LTD FINLAND - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR KOTIRANTA & CO ATTORNEY AT LAW LTD FINLAND - WHITE COLLAR CRIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KOTIRANTA & CO ATTORNEY AT LAW LTD FINLAND - LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LYNDHURST ACCOUNTING UK – REGIONAL CORPORATE TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

KOTIRANTA & CO ATTORNEY AT LAW LTD FINLAND - LAWYER OF THE YEAR (WHITE COLLAR CRIME), KAI KOTIRANTA

LYNDHURST ACCOUNTING UK – REGIONAL SME ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

KOZŁOWSKI & PARTNERZY POLAND - CONTRACT LAWYER OF THE YEAR, TOMASZ KOZLOWSKI

M&P BERNITSAS LAW OFFICES GREECE - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR (FINANCIAL MARKETS) PANAYOTIS M BERNITSAS

KPMG TURKEY - FULL SERVICE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP RUSSIA - INTERNATIONAL M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KPMG TURKEY - M&A TAX FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAIO SPAIN - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KPMG TURKEY - BUSINESS TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

MAIO SPAIN - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (CORPORATE)

KPMG EUROPE - AML ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

MAIO SPAIN - LEADING CLIENT CARE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

L. PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO. CYPRUS - IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAITLAND LUXEMBOURG - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, STEVE GEORGALA

L. PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO. CYPRUS - MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR, LEANDROS PAPAPHILIPPOU

MAITLAND LUXEMBOURG - AIFMD FUND PLATFORM OF THE YEAR

L. PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO. CYPRUS - COMPETITION & ANTITRUST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MANAGEMENT MOBILITY CONSULTING FRANCE - COMPANY RELOCATION SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

L. PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO. CYPRUS - COMPETITION & ANTITRUST LAWYER OF THE YEAR, PANTELIS CHRISTOFIDES

MATHYS & SQUIRE UK - PATENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

L. PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO. CYPRUS - FINANCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MATHYS & SQUIRE UK – FULL SERVICE IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

L. PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO. CYPRUS - ANTITRUST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MATHYS & SQUIRE UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (IP), ILYA KAZI

L. PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO. CYPRUS - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAVEN CAPITAL PARTNERS UK LLP UK - SMALL BUYOUT HOUSE OF THE YEAR

LA TORRE MORGESE CESARO RIO STUDIO LEGALE ASSOCIATO ITALY - INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAW CONSULTING POLAND - NICHE CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR (MARINE & OFFSHORE)

LA TORRE MORGESE CESARO RIO STUDIO LEGALE ASSOCIATO ITALY - CORPORATE GOVERNANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAYBACH GÖRG LENNEIS & PARTNER RECHTSANWÄLTE AUSTRIA - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LA TORRE MORGESE CESARO RIO STUDIO LEGALE ASSOCIATO ITALY - INVESTMENTS FUNDS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAYBACH GÖRG LENNEIS & PARTNER RECHTSANWÄLTE AUSTRIA - UNFAIR COMPETITION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LA TORRE MORGESE CESARO RIO STUDIO LEGALE ASSOCIATO ITALY - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAYBACH GÖRG LENNEIS & PARTNER RECHTSANWÄLTE AUSTRIA - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LA TORRE MORGESE CESARO RIO STUDIO LEGALE ASSOCIATO ITALY - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MASSIMO LA TORRE

MAYBACH GÖRG LENNEIS & PARTNER RECHTSANWÄLTE AUSTRIA - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ÁRPÁD GERÉD

LAMB CHAMBERS ENGLAND - IP LAW TEAM OF THE YEAR - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

MAZANTI-ANDERSEN KORSOE JENSEN DENMARK - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LAMB CHAMBERS ENGLAND - IP BARRISTER OF THE YEAR - CHRIS PEARSON IP COUNSEL

MAZANTI-ANDERSEN KORSOE JENSEN DENMARK - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LAMB CHAMBERS ENGLAND - IP BARRISTER OF THE YEAR - CHRIS PEARSON IP COUNSEL

MERCAL - GESTÂO E MARKETING INTERNACIONAL, LDA PORTUGAL - MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS OF THE YEAR

LAMB CHAMBERS ENGLAND - IP LAW TEAM OF THE YEAR - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

MERCAL - GESTÂO E MARKETING INTERNACIONAL, LDA PORTUGAL - FINANCIAL RESTRUCTURING CONSULTANTS OF THE YEAR

LAMONT PRIDMORE UK - REGIONAL ACCOUNTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR

MERCAL - GESTÂO E MARKETING INTERNACIONAL, LDA PORTUGAL - BUSINESS ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (SME)

LAMONT PRIDMORE UK - REGIONAL TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

MERGER VISION CZECH REPUBLIC - SMALL CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

LAMONT PRIDMORE UK - REGIONAL MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR (ACCOUNTANCY), GRAHAM LAMONT

MERRANT SWEDEN - NON DIRECTIONAL HEDGE FUND OVER 3 YEARS

LANGHAM HALL UK LLP UK - PRIVATE EQUITY & REAL ESTATE FUND ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR

MERRANT SWEDEN - INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

LAURA DEVINE SOLICITORS UK – IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MERRANT ALPHA SELECT SEK SWEDEN - MARKET NEUTRAL FUND OF HEDGE FUNDS OF THE YEAR

LAWFIRM BUSSE & MIESSEN GERMANY - FRANCHISE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

METIS PARTNERS UK - BOUTIQUE IP ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

LCJ INVESTMENTS S.A SWITZERLAND – GLOBAL MACRO STRATEGY FUND OF THE YEAR

MEYERLUSTENBERGER | LACHENAL SWITZERLAND - REAL ESTATE LAWYER OF THE YEAR - DR. WOLFGANG MÜLLER

LEE & THOMPSON LLP ENGLAND – MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR LEGATUS LAW ENGLAND - BUSINESS TURNAROUND LAWYER OF THE YEAR, RASHMI DUBE LEO SCHMIDT-HOLLBURG WITTE & FRANK RECHTSANWÄLTE PARTNERSCHAFTSGESELLSCHAFT GERMANY - TRANSACTION DUE DILIGENCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR LEO SCHMIDT-HOLLBURG WITTE & FRANK RECHTSANWÄLTE PARTNERSCHAFTSGESELLSCHAFT GERMANY - EMPLOYEE BENEFITS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR LEUMI ABL LIMITED UK - ASSET BASED LENDER OF THE YEAR LEUMI ABL LIMITED UK - SME ASSET BASED LENDER OF THE YEAR LEUPOLD LEGAL GERMANY - GAMING / GAMBLING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR LEWIS NEDAS LAW UK - CRIMINAL DEFENCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR LEWIS NEDAS LAW UK - LEADING CRIMINAL DEFENCE LAWYER OF THE YEAR - JEFFREY LEWIS LEX THIELEN AND ASSOCIATES LUXEMBOURG - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (BOUTIQUE) LEY JESCH RACKY GERMANY - M&A LAWYER OF THE YEAR - DR. BENNO A. PACKI LITMUS ADVISORY LIMITED UK - DEBT ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR LITTLETON UK (LONDON) - SPORTS LAW BARRISTER OF THE YEAR, JOHN MEHRZAD LIVINGSTONE UK - CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (DISTRESSED M&A) LIVINGSTONE UK - CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (BUSINESS SERVICES) LUCENTUM LIMITED UK - REGIONAL ACCOUNTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR LUIS MIGUEL AMARAL - ADVOGADO PORTUGAL - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, LUIS MIGUEL AMARAL LUMIERE FUND SERVICES CHANNEL ISLANDS - OUTSOURCED INVESTMENT ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR LYNDHURST ACCOUNTING UK – REGIONAL ACCOUNTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR

MEYERLUSTENBERGER | LACHENAL SWITZERLAND - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR MEYERLUSTENBERGER LACHENAL SWITZERLAND - LEADING BANKING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, CHRISTOPHE RAPIN MIDAXO FINLAND - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, KAIJA KATARIINA ERKKILA MILLENIUM ASSOCIATES AG SWITZERLAND - INDEPENDENT FIRM OF THE YEAR MILLENIUM ASSOCIATES AG SWITZERLAND - LEADING M&A ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR MOALEM WEITEMEYER BENDTSEN ADVOKATPARTNERSELSKABDENMARK - TAX LAWYER OF THE YEAR, CHRISTIAN BREDTOFT GULDMANN MONTANIOS & MONTANIOS LLC CYPRUS - SHIPPING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR MOORE STEPHENS ISLE OF MAN - ACCOUNTING FIRM OF THE YEAR / FIRM OF THE YEAR MOORE STEPHENS ISLE OF MAN - LEADING PRIVATE CLIENT ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, CLIVE DIXON MORTON FRASER LLP SCOTLAND - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR MORTON FRASER LLP SCOTLAND - INVOICE FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR MORTON FRASER LLP SCOTLAND - ASSET RECOVERY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR MORTON FRASER LLP SCOTLAND - FAMILY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR MORTON FRASER LLP SCOTLAND - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR MORTON FRASER LLP SCOTLAND - LAWYER OF THE YEAR (REAL ESTATE), CHRIS HARTE MOTIEKA & AUDZEVICIUS LITHUANIA - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR MOTIEKA & AUDZEVICIUS LITHUANIA - COMPETITION / ANTITRUST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR MPMLEGAL ITALY - INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR MPMLEGAL ITALY - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MPMLEGAL ITALY – INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

OLSWANG GERMANY - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MPMLEGAL ITALY – M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

OLSWANG GERMANY - DIVERSITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MPMLEGAL ITALY – M&A LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARCO MASTRACCI

OLSWANG EUROPE - TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA, TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MUMMERT & COMPANY GERMANY - INDEPENDENT FIRM OF THE YEAR (CORPORATE FINANCE)

OPILIO RECRUITMENT UK – NICHE RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR (DIGITAL)

MURDOCHS SOLICITORS UK - PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE & REGULATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ORBIS PARTNERS LIMITED UK - TURNAROUND & RESTRUCTURING ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

MURDOCHS SOLICITORS UK - PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE & REGULATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR - ANDREW STEPHEN BLATTSOLICITORS

ORIGEN FINANCIAL SERVICES UK - RETIREMENT PLANNING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

MURDOCHS SOLICITORS UK - MATRIMONIAL LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ROBERT FORMAN MY CONTROLLER UK - REGIONAL BUSINESS PLANNING & TAX ADVISORY SERVICES TEAM OF THE YEAR NCI LAW GROUP LLC CYPRUS - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NCI LAW GROUP LLC CYPRUS - IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NCI LAW GROUP LLC CYPRUS - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NCI LAW GROUP LLC CYPRUS – TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NCI LAW GROUP LLC CYPRUS - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, IOANNIS A. NEOCLEOUS NEVES SOLICITORS LLP UK - REGIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NEVES SOLICITORS LLP UK - LEADING FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE), CAROLINE HUME NEVYAN INTEL UK - INTELLIGENCE GATHERING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR NEVYAN INTEL UK - ASSET IDENTFICATION AND RECOVERY ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR NIELSEN MEINL, ADVOKÁTNÍ KANCELÁŘ, S. R. O. CZECH REPUBLIC - TMT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NIELSEN MEINL, ADVOKÁTNÍ KANCELÁŘ, S. R. O. CZECH REPUBLIC - HEALTHCARE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NIELSEN MEINL, ADVOKÁTNÍ KANCELÁŘ, S. R. O. CZECH REPUBLIC - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NIELSEN MEINL, ADVOKÁTNÍ KANCELÁŘ, S. R. O. CZECH REPUBLIC - LABOUR LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NIELSEN MEINL, ADVOKÁTNÍ KANCELÁŘ, S. R. O. CZECH REPUBLIC - LEADING CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NIKOLAOS CHAIROPOULOS & ASSOCIATES LAW OFFICES GREECE - EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NIKOLAOS CHAIROPOULOS & ASSOCIATES LAW OFFICES GREECE - COOPERATIVES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NIKOLAOS CHAIROPOULOS & ASSOCIATES LAW OFFICES GREECE - COMPETITION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NIKOLAOS CHAIROPOULOS & ASSOCIATES LAW OFFICES GREECE - STOCK EXCHANGE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR NOERR RUSSIA - BANKING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

P&TS LTD SWITZERLAND - PATENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR P&TS LTD SWITZERLAND - PATENT LAWYER OF THE YEAR - CHRISTOPHE SAAM PATENTSHIP PATENTANWALTSGESELLSCHAFT MBH GERMANY - IP LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR PATENTSHIP PATENTANWALTSGESELLSCHAFT MBH GERMANY - IP LAWYER OF THE YEAR, DR ROBERT KLINSKI PCF SOLUTIONS LIMITED UK - MANAGEMENT ADVISORY OF THE YEAR PEEL PORTS GROUP UK - GROWTH COMPANY OF THE YEAR (LOGISTICS) PEEL PORTS GROUP UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, MARK WHITWORTH PENTECH VENTURES LLP UK - TMT VC OF THE YEAR PLUTA RECHTSANWALTS GMBH GERMANY - INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR PLUTA RECHTSANWALTS GMBH GERMANY - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING) - MICHAEL PLUTA PNC BUSINESS CREDIT UK - ASSET BASED LENDER OF THE YEAR (MID MARKET) POLLYANNA CAPITAL PARTNERS RUSSIA - M&A ADVISOR OF THE YEAR POLLYANNA CAPITAL PARTNERS RUSSIA - CROSS BORDER M&A ADVISOR OF THE YEAR POTAMITISVEKRIS GREECE – OVERALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR POTAMITISVEKRIS GREECE - FINANCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR POTAMITISVEKRIS GREECE - INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR POTTER CLARKSON LLP UK - PATENT PROSECUTION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR POTTER CLARKSON LLP UK - BIOTECH AND PHARMA ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR POTTER CLARKSON LLP UK - CLEANTECH ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR POWELL GILBERT LLP UK - LEADING FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (LIFE SCIENCES), DR PENNY GILBERT PPR & PARTNER GERMANY - ANGLO-AMERICAN BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

NORDKINN | ASSET MANAGEMENT AB NORDIC - FIXED INCOME FUND OF THE YEAR NORDKINN | ASSET MANAGEMENT AB NORDIC - ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT MANAGER OF THE YEAR NORDKINN | ASSET MANAGEMENT AB NORDIC - HEDGE TEAM OF THE YEAR NORRON ASSET MANAGEMENT NORDIC - LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND OF THE YEAR, NORDIC FUND NORRON SELECT FUND NORRON ASSET MANAGEMENT NORDIC - FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR NORWICH ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES LTD UK - REGIONAL TAX / ACCOUNTING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR NUCLEARELECTRICA ROMANIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (NUCLEAR POWER) NUCLEARELECTRICA ROMANIA - COMPANY OF THE YEAR (POWER GENERATION) ODVETNIKI DOLŽAN, VIDMAR & ZEMLJARIČ SLOVENIA - CORPORATE AND M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ODVETNIKI DOLŽAN, VIDMAR & ZEMLJARIČ SLOVENIA - NATIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ODVETNIKI DOLŽAN, VIDMAR & ZEMLJARIČ SLOVENIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, Jurij Dolžan ODVETNIKI DOLŽAN, VIDMAR & ZEMLJARIČ SLOVENIA - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ODVETNIKI DOLŽAN, VIDMAR & ZEMLJARIČ SLOVENIA - CAPITAL MARKETS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ODVETNIKI DOLŽAN, VIDMAR & ZEMLJARIČ SLOVENIA - INDEPENDENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ODVETNIŠKA DRUŽBA ŠPEC O.P. D.O.O. SLOVENIA – INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR ODVETNIŠKA DRUŽBA ŠPEC O.P. D.O.O. ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

OST ENERGY UK - RENEWABLE ENERGY ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

SLOVENIA – CORPORATE RECOVERY & INSOLVENCY

PPR & PARTNER GERMANY - SMALL COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR PRAGMA CONSULTING UK - PRIVATE EQUITY ADVISOR OF THE YEAR PREISKEL & CO LLP ENGLAND - TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR PREMFINA UK – FINANCE SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR PREMFINA UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE), BUNDEEP SINGH RANGAR PRICE BAILEY LIMITED CHANNEL ISLANDS - MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR, MARTIN CLAPSON PRICE BAILEY LIMITED GUERNSEY - LEADING ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (ACCOUNTANCY & AUDIT) PRICE BAILEY LIMITED UK - AUDIT FIRM OF THE YEAR PRICE BAILEY LIMITED UK – FINANCIAL ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR PRICE BAILEY LIMITED UK - FORENSIC ACCOUNTING FIRM OF THE YEAR PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP UK - BUSINESS CONTINUITY MANAGEMENT CONSULTING FIRM OF THE YEAR PRIME ADVOCATES UK - SOCIAL CONSULTANCY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR PWC GERMANY - DEBT & CAPITAL ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR] PWC GERMANY - BANKRUPTCY & RESTRUCTURING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR PWC NETHERLANDS – BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

ODYSSEY ANALYTIC SA SWITZERLAND - INDEPENDENT ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR

PWC NETHERLANDS – BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, RICK VAN DOMMELEN

ODYSSEY ANALYTIC SA MALTA - HEDGE FUND OF THE YEAR (SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ) (ODYSSEY GREEN PLANET FUND)

PWC GERMANY GERMANY - MOST TRUSTED - PRIVATE EQUITY ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

OFFSHORETAX.RO ROMANIA - COMPANY FORMATION SPECIALIST FIRM OF THE YEAR

PWC GERMANY GERMANY - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE EQUITY), STEVE ROBERTS

OLSWANG GERMANY (BERLIN) - TELECOMS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

PWC LLP UK - SUSTAINABILITY PRIVATE EQUITY ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

OLSWANG GERMANY (BERLIN) - LEADING TELECOMS LAWYER OF THE YEAR, DR THOMAS HÖPPNER

PWC LLP UK – HEDGE FUND ADVISORY TEAM OF THE YEAR

OLSWANG GERMANY - COMPETITION LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

QQM FUND MANAGEMENT AB SWEDEN - SYSTEMATIC EQUITY MARKET NEUTRAL FUND OF THE YEAR (QQM EQUITY HEDGE)

QQM FUND MANAGEMENT AB SWEDEN - FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR

SCM DIRECT UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FM), GINA MILLER

QUANTUM IMMIGRATION LLP UK – BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (IMMIGRATION)

SEQUEL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS UK - GROWTH COMPANY OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE / REINSURANCE SOFTWARE)

QUARSH LTD UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (RECRUITMENT PROCESS OUTSOURCING), LUCY JAMES

SEQUEL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, MARIO GARCIA

QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP FRANCE - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SEQUOIA CAPITAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLP UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FX), DOUGLAS GARISTINA

QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP FRANCE – MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR, PHILIPPE PINSOLLE QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP FRANCE – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (DISPUTE RESOLUTION), PHILIPPE PINSOLLE QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP GERMANY - PATENTS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SHERRARDS SOLICITORS LLP ENGLAND - MOST TRUSTED - LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP GERMANY - MID-MARKET LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SIA GROUP UK - SPECIALIST ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (PE MID-MARKET)

QUOTIDIAN INVESTMENTS LLP UK – WEALTH MANAGER OF THE YEAR

SIA GROUP UK - ASSET APPRAISER OF THE YEAR

QUOTIDIAN INVESTMENTS LLP UK – MULTI-ASSET PORTFOLIO OF THE YEAR QUOTIDIAN INVESTMENTS LLP UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FUND MANAGEMENT), PHILIP RICHARDS RECHTSANWALT ROLAND SPERLING GERMANY - GERMAN DIVORCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR RED ZEBRA ANALYTICS LTD EUROPE - LOYALTY PLATFORM OF THE YEAR (FINANCIAL SERVICES), 3D OFFERS RED ZEBRA ANALYTICS LTD EUROPE - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FINTECH), ATTUL SEHGAL

SIA GROUP UK - CORPORATE INSOLVENCY ADVISOR OF THE YEAR SIMMONS & SIMMONS UK – ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENT FUNDS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SIMMONS & SIMMONS UK – LAWYER OF THE YEAR (ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENT FUNDS), COLIN LEAVER SIMMONS & SIMMONS UK – FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENT FUNDS), ANIA RONTALER SINCERIUS TRANSACTION SERVICES NETHERLANDS - FINANCIAL DUE DILIGENCE ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

REGULATORY STRATEGIES LTD UK - DATA PROTECTION CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

SINCERIUS TRANSACTION SERVICES NETHERLANDS - M&A ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, JOOST SIEMENSMA

RESIDENCY BOND PROGRAM LTD HUNGARY - FULL SERVICE IMMIGRATION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

SIRIUS LEGAL BELGIUM - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

RESIDENCY BOND PROGRAM LTD HUNGARY - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (IMMIGRATION), LASZLO GAAL

SIRIUS LEGAL BELGIUM - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

RIALTO CONSULTANCY UK - TRANSITION COACHING CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR ROBERT QUINN CONSULTING LTD UK - REGULATORY ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (COMPLIANCE AND REGULATORY) ROBERT QUINN CONSULTING LTD UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (COMPLIANCE AND REGULATORY), ROBERT QUINN ROBERTS JACKSON SOLICITORS UK - NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (INDUSTRIAL DISEASE)

SLATER INVESTMENTS LIMITED UK - FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR SLATER INVESTMENTS LIMITED UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FM), MARK SLATER SLATER INVESTMENTS LIMITED UK - EQUITY GROWTH FUND OF THE YEAR (OVER 5 YEARS) - MFM SLATER GROWTH FUND LIMITED SLATER INVESTMENTS LIMITED UK - BOUTIQUE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY OF THE YEAR

ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L. PORTUGAL - CRIMINAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SMART HR SOLUTIONS LIMITED ISLE OF MAN - HR CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L. PORTUGAL - WHITE COLLAR LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SOCIETE GENERALE PRIVATE BANKING EUROPE - PRIVATE BANK OF THE YEAR

ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L. PORTUGAL - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SOFIA GALVÃO ADVOGADOS PORTUGAL - PLANNING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L. PORTUGAL - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (ARBITRATION), ROGERIO ALVES

SOFIA GALVÃO ADVOGADOS PORTUGAL - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L. PORTUGAL - ARBITRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SOFIA GALVÃO ADVOGADOS PORTUGAL - CONSTRUCTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ROGÉRIO FERNANDES FERREIRA & ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL - ACCOUNTING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ROGÉRIO FERNANDES FERREIRA & ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL - LEADING TAX LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ROGÉRIO M. FERNANDES FERREIRA ROGÉRIO FERNANDES FERREIRA & ASSOCIADOS PORTUGAL - BUSINESS LAWYER OF THE YEAR, FILIPE ESCOBAR

SRC UK - REGIONAL TAX / ACCOUNTING / CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR SOFIA GALVÃO ADVOGADOS PORTUGAL - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, SOFIA GALVÃO ST CATHERINE'S CHAMBERS LLP UK - PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR

ROTHSCHILD GMBH GERMANY - CROSS BORDER M&A ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

ST CATHERINE'S CHAMBERS LLP UK - INSURANCE CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR

RPM SOLUTIONS UK - TECH OFFERING OF THE YEAR (HEALTHCARE), ONE-PATH MEDICAL

ST CATHERINE'S CHAMBERS LLP UK - CONTRACT CLAIM DISPUTES CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR

RPM SOLUTIONS UK - COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY OF THE YEAR (HEALTHCARE)

STEER AND CO UK - NICHE ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (TMT) REBECCA STEER

RPM SOLUTIONS UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (HEALTHTECH) – JON RICHARSON SAGM MÉDICIS SWITZERLAND - INDEPENDENT ASSET MANAGEMENT BOUTIQUE OF THE YEAR (RISK/RETURN FOCUSED) SATOR REGULATORY CONSULTING LIMITED CHANNEL ISLANDS – FUND CONSULTING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

STEER AND CO UK - NICHE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (TMT) STJ ADVISORS UK - SENIOR EQUITY ADVISOR FIRM OF THE YEAR STOCKHOLM ARBITRATION & LITIGATION CENTER (SALC) SWEDEN – ARBITRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SATOR REGULATORY CONSULTING LIMITED CHANNEL ISLANDS – RESTRUCTURING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

STOCKHOLM ARBITRATION & LITIGATION CENTER (SALC) SWEDEN – ADR LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SATOR REGULATORY CONSULTING LIMITED CHANNEL ISLANDS – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, HELEN HATTON

STRATTON STREET CAPITAL LLP UK – FIXED INCOME ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR

SCHIEBE UND COLLEGEN GERMANY - BANKRUPTCY LAWYER OF THE YEAR, DR. ROBERT SCHIEBE

STRATTON STREET CAPITAL LLP UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR

SCHIEBE UND COLLEGEN GERMANY - BANKRUPTCY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SCHINDLER RECHTSANWÄLTE GMBH (SCHINDLER AND PARTNERS) PRIVATE EQUITY LAWYER OF THE YEAR, FLORIAN CVAK

AUSTRIA -

SCHINDLER RECHTSANWÄLTE GMBH (SCHINDLER AND PARTNERS) LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, CLEMENS PHILIPP SCHINDLER

AUSTRIA -

SCHINDLER RECHTSANWÄLTE GMBH (SCHINDLER AND PARTNERS) CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AUSTRIA -

SCHINDLER RECHTSANWÄLTE GMBH (SCHINDLER AND PARTNERS) LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AUSTRIA - TAX

SCHWEISSGUT GMBH VERMOGENSMANAGEMENT & CONSULTING WEALTH MANAGEMENT ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

AUSTRIA -

SCHWEISSGUT GMBH VERMOGENSMANAGEMENT & CONSULTING AUSTRIA - WEALTH MANAGEMENT ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, WOLFGANG WELD

SCM DIRECT UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FM), ALAN MILLER

SERVICEPOWER TECHNOLOGIES PLC UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FSM), MARNE MARTIN

SHAWBROOK BUSINESS CREDIT UK - ALL ASSET LENDER OF THE YEAR

QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP GERMANY - LARGE TIER IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SCM DIRECT UK - LONG-TERM RETURN FUND OF THE YEAR (OVER 5 YEARS)

SERVICEPOWER TECHNOLOGIES PLC UK - COMPANY OF THE YEAR (WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY)

SHAWBROOK BUSINESS CREDIT UK - INVOICE DISCOUNTER OF THE YEAR

QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP GERMANY - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SCM DIRECT UK - LEADING FUND MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

SEQUOIA CAPITAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLP UK - ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY OF THE YEAR

STREATHERS SOLICITORS LLP UK (CITY) - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (CULTURAL PROPERTY) STREATHERS SOLICITORS LLP UK (CITY) - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (CONTENTIOUS PROBATE) STREATHERS SOLICITORS LLP UK (CITY) - LAWYER OF THE YEAR (ART LAW), MILTON SILVERMAN STUDIO LEGALE SUTTI ITALY - CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR STUDIO LEGALE SUTTI ITALY - INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL LITIGATION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR STUDIO LEGALE SUTTI ITALY - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR STREATHERS SOLICITORS LLP UK (CITY) - LEAD PARTNER OF THE YEAR (20 PARTNERS OF LESS), MILTON SILVERMAN SUCCESSION CORPORATE FINANCE LLP UK - CORPORATE FINANCE BOUTIQUE OF THE YEAR SUTER HOWALD ATTORNEYS AT LAW SWITZERLAND - ADMINISTRATIVE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SUTER HOWALD ATTORNEYS AT LAW SWITZERLAND - ARBITRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SUTER HOWALD ATTORNEYS AT LAW SWITZERLAND - IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VGENOPOULOS & PARTNERS LAW FIRM GREECE - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SUTER HOWALD ATTORNEYS AT LAW SWITZERLAND (ZURICH) - LEADING IMMIGRATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR - ARA SAMUELIAN

VGENOPOULOS & PARTNERS LAW FIRM GREECE - INVESTMENT & BANKING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SUTER HOWALD ATTORNEYS AT LAW SWITZERLAND (ZURICH) - LEADING IMMIGRATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR - ADRIAN F HOWALD

VGENOPOULOS & PARTNERS LAW FIRM GREECE - CAPITAL MARKETS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SUTER HOWALD ATTORNEYS AT LAW SWITZERLAND - ADMINISTRATIVE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VGENOPOULOS & PARTNERS LAW FIRM GREECE - CROSS-BORDER M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SUTER HOWALD ATTORNEYS AT LAW SWITZERLAND - ARBITRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VGENOPOULOS & PARTNERS LAW FIRM GREECE - LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ANDREAS E. VGENOPOULOS

SUTER HOWALD ATTORNEYS AT LAW SWITZERLAND - IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VIGITRUST FRANCE - INFORMATION SECURITY COMPANY OF THE YEAR (EDUCATION)

SUTER HOWALD ATTORNEYS AT LAW SWITZERLAND (ZURICH) - LEADING IMMIGRATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR - ARA SAMUELIAN

VIGITRUST FRANCE - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INFORMATION SECURITY), MATHIEU GORGE

SUTER HOWALD ATTORNEYS AT LAW SWITZERLAND (ZURICH) - LEADING IMMIGRATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR - ADRIAN F HOWALD

VILAU | ASSOCIATES ROMANIA - MOST RESPECTED - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SYMEOU & KONNARIS LLC CYPRUS - OVERALL CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VILAU | ASSOCIATES ROMANIA - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SYNSEAL UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DAVID LENG

VISSERS ADVOCATUUR B.V. NETHERLANDS - SPORTS & GAMING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SYNSEAL UK – REGIONAL COMPANY OF THE YEAR (MANUFACTURING)

VISSERS ADVOCATUUR B.V. NETHERLANDS - SPORTS & GAMING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, REMCO WORTEL

SYQUANT CAPITAL FRANCE - INDEPENDENT ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR

VITEOS EUROPE - MIDDLE OFFICE SERVICES FIRM OF THE YEAR

SYQUANT CAPITAL FRANCE - ARBITRAGE MULTI STRATEGY HEDGE FUND OF THE YEAR

VMB LAW OFFICE MONTENEGRO – LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SYQUANT CAPITAL FRANCE - LOW VOLATILITY FUND OF THE YEAR (HELIUM OPPORTUNITIES FUND)

VMB LAW OFFICE MONTENEGRO – LAWYER OF THE YEAR, VESKO M. BOŽOVIĆ

SYQUANT CAPITAL FRANCE - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, OLIVIER LEYMARIE

VÖLKL. RECHTSANWÄLTE AUSTRIA - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TAVERNIER TSCHANZ SWITZERLAND - M&A LAWYER OF THE YEAR, JACQUES BONVIN

VÖLKL. RECHTSANWÄLTE AUSTRIA - LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TECHOLOGY ASSOCIATES LIMITED UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (BUSTECH), KELVIN KIRBY

VÖLKL. RECHTSANWÄLTE AUSTRIA - LABOR LAW - MANAGEMENT LAWYER OF THE YEAR, KATHARINA VÖLKL

THE BUSINESS CONTINUITY INSTITUTE INTERNATIONAL - TRAINING RESOURCE OF THE YEAR (BUSINESS CONTINUITY)

VÖLKL. RECHTSANWÄLTE AUSTRIA - NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

THE CHAMBERS OF WILLIAM CLEGG QC UK - CRIME CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR

WALKER MORRIS UK - SPORTS LAWYER OF THE YEAR - DAVID HINCHLIFFE

THE ECU GROUP PLC UK - CURRENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THE YEAR

WALKER MORRIS UK – REGIONAL SPORTS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

THE ECU GROUP PLC UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT), MICHAEL PETLEY

WALKER MORRIS UK - AIM LAWYER OF THE YEAR - RICHARD NAISH

THE INMAR LEGAL CO RUSSIA - BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WALKER MORRIS UK - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (FOOD & DRINK)

THE TRG GROUP UK - MANAGED SERVICES PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (SWITCHBOARD, RECEPTION AND CONCIERGE)

WBD ACCOUNTANTS LIMITED UK - REGIONAL ACCOUNTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR

TOLHURST FISHER LLP UK - ARBITRATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, NICK BOWMAN

WBD ACCOUNTANTS LIMITED UK - REGIONAL CORPORATE TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

TOLHURST FISHER LLP UK - REGIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WBD ACCOUNTANTS LIMITED UK - REGIONAL SME ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

TOUCH FINANCIAL UK INVOICE FINANCE BROKER OF THE YEAR

WESLEYAN ASSURANCE SOCIETY UK - INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE YEAR

TREA CAPITAL PARTNERS, S.V. SPAIN - EMERGING MARKETS CREDIT FUND OF THE YEAR (3G CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES FUND)

WESLEYAN ASSURANCE SOCIETY UK – CUSTOMER SERVICE INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE YEAR

TREA CAPITAL PARTNERS, S.V. SPAIN - HEDGE FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR

WESLEYAN ASSURANCE SOCIETY UK – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE), DR CRAIG ERRINGTON

TREA CAPITAL PARTNERS, S.V. SPAIN - ASSET MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

WIJNSTRAWISE PATENTS B.V. THE NETHERLANDS - IP ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

TSAA - ATTORNEYS AT LAW ROMANIA - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WIJNSTRAWISE PATENTS B.V. THE NETHERLANDS - IP ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, REINIER WIJNSTRA

TSAA - ATTORNEYS AT LAW ROMANIA - COMPETITION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WILLIAM FRY IRELAND - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TSAA - ATTORNEYS AT LAW ROMANIA - LAWYER OF THE YEAR - ADRIANA ALMĂȘAN

WILLIAM FRY IRELAND - DISPUTE RESOLUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TUSKER UK – TAX INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR (SALARY SACRIFICE)

WILLIAM FRY IRELAND - EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TUSKER UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (SALARY SACRIFICE) - DAVID HOSKING

WILLIAM FRY IRELAND - ENERGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TWELVE CAPITAL UK - NICHE INVESTMENT MANAGER OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE)

WILLIAM FRY IRELAND - INSOLVENCY & RESTRU CTURING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

TWM UK (SOUTH EAST) - REGIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WILLIAM FRY IRELAND - INSURANCE & REINSURANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VAKHNINA & PARTNERS RUSSIAN FEDERATION - LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR (IP)- TATYANA VAKHNINA

WILLIAM FRY IRELAND - PENSIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VALENTE ASSOCIATI GEB PARTNERS ITALY - CRIMINAL TAX LAWYER OF THE YEAR, IVO CARACCIOLI

WINHELLER RECHTSANWALTSGESELLSCHAFT MBH GERMANY - FOUNDATIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VALENTE ASSOCIATI GEB PARTNERS ITALY - INTERNATIONAL TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WINHELLER RECHTSANWALTSGESELLSCHAFT MBH GERMANY - NON-PROFIT SECTOR LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VALENTE ASSOCIATI GEB PARTNERS ITALY - TAX LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WINSTON & STRAWN LONDON LLP UK – FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VALENTE ASSOCIATI GEB PARTNERS ITALY - TRANSFER PRICING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WOLLEN MICHELMORE UK - LEADING FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE CLIENT) - KATRINA VOLLENTINE

VALENTE ASSOCIATI GEB PARTNERS ITALY - TRANSFER PRICING LAWYER OF THE YEAR

WOLLEN MICHELMORE UK - REGIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (SOUTH WEST)

VALLETTA FUND SERVICES LIMITED MALTA - FUND ADMINISTRATION SPECIALIST FIRM OF THE YEAR

WOLLEN MICHELMORE UK - LICENCING & GAMING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (SOUTH WEST)

VALENTE ASSOCIATI GEB PARTNERS ITALY - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WOODS SQUARED LIMITED UK - BUSINESS GROWTH ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

VAYANOS KOSTOPOULOS GREECE - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WSMK RECHTSANWALTE AUSTRIA - BOUTIQUE - FOOD & BEVERAGE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VAYANOS KOSTOPOULOS GREECE - TRADEMARK LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WSMK RECHTSANWALTE AUSTRIA - REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VAYANOS KOSTOPOULOS GREECE - IP PROSECUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

WSMK RECHTSANWALTE AUSTRIA - PROCUREMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VAYANOS KOSTOPOULOS GREECE - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (IP), DR NIKOLAOS LYBERIS

ZAIWALLA & CO SOLICITORS UK - NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (LITIGATIONS AND ARBITRATIONS)

VENNER SHIPLEY LLP UK - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (CLEANTECH)

ΜARINOS - KATSAS - LIASKOS & ASSOCIATES GREECE - MOST TRUSTED - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

VENNER SHIPLEY LLP UK - IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (ENGINEERING / MECHANICAL) VENNER SHIPLEY LLP UK - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (IP), MATTHEW READ

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA 10 2ND AVENUE HOUGHTON ESTATE SOUTH AFRICA - CORPORATE RETREAT OF THE YEAR

LOMORO & CO. ADVOCATES SOUTH SUDAN - COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AB & DAVID AFRICA - INDEPENDENT BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LOMORO & CO. ADVOCATES SOUTH SUDAN - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AB & DAVID AFRICA - COMMERCIAL BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LUKE & ASSOCIATES BOTSWANA - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AB & DAVID AFRICA – LAWYER OF THE YEAR (ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE), DAVID OFOSU-DORTE

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP LEBANON - INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AB & DAVID AFRICA – LAWYER OF THE YEAR (PROCUREMENT), ISABEL BOATEN

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP SAUDI ARABIA - INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AKABOGU & ASSOCIATES NIGERIA - LEADING SHIPPING & TRANSPORT LAWYER OF THE YEAR - MR EMEKA AKABOGU

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP SAUDI ARABIA - OVERSEAS CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AKABOGU & ASSOCIATES NIGERIA - SHIPPING & TRANSPORT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP SAUDI ARABIA - OVERSEAS M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD LLP UAE - CROSS-BORDER LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP SAUDI ARABIA - OVERSEAS PRIVATE EQUITY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD LLP UAE - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP UAE - INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD LLP UAE - SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MARLON SHEVELEW & ASSOCIATES SOUTH AFRICA - CONSUMER LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AL SAFAR & PARTNERS ADVOCATES AND LEGAL CONSULTANTS UAE - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

MARLON SHEVELEW & ASSOCIATES SOUTH AFRICA - COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

AL SAFAR & PARTNERS ADVOCATES AND LEGAL CONSULTANTS UAE - MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR, KAVITHA S. PANICKER

MILLER DU TOIT CLOETE INC SOUTH AFRICA - FAMILY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ALATHEER AUDIT AND CONSULTING BAHRAIN - CORPORATE SUPPORT SERVICES FIRM OF THE YEAR

MILLER DU TOIT CLOETE INC SOUTH AFRICA – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FAMILY LAW) - ZENOBIA DU TOIT

ALLIED COMPLIANCE CONSULTANTS UAE - INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR, HOSSAM M. ABD EL-RAHMAN

N|T|K & CO. ISRAEL - CAPITAL MARKETS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ALLIED COMPLIANCE CONSULTANTS UAE - FULL SERVICE BUSINESS CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR

N|T|K & CO. ISRAEL - PUBLIC COMPANY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ARKHURST & ABDELLAH UAE - LEADING CLIENT CARE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

NOVARE INVESTMENTS SOUTH AFRICA – INDEPENDENT INVESTMENT ADVISORY OF THE YEAR

ARKHURST & ABDELLAH UAE - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (CORPORATE) - JENNIFER ARKHURST

NOVARE INVESTMENTS SOUTH AFRICA – MULTI-MANAGER FUND PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

ARKHURST & ABDELLAH UAE - CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

NOVARE INVESTMENTS SOUTH AFRICA – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, MR. JJ HENN

ASHITIVA & COMPANY ADVOCATES KENYA - BANKING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

OMAN INSURANCE COMPANY UAE - COMPANY OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE)

AUTO & GENERAL SOUTH AFRICA - BRAND OF THE YEAR

OMAN INSURANCE COMPANY UAE - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE), CHRISTOS ADAMANTIADIS, OMAN INSURANCE COMPANY

AZHARI LEGAL CONSULTANCY UAE - ARBITRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR AZHARI LEGAL CONSULTANCY UAE - BOUTIQUE TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BDO SOUTH AFRICA - TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR BDO SOUTH AFRICA - TAX ADVISER OF THE YEAR, FERDIE SCHNEIDER BERNADT, VUKIC , POTASH AND GETZ ATTORNEYS SOUTH AFRICA - BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL) BERNADT, VUKIC , POTASH AND GETZ ATTORNEYS SOUTH AFRICA - PRIVATE EQUITY LAWYER OF THE YEAR, KEITH GETZ BERTUS PRELLER AND ASSOCIATES INC. SOUTH AFRICA – BOUTIQUE FAMILY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BERTUS PRELLER AND ASSOCIATES INC. SOUTH AFRICA - LAWYER OF THE YEAR (FAMILY LAW), BERTUS PRELLER CHARLES TAYLOR & CO. LIMITED EMEA – INSURANCE & REINSURANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (SHIPPING) CHARLES TAYLOR & CO. LIMITED EMEA – SPECIALITY INSURANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR DEVERE GROUP UAE - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FINANCIAL CONSULTANCY) - NIGEL GREEN EKURHULENI ARTISANS AND SKILLS TRAINING CENTRE SOUTH AFRICA – TRAINING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR EKURHULENI ARTISANS AND SKILLS TRAINING CENTRE SOUTH AFRICA – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (EDUCATION & TRAINING), MARTHIE JANSEN VAN RENSBURG

PAMOJA CAPITAL KENYA - M&A ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, GEOFFREY GANGLA PAMOJA CAPITAL KENYA - BOUTIQUE ADVISORY OF THE YEAR Prof. Tawfik Khoja, Director General, Executive Board, Health Ministers’ Council for GCC. SAUDI ARABIA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (HEALTHCARE ) RAND MERCHANT BANK AFRICA - INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR RAND MERCHANT BANK SOUTH AFRICA - DEBT HOUSE OF THE YEAR RAND MERCHANT BANK SOUTH AFRICA - INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR RAND MERCHANT BANK SOUTH AFRICA - M&A ADVISORY OF THE YEAR RSM ASHVIR KENYA - TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR SAHRA PETROLEUM CONSULTING YEMEN - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SAHRA PETROLEUM CONSULTING YEMEN - OIL & GAS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SAHRA PETROLEUM CONSULTING YEMEN - CORPORATE FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SAHRA PETROLEUM CONSULTING YEMEN - TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR SAHRA PETROLEUM CONSULTING YEMEN - NICHE ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (OIL & GAS)

ENS SOUTH AFRICA - LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MICHAEL KATZ

SAHRA PETROLEUM CONSULTING YEMEN - LABOUR LAW & EMPLOYMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EY ETHIOPIA - MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR, ZEMEDENEH NEGATU

SAHRA PETROLEUM CONSULTING YEMEN - AVIATION, MARITIME & ADMIRALTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EY ETHIOPIA - CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

SAHRA PETROLEUM CONSULTING YEMEN - CONSTRUCTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

EY ETHIOPIA - FULL SERVICE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR

SHALAKANY LAW OFIICE EGYPT - ARBITRATION AND LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FERNANDA LOPES & ASSOCIADOS ADVOGADOS MOZAMBIQUE - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SHALAKANY LAW OFIICE EGYPT - CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FERNANDA LOPES & ASSOCIADOS ADVOGADOS MOZAMBIQUE - PROJECT FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SHALAKANY LAW OFIICE EGYPT - PROJECT FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FERNANDA LOPES & ASSOCIADOS ADVOGADOS MOZAMBIQUE - LAWYER OF THE YEAR - FERNANDA LOPES

SMIEDT & ASSOCIATES SOUTH AFRICA - BUSINESS LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FICHTE & CO UAE - LEADING CLIENT CARE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

SMIEDT & ASSOCIATES SOUTH AFRICA - RISING STAR OF THE YEAR, DALE SMIEDT

FICHTE & CO UAE - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (SHIPPING & MARITIME), JASAMIN FICHTE

SMIEDT & ASSOCIATES SOUTH AFRICA - WILL, TRUST AND GENERAL ESTATE PLANNING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

FWU GLOBAL TAKAFUL SOLUTIONS UAE (DUBAI) - SUKUK STRUCTURE OF THE YEAR

SUPER GROUP SOUTH AFRICA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR - PETER MOUNTFORD

FWU GLOBAL TAKAFUL SOLUTIONS UAE (DUBAI) - TAKAFUL SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

TELESURE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS (PTY) LTD SOUTH AFRICA - COMPANY OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE)

GBSH CONSULT GROUP SOUTH AFRICA - LEADING CONSULTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR

TELESURE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS (PTY) LTD SOUTH AFRICA - WORKPLACE OF THE YEAR

GBSH CONSULT GROUP SOUTH AFRICA - MANAGEMENT CONSULTING FIRM OF THE YEAR

THEBE REED EXHIBITIONS SOUTH AFRICA – COMPANY OF THE YEAR (EVENT MANAGEMENT)

GBSH CONSULT GROUP SOUTH AFRICA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, H.E DR. AMBASSADOR TAL EDGARS

THEBE REED EXHIBITIONS SOUTH AFRICA – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (EVENT MANAGEMENT), CAROL WEAVING

GBSH CONSULT GROUP SOUTH AFRICA - STRATEGIC CONSULTING FIRM OF THE YEAR

TOKUNBO ORIMOBI LP NIGERIA - CORPORATE FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GREENSTONE EQUITY PARTNERS MENA - FUND PLACEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

TRLPLAW NIGERIA - LAWYER OF THE YEAR, AJIBOLA OLUYEDE

GREENSTONE EQUITY PARTNERS MENA - INVESTMENT ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

TUMUSIIME, KABEGA & COMPANY ADVOCATES EAST AFRICA - SMALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

GREENSTONE EQUITY PARTNERS MENA - CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

TUMUSIIME, KABEGA & COMPANY ADVOCATES UGANDA - COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

HSA ADVOCATES INDIA - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

ZALLOUM & LASWI LAW FIRM JORDAN - INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

KPMG ZAMBIA ZAMBIA - AUDITORS OF THE YEAR

ZU’BI & PARTNERS BAHRAIN - EMPLOYMENT & LABOR LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

LEGUM AMICUSS UAE - FOREIGN SMALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

international

INTERNATIONAGlobal growth is expected to be 2.8% in 2015, lower than anticipated in January. Growth is expected to pick up to 3.2% in 2016–17, broadly in line with previous forecasts. Developing economies are facing two transitions. First, the widely expected tightening of monetary conditions in the United States, along with monetary expansion by other major central banks, has contributed to broad-based appreciation in the U.S. dollar and is exerting downward pressure on capital flows to developing countries. Many developing-country currencies have weakened against the U.S. dollar, particularly those of countries with weak growth prospects or elevated vulnerabilities. In some countries, this trend has raised concerns about balance sheet exposures in the presence of sizeable dollar-denominated liabilities. Currency depreciations have been significantly less in trade-weighted terms, partly due to a weakening Euro and yen, thus offering only modest prospects for competitiveness gains to boost exports. Second, despite some pickup in the first quarter of 2015, lower oil prices are having an increasingly pronounced impact. In oil-importing countries, the benefits to activity have so far been limited, although they are helping to reduce vulnerabilities. In oil-exporting countries, lower prices are sharply reducing activity and increasing fiscal, exchange rate, or inflationary pressures. Risks remain tilted to the downside, with some pre-existing risks receding but new ones emerging. Changes, which in the long run steady state may be good for the global economy, can cause strain and even a slowdown in the short run brought about by the challenges of transition. This is the message that underlies much of the June issue of the World Bank Group’s Global Economic Prospects. In addition to charting, as usual, our

detailed outlook for the global economy and for each of the world’s developing regions, this report goes on to analyze two big challenges, associated with two transitions, currently confronting policy makers the world over and especially in emerging economies and low-income countries: the impact of the looming monetary tightening cycle in the United States, and the repercussions of low commodity prices. Global growth has yet again disappointed, especially but not surprisingly in oil exporters and some large developing countries. The reason for our short-term forecast being somewhat downbeat is the expected strain of the transitions, even though the trends bode well for the medium and long terms. Under the baseline scenario, the first U.S. monetary policy rate increase since the global financial crisis will dampen capital flows to developing countries modestly and gradually and is not expected to cause any major turbulence. This is not to deny that the first rate increase will likely cause an increase in global borrowing cost, and will be accompanied by greater investor discrimination between countries based on their vulnerabilities and structural strengths. Commodity-exporting developing countries may be vulnerable to shifting investor sentiment since sharply lower oil prices from a year ago have already begun to reduce activity in most of them. Under a stress scenario, some countries might struggle to adjust to the combination of these two shocks. Although resilient thus far, low-income countries could weaken over the medium term as investment in the resource sector slows. The benefits from low oil prices to growth in oil importers have thus far been slow to materialize,

but some oil importers have seen their vulnerabilities decline as inflation has slowed and fiscal or current account deficits have narrowed, boosting their growth potential. The global economy is expected to grow 2.8% in 2015, slightly less than forecast in January, before strengthening moderately to 3.2% in 2016– 17. Developing country growth, buffeted by falling commodity prices, the stronger dollar, and tightening financial conditions, has been revised downward to 4.4% in 2015 but is expected to pick up momentum and reach 5.3% in 2016–17. Risks to the outlook remain tilted to the downside, as new challenges have emerged even as preexisting ones have become more balanced. In particular, tighter global financial conditions could combine with deteriorating growth prospects, especially in commodity-exporting countries, to raise the possibility of greater financial stress. The strengthening dollar could also slow the U.S. economy more than expected earlier, leading to some global strain. In the current environment, there will be a premium on structural reforms in developing countries to ensure a smooth adjustment to low commodity prices and gradually tightening financial conditions. Ambitious reform agendas will signal to investors that authorities are serious about promoting long- term growth prospects. Lower commodity prices underscore the importance of diversification in commoditydependent economies. Credit: The World Bank

I N T E R N AT I O N A L TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (HEALTH) - ACCENTURE SOFTWARE

Accenture Software combines deep technology acumen with industry knowledge to develop differentiated software products. It offers advanced software-based solutions, like Accenture Software for Health and Public Service, to enable organizations to meet their business goals and achieve high performance. The Accenture Public Health Platform (APHP) is an integrated, flexible software platform originally designed to help US states better adapt to the evolving healthcare landscape, budget pressures and initiatives around health care reform. Capable of supporting claims and health benefits administration across public health programs, APHP enhances administrative efficiency, improves flexibility in program management, and speeds deployment – reducing total cost of ownership and helping agencies to focus on caring for the beneficiaries of these programs. Future-ready and componentized, Accenture Public Health Platform (APHP) has a standards-based interface protocol ready for connected health. To reduce implementation risk, APHP comes with pre-packaged configurations leveraging best practices that facilitate a quick start. A working system pilot can be available in weeks, rather than months or years. And the APHP framework uniquely supports phased implementation. Unlike any healthcare product on the market today, Accenture Public Health Platform (APHP) is a multi-tiered, service-oriented architecture (SOA) loosely coupled with a suite of preconfigured components. It provides a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) approach that delivers business services specific to healthcare programs. APHP comes ready to successfully administer public health programs with configurable pre-packaged benefit plans, healthcare business processes, reports, and much more.

Components include: s Claims Administration - A powerful enterprise solution to manage your health benefit plans for complete populations powered by highly configurable and intelligent business rules that can be in the cloud or in-house. It provides precise, fast and real-time processing of claims through auto adjudication. s Member Access - Standard based web access to enable member’s participation and engagement in their healthcare outcomes through one-click access to health information. s Provider Access - Standards-based web access providing complete claims management for health providers including on-line submission of claims, authorizations and referrals, discreet billing/payment and access to benefit coverage and re-imbursement information. It also connects easily to your existing software or service. s Care Management - Comprehensive toolset to control utilization while providing the best in disease and health management. It allows Authorize services and referrals with automated processing and correspondence, population outreach, screening and assessment and more. s Accenture Public Service Platform (APSP) is a service-oriented architecture (SOA) technology platform that helps public agencies modernize and integrate systems in record time, while preserving existing technology investments. www.accenture.com/HHSsoftware

I N T E R N AT I O N A L GLOBAL PAYMENT PROCES SING SOLUTION OF THE YEAR - ALLIED WALLET MOS T SECURE PAYMENT PROCES SING SOLUTION OF THE YEAR - ALLIED WALLET WORKPL ACE OF THE YEAR – ALLIED WALLET GAME CHAN GE R OF THE YEAR (MONEY MAN AGEMENT) - A NDY KH AWA JA , A L L IED WA L L ET A.J. Almeda - Marketing Manager 9000 W. Sunset Blvd. Suite 820 West Hollywood, CA 90069 www.AlliedWallet.com

As a leading payment processor, Allied Wallet provides top-of-the-line credit card processing solutions for online merchants across the globe in 196 countries, with the ability to process in over 150 different currencies so that no region is out of reach. With an Allied Wallet Payment Gateway, your growing business can utilize helpful tools like viewing real-time account activity, customized payment pages, proprietary Fraud Scrub technology, and 24/7 assistance with customer support at no extra cost, making your job that much easier. With the ever-changing world of e-commerce, we understand that it can be a challenge to launch and grow an online business with the pressing threat of cybercrime and the endless choices between processors with confusing rates and fees – that is where we come in to help. Our variety of paymentmanagement platforms include an online gateway, a mobile management app, and pre-paid debit cards that allow merchants to make every day purchases or payout affiliates with ease, allowing you to streamline all aspects of your cash flow so that you can focus on the other areas of your business. Our proprietary security features protect sensitive financial data from hackers

during the transaction process so that merchants and buyers feel at ease with their transactions. Allied Wallet is a SHA-256 PCI-Level 1 compliant processor with an in-house development team that ensures our payment gateway is secured with the latest in protection technology at all times, protecting sensitive data, worry-free. Our tireless dedication to providing merchants with limitless solutions and immediate assistance have garnered many accolades throughout the years. In 2015 alone, Allied Wallet has had the honor to receive the Acquisition International Award for Best-in-Class Multi-Currency Services, the IAIR Award for Innovation in Online Payment Solutions, and the Guiding Hand International award at the Payment Ecosystems conference in Berlin, among several others, including making the list of Inc 5000’s Fastest Growing Companies in Europe. Connect with Allied Wallet today to begin your journey with our gateway to success.

INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SERV ICES ALLI ANCE OF THE YEAR

Accountancy & Law Alliance of the Year in the Global Market

Alliott Group James Hickey CEO Tel: +44 (0) 203 330 0111 james@alliottgroup.net www.alliottgroup.net

Alliott Group, founded in 1979, is a worldwide alliance of independent accounting, law and consulting

Members exchange, benchmark and share know-how and best practice information on both a technical and practice management level.

James Hickey, Alliott Group CEO, noted: “We are different to other associations and networks in that we do not just focus on one aspect of business. Instead, through our alliance with national, regional and international ac-

thorough screening process on appli-

The principles of its business are passion – to bring energy, drive and resolve in supporting business growth; integrity – consistently making fair, honest and reliable choices; and excellence – capability to provide and effective manner that exceeds expectations. The group has accounting and law providing independent advice and services to businesses and individmarket presence which provides them with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of business and cultural matters, enabling them to to co-operate with one another on a local, regional and worldwide level to access knowledge and best practices from like-minded professionals to give them a competitive advantage in servicing their clients.

latest peer review or an on-site review where a peer review is not available. their membership to ensure that they continue to operate and meet all of

in becoming recognised within their respective markets as a primary source of accounting and / or legal information and services to facilitate cross-border business. It is also looking to continue to consolidate its presence in all geographies. Members of the Alliott Group typically service SME and entrepreneurial-led solutions from professionals with the correct technical and industrial knowledge, as well as a full understanding of the local business environment. As SME businesses evaluate how they source external professional advice, and pressure is placed to reduce business costs, the independ-

the opportunity to extend nationally, regionally and globally with their

a good alternative to the larger brand

of like-minded professionals committed to providing a high standard of

technical capabilities as the larger

comply with all professional standards in every jurisdiction.

reduced cost. There is an alternative

and attract business through the ability to connect with likeminded professionals in other jurisdictions.

is for SME businesses to utilise the growing market presence of Alliott Group and its worldwide coverage of independent accounting and law

Alliott Group members can offer to their clients the resources one might

ey is responsible for the day-to-day management of Alliott Group. Working in conjunction with the Worldwide Executive, the Worldwide Board and the Regional Advisory Committees, he supports the development and implementation of membership services and the strategic development of the Group. Mr Hickey joined Alliott Group in July 2008 and has more than 10 membership / association business environment. Alliott Group has a full time team tasked with managing the day-today administration and meeting the strategic objectives of the group. the United Kingdom and the team is there to assist members wherever possible. Alliott Group is a member of EGIAN, the European Group of International Accounting Networks and Associations. EGIAN provides a forum for the members to develop common legislative issues and to debate these issues with key professional stakeholders and regulators, such as The European Union, CESR (The Committee of European Securities Regulators), FEE (The Federation of European Accountants) and IFAC (The International Federation of Accountants).

I N T E R N AT I O N A L NIC H E FIN AN CIAL ADV I SO R Y O F T H E YE A R ( E M E R G I NG MA R K E T S ), A P P L E T R E E CA P I TA L NIC H E FIN AN CIAL ADV I SO R Y O F T H E YE A R ( A B SO LUT E RE T U R N ), A P P L E T R E E CA P I TA L GAME CHANGER OF TH E YE A R ( A S SE T M A NAG E M E NT ) , D I M I T R I S A P I S T O U L A S , A P P L E T R E E C A P I TA L GAME CHANGER OF TH E YE A R ( A S SE T M A NAG E M E NT ) , M I C H A E L N I C O L E T O S , A P P L E T R E E C A P I TA L

Michael Nicoletos

Dimitrios Apistoulas

AppleTree Capital is an awarded independent financial advisor, specializing in Emerging Markets and Absolute Return strategies. The firm's mission is to deliver exceptional value to investors, by strictly adhering to its philosophy of Transparency, Liquidity and Risk Management. This is ensured by the valued services of our top notch business partners as well as the liquid and transparent structure of AppleTree’s fund which offers monthly liquidity and excellent transparency to investors. The company focuses on Emerging Europe, a niche part of the Emerging Markets world, which is often overlooked by the traditional Emerging Markets funds. AppleTree’s flagship, the Violet Emerging Markets Fund, is a long/short equities Emerging Europe fund with monthly liquidity and excellent transparency for investors. In 2013, the Violet yielded a +28.9% net return in USD terms. The outperformance continued in 2014 (+9.7%) while so far in 2015, YTD, Violet is up a net +4%.

Moreover, since May 2015, we have expanded out product offering with the Metron Absolute Return Fund, a Long/Short Equities Bonds (Developed Markets) fund which aims at low volatility returns across the market cycle. Our Vision is straightforward: To become a leading investment advisor covering Emerging Europe and Greece, where the team has a competitive edge: long standing relationships and excellent access to companies, investment flows, decision makers and market participants. Dimitris Apistoulas and Michael Nicoletos Dimitris Apistoulas and Michael Nicoletos are the Managing Directors of AppleTree Capital, an alternative investments advisor specializing in Emerging Markets. They have a combined experience of more than 20 years in financial markets and they have been working together for the past 9 years. Dimitris and Michael are the acting Portfolio Managers of the Violet Emerging Markets Fund, a Long / Short Emerging Markets Equities strategy, launched by AppleTree Capital in May 2010. The fund’s objective is to achieve returns in Emerging Europe (Greece, Russia, CEE, Southeastern Europe and Turkey), a region with high economic growth potential. This is an area with a population in excess of 400m and with a Market Cap/GDP that stands as low as 20%. Within 2014, the Violet Emerging Markets Fund yielded a net return of 9.69% in US$ terms, outperforming its benchmark by a wide 25% (MSCI EMEA) Industry The Alternative Investments industry is undergoing a significant transformation. Investment flexibility (when compared to more conventional sectors like mutual funds, for example) comes at a price. Regulatory changes across the globe and the emergence of “competitive” investment products make the landscape challenging.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L NIC H E FIN AN CIAL ADVI SO R Y O F T H E YE A R ( E M E R G I NG MA R K E T S ), A P P L E T R E E CA P I TA L NIC H E FIN AN CIAL ADVI SO R Y O F T H E YE A R ( A B SO LUT E R E T U R N ), A P P L E T R E E CA P I TA L GAMECHANGER OF THE YE A R ( A S SE T M A NAG E M E NT ) , D I M I T R I S A P I S T O U L A S , A P P L E T R E E C A P I TA L GAMECHANGER OF THE YE A R ( A S SE T M A NAG E M E NT ) , M I C H A E L N I C O L E T O S , A P P L E T R E E C A P I TA L

Companies must ensure that they have all the checking/ monitoring mechanisms in place to reduce operational risk. Structure, risk management and transparency become more and more important. We expect Alternative Investment Managers to focus on compliance, and the attraction of new assets via differentiated strategies. We believe that the strong flow of institutional money to alternative investments will continue, especially in liquid, transparent Long/ Short Equity strategies. Customers will be pushing for liquidity, transparency and tailor made fee arrangements. Despite the changes, we are positive on the industry. Competition is very high but this is of great benefit to investors who have a wide pallet of great products to choose from. What major successes can you point to over the past 12 months that have seen your business stand out among your peers? The investment teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience in the region (Greece, Russia, CEE, Southeastern Europe and Turkey) is a valued asset and allows us to bridge the informational inefficiency/ price action gap in this part of the world via:

implemented in a way that does not compromise the liquidity of the portfolio. Exposure sizes ensure that the whole portfolio can be liquidated within a maximum of three (3) trading days. Information from the ground generates ideas and allows us to enter into thematic trades with attractive risk/ return characteristics, beating benchmark returns. Moreover, we are truly a hedge fund, in the sense that we use extensive protection at times of turmoil, while we are very flexible, changing the portfolioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s net position from long to short swiftly according to our conviction. This is what really made a difference this year and distinguished our performance from the competition. The Violet Fund clocked a 9.69% net return in USD during VS A DROP OF ITS BENCHMARK THE -3#) EMEA. This was mainly a result of the timely and decisive change in our portfolio exposure back in May 2014.

s ,ONG ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL PROFESSIONALS who provide direct feed on political and financial developments s /UT OF THE BOX INVESTMENT IDEA GENERATION THROUGH interacting with our local network in the real economy s &REQUENT ROAD SHOWS AND COMPANY VISITS s )N HOUSE RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY VALUATION MISS PRICINGS s 5TILIZING TECHNOLOGY TO GET A LEAD VIEW FROM LOCAL FEEDS Following and interacting with local reliable sources via Bloomberg and Twitter. Following simultaneously local news feeds allows us to be ahead of the curve and swiftly transform news to strategy and investment positions. Our size and strategy allows us to enter into specific trades based on catalysts/ fundamentals irrespective of market capitalizations and index participation. This, however, is

The Violet had started the year with a net long exposure of 60% but as the markets rallied this was reduced drastically. )N *ULY THE NET EXPOSURE OF THE PORTFOLIO STOOD AT (net short) and was kept at very low levels throughout the following 3 months. This has protected the portfolio from the significant drop of equity markets in August and September.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L NIC H E FIN AN CIAL ADVI SO R Y O F T H E YE A R ( E M E R G I NG MA R K E T S ), A P P L E T R E E CA P I TA L NIC H E FIN AN CIAL ADVI SO R Y O F T H E YE A R ( A B SO LUT E R E T U R N ), A P P L E T R E E CA P I TA L GAMECHANGER OF THE YE A R ( A S SE T M A NAG E M E NT ) , D I M I T R I S A P I S T O U L A S , A P P L E T R E E C A P I TA L GAMECHANGER OF THE YE A R ( A S SE T M A NAG E M E NT ) , M I C H A E L N I C O L E T O S , A P P L E T R E E C A P I TA L

AppleTree Capital Philosophy

The Violet outperformed significantly in the months of extreme market volatility (January, September and December) posting positive returns during market meltdowns. This exhibited the effective hedging policies in place and the results of the active management of portfolio exposures from net long to net short, leading to an outperformance of more than 25% vs the fundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benchmark index. Award We, at AppleTree Capital are very happy to repeat our success for 2015 after being honored last year. Our strong 2014 performance and the award give us strength to continue. Both achievements confirm that if one persists when times in equity markets are tough with no loss of enthusiasm, results will come. We are a small team in AppleTree but we all share the same mentality: Consistent hard work and a perfect alignment of interests with our investors. Our success so far is attributed to the trust of our investors and the hard work of everybody at AppleTree Capital. For 2015 we believe, even though risks persist, that the region will continue to give interesting opportunities. !PPLE4REE #APITAL HAS A FIRST MOVER S ADVANTAGE MULTI YEAR expertise and through its fund it provides an easy, liquid and transparent way to do so. We feel its time to put our HARD EARNED GOODWILL AT WORK AND DO OUR BEST TO COUPLE IT with a strong 2015 performance to match.

Clients are partners and their interests are perfectly aligned with AppleTree Capital. This is a common line in our industry, but we believe that few companies truly adhere to this simple but extremely important rule. We believe in communication, in transparency and in addressing any requests that clients might have. We are not only their asset managers but their eyes and ears in every aspect of markets and economic activity, assisting them with our experience in a region (Emerging Europe) that we know well. We have built trust which is the pillar of any long standing and successful business relationship. AppleTree investors can expect the maximum in terms of transparency. 4OP &IVE %XPOSURES AS A OF PORTFOLIO 'EOGRAPHIC "REAKDOWN 3ECTOR "REAKDOWN 'ROSS AND .ET %XPOSURE 2ISK METRICS These are provided both by AppleTree (Newsletter) as well as independently, from the Administrator. Each AppleTree INVESTOR IS GIVEN A MONTHLY KEY CODE WHICH PROVIDES ACCESS to portfolio statistics via the Administrators secure web portal. Comments on Alternative Investments Industry As yields reach a historic low across geographies, we believe that the strong flow of institutional money to alternative investments will continue, especially in liquid, transparent Long/ Short Equity strategies. Customers will be pushing for liquidity, transparency and tailor made fee arrangements. Fund of Funds should continue to attract assets but investors will be looking for more niche oriented strategies. Moreover, traditional investors like pension funds may be inclined to increase their allocation to alternative investments to enhance returns and reduce downside volatility. This would provide a significant pool of liquidity for hedge funds, however the process should be relatively slow.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L NIC H E FIN AN CIAL ADVI SO R Y O F T H E YE A R ( E M E R G I NG MA R K E T S ), A P P L E T R E E CA P I TA L NIC H E FIN AN CIAL ADVI SO R Y O F T H E YE A R ( A B SO LUT E R E T U R N ), A P P L E T R E E CA P I TA L GAMECHANGER OF THE YE A R ( A S SE T M A NAG E M E NT ) , D I M I T R I S A P I S T O U L A S , A P P L E T R E E C A P I TA L GAMECHANGER OF THE YE A R ( A S SE T M A NAG E M E NT ) , M I C H A E L N I C O L E T O S , A P P L E T R E E C A P I TA L

Investment Advisor 15 D. Vassileiou Street Ag. Sophia Square, N.Psychico Athens 15451 Greece Tel: +30 211 311 8733

Most assets will continue to flow to the largest managers as has been the case in the past years. However, smaller managers like AppleTree can attract interest by offering strong returns, a high quality set up and a niche market UNIVERSE WHERE POTENTIAL RISK ADJUSTED RETURNS ARE HIGH Market View We are very skeptical about is going on in the world right now. Even though the central banks have been pumping liquidity in the financial system the issues still remain. Our main worries: a) Global debt b) China slowdown. It is evident that there is a slow down. Chinese numbers are not reliable anymore. You can extrapolate this by A) the quarterly earning issued by large multinationals with presence in China B) by the overall commodity correction. C) By the extraordinary measures taken by the Chinese government to restrain Chinese people from selling Chinese stocks. Chinese debt and ballooning banking system are also issues China created the entire US banking system of 15trillion in just in 8 years since 2007. c) Europe integration problems. Even though, Greece is a small problem in size, it is an indicator of the imbalances that have surfaced due to the misstructure of the euro. It is clear to us that these issues will come up sooner than market expects. d) Velocity of money is falling sharply this means that additional QE has marginally less impact in the economy e) The largest part of the market rally in the S&P has been funded by QE. If you divide the S&P by the Fed balance sheet you will see that the S&P is flat since QE started so there has been a huge price inflation in financial assets while there has been zero inflation in daily goods. So inflation pressures are not there. We think that the main threat is deflation and the recent correction in commodity prices suggest that we have not yet seen deflation fears being discounted.

Manager 3rd Floor DMS Place 18 For t Street Georgetown Grand Cayman Tel + 345 7498 628

AppleTree Capital Email: info@appletree -capital.com Website: www.appletree -capital.com Offices: In Georgetown and Athens

f) We believe that given the large amounts of QE by all central banks that physical gold could be a good place to invest. Not paper gold but physical gold. However, if there is any sharp correction gold would also move lower but in our view it would outperform. Nevertheless, in the next 5 years we see gold moving much higher since fiat money will start to loose its relative value g) The US dollar carry trade. 9 trillion USD. In the extreme scenario the Asian tiger crisis in 1997 might be repeated but this time it could be china unpegging its currency.

Hansaallee 22 D-60322 Frankfurt / Main Telefon +49 - 69 / 663 779 0 Fax +49 - 69 / 663 779 99 mail@der-yacht-anwalt.de www.der-yacht-anwalt.de www.cps-schliessmann.de

Prof. Dr. Christoph Ph. Schließmann & Team Your Guide in all Legal, Fiscal and Economic Matters of (Super)Yachts

WINNER 2015 in 6 Catagories: • • • • • •

INTERNATIONAL - YACHT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, DER YACHT ANWALT THE YACHT ATTORNEY GERMANY - YACHT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, DER YACHT ANWALT THE YACHT ATTORNEY GERMANY - CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, CPS SCHLIEßMANN GERMANY - LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, CPS SCHLIEßMANN GERMANY - INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, CPS SCHLIEßMANN GERMANY - INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, CPS SCHLIEßMANN

We are one of the leading and most respected law firms for Yacht-Law in Central Europe and specialists in International Business Law since 1994. Our clients enjoy the full emotion of yachting. We take care of the rest. We • provide (Super)Yacht-Owners as well as (Super)Yacht-Manufacturers with our “all-round the Yacht worry-free full service package” • ensure a safe and risk free Yacht purchase and operation

• optimize international Yacht tax matters • the complete life-cycle-operation of a Yacht as trouble-free, efficient and unproblematic as possible in a legally, fiscally and economically sound manner

I N T E R N AT I O N A L NICHE SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (BIOPHARMACEUTICAL / HEALTHCARE), GLOBALCARE CLINICAL TRIALS, LTD GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (BIOPHARMACEUTICAL / HEALTHCARE), GAIL ADINAMIS, GLOBALCARE CLINICAL TRIALS, LTD

GlobalCare Clinical Trials 2201 Waukegan Road, Suite 270 Bannockburn, IL 60015 USA Email: info@globalcarect.com Web: www.globalcarect.com Telephone: +1 847 282 3742 Contact: Robin Marcus

Gail Adinamis (founder and CEO)

GlobalCare Clinical Trials, Ltd is the leading global provider of ambulant health care services for clinical trials providing patient-centric, innovative, GCP-compliant services for biopharmaceutical companies by conducting selected study visits at locations convenient and comfortable for the patient (e.g., their home, workplace) when travel to the investigator site is not practical. GlobalCare provides services in over 45 countries and maintains a centrally managed network of multilingual country coordinators who are trained and certified on GCP/ICH requirements and have in-depth knowledge of local medical practices and country cultural attitudes. The network is augmented by an extensive pool of over 20,000 qualified local traveling physicians and nurses in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Pacific, South Africa, and expanding. GlobalCare’s model enables patients to participate in clinical trials regardless of study duration; frequency of visits; disease state; distance to site; and/or family, school, work or community commitments by conducting study visits in a location convenient to them. GlobalCare’s network of phlebotomists, high skilled nurses and physicians provide blood draws and other biologic sample collection, study drug administration, clinical assessments, questionnaires, training and data collection.

GlobalCare also provides patient chaperoning services to assist in the transport and escort of patients from their home to the investigator site or other study testing location. GlobalCare also provides site support services to facilitate the recruitment or scheduling of study patients, conduct of selected study procedures and data entry. In North America, GlobalCare offers central and local out-patient pharmacy services including study drug storage, compounding and dispensing, ancillary supplies, sourcing of commercial products and devices (infusion pumps) and transport of study drug following cold chain logistics. GlobalCare brings over 100 years of experience in the clinical trials and home healthcare industries supporting over 350 trials by effectively delivering high quality and convenient clinical trial services in the home or alternate-site setting resulting in faster subject enrollment, better patient compliance and higher retention rates while decreasing development timelines and speeding the delivery of life-enhancing products to market for the benefit of patients worldwide. GlobalCare supports phase I-IV clinical trials in a variety of therapeutic areas, genomics and personalized medicine in all age groups.

Globeleq is an experienced developer, owner and operator of independent power generation projects specialising in the emerging markets.

Energy for a Changing World Since 2002, Globeleq has participated in nearly 14,000 MW of power assets in 27 countries investing approximately US$1.3 billion of equity across 44 different power projects. As the leading African independent power company, it invests capital to enhance performance of existing assets and acquiring, developing and/or constructing new power projects. With assets in Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Cameroon and Kenya, Globeleq focuses on developing economically sustainable projects that support the continued development of the power sectors in Africa, in turn driving economic development. The company actively participates in the communities located near to its operations and develops its community engagement programmes in collaboration with local community, businesses, governments and private and multilateral organisations. Globeleq’s strength is the ability to develop, build and operate power generation assets in a variety of markets, electing technology appropriate for long term sustainability, generating reliable and affordable energy. The company has a highly qualified team of power developers, engineers, legal, financial and administrative managers which is fundamental to the company's success. The team has extensive experience at all project stages from inception, development, acquisition, financing, construction to operation and management of power assets.

Globeleq is proud to be voted by its industry peers for the third consecutive year in the 2015 ACQ Global Awards – the first company to ever receive this recognition during the 10 year history of the ACQ Global Awards:

International - Energy Business of the Year (Emerging Markets)

Generating power for emerging markets Mikael Karlsson was appointed as Globeleq’s Chief Executive Officer in 2009. He has transformed Globeleq into the leading African power company with more than 1,200 MWs of assets delivering power to 15 million people in Africa. Mikael has been involved in global development, acquisition, financing and equity investments of energy and infrastructure for around 25 years. He has been involved in power projects in China, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua.

With such extensive experience in emerging markets energy, industry peers recognized Mikael’s contribution to the industry. Congratulations to Mikael Karlsson, recipient of the 2015 ACQ Global Award

International – Gamechanger of the Year (Energy)

London

Oﬃce Operations Development

Abidjan

Azito 430 MW

Dibamba 88 MW Kribi 114 MW Expansion

Kribi 216 MW

Tsavo 75 MW Dar es Salaam

Songas 190 MW

De Aar 50 MW

Droogfontein 50 MW

Cape Town

Jeﬀreys Bay 138 MW

Azito

Songas

De Aar

South Africa

Azito generates electricity at its power plant using natural gas supplied from the

Songas’ business consists of two different operating streams – gas processing/ transportation and power generation.

De Aar Solar Power is a 50 MW photovoltaic (PV)

Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm has an installed capacity of 138 MW.

Côte d’Ivoire

Located in the village of Azito in the district of Yopougon, approximately 6 kms west of Abidjan, the facility uses combined cycle gas turbines to generate 430 MW of electricity. This equates to around 1/4 of the country’s base load generation. The plant supplies electricity under a 24-year concession agreement with the Government of Côte d’Ivoire. Globeleq owns 77% in the project company and 100% of the related operations and maintenance company. In May 2015, an expansion to the facility was completed (total generating capacity 430 MW). The expansion project was awarded 2012 African Power Deal of the Year by Project Finance International and 2013 Deal of the Year (Power) by Infrastructure Journal.

Q Award 2015 13.indd 4-5

Tanzania

is processed and then transported through a 225 km pipeline to Dar es Salaam where it is used in Songas’ 190 MW Ubungo power plant. Songas also processes and transports gas on behalf of the Salaam where it delivers gas to several other power generation facilities and other industrial consumers who use the natural gas in various manufacturing processes.

supplies the national electricity grid under a 20 year power purchase agreement, and supplies nearly 1⁄4 of the country’s electricity. By using the country’s own natural gas resources, it is estimated that the Songas facilities have saved Tanzania more than US$5.0 billion by helping to avoid the high costs of importing fuel oil used for power generation and industrial applications. The facilities are owned and operated by Songas Limited, of which Globeleq holds a majority interest.

solar generation plants in the country. The plant is located 6 km from the town of De Aar in the Northern Cape on approximately 100 hectares of land owned by the local Emthanjeni Municipality. The plant has 167,580 PV panels generating electricity directly into the Eskom distribution system under a 20 year power purchase agreement. The plant generates approximately 85 GWh per year, supplying enough clean, renewable electrical energy to meet the annual needs of more than 19,000 average South African homes. A percentage of the operational community through socio-economic and enterprise development programmes. Globeleq is the majority shareholder in a consortium group and provides day to day commercial and operational management services.

The facility is located between the towns of Jeffreys Bay and Humansdorp, approximately 70 km west of Port Elizabeth in the Kouga Municipality area on the Eastern Cape. The site is situated across a total of eight farms and spans almost 3,700 hectares. Jeffreys Bay uses 60 x Siemens 2.3 MW turbines and supplies enough clean, renewable electricity to power more than 114,100 South African homes. A percentage of the operational community through socio-economic and enterprise development programmes. Globeleq is the majority shareholder in a consortium group and provides day to day commercial and operational management services.

Generating power for emerging markets

Droogfontein South Africa

Droogfontein Solar Power is a 50 MW PV facility and is one plants in the country. The plant is located 15 km north of Kimberley in the Northern Cape on approximately 100 hectares of land leased from a local community property association. Droogfontein uses 168,720 photovoltaic panels, generating electricity directly into the Eskom distribution system under a 20 year power purchase agreement. The plant supplies approximately 85 GWh per year, providing enough clean, renewable electrical energy to meet the annual needs of more than 19,000 average South African homes. A percentage of the operational community through socio-economic and enterprise development programmes. Globeleq is the majority shareholder in a consortium group and provides day to day commercial and operational management services.

Kribi

Dibamba

Tsavo (Kipevu II)

generation plant near the coastal city of Kribi supplies electricity to the national grid.

Dibamba Power 88 MW generation plant in Yassa Village near Douala supplies electricity to the national grid when demand is at its peak.

Tsavo (Kipevu II) 75 MW power plant in Mombasa supplies shoulder load electricity to the national grid.

plant which was commissioned in 2013. It uses 13 Wartsilla 18V50DF generating sets. The plant sells electricity to ENEO, the national transmission and distribution company, through a 20 year power purchase agreement.

The facility uses 8 Wartsilla 18V38A reciprocating engines and is fuelled by heavy fuel oil. The plant sells electricity to ENEO, the national transmission and distribution company through a 20 year power purchase agreement.

The Kribi power plant runs on natural gas with light fuel oil as a backup. Natural gas is supplied from

The plant was commissioned in 2009 in two stages. It was originally designed to be a peaking plant but due to demand for electricity continuing to outstrip supply, Dibamba is running more frequently.

Cameroon

in Cameroon. Globeleq is majority owner in partnership with the Government of Cameroon holding the remaining share of the business. Globeleq purchased its share in the facility in June 2014. An expansion project for the Kribi project is currently in development and once completed, will expand the facility to generate a total of 330 MW.

Cameroon

Globeleq is majority owner in partnership with the Government of Cameroon holding the remaining share of the business. Globeleq purchased its share in the facility in June 2014.

Kenya

The facility uses 7 Wartsila 18V38 HFO reciprocating engines and sells electricity to the Kenya Light and Power Company under a 20 year power purchase agreement.

owned generating plant. It performs excellent availability records. As with all of Globeleqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations, the Tsavo team has a strong emphasis on health and safety with zero lost time accidents occurring since the facility commenced operations in 2001. Globeleq holds a 30% interest in Tsavo.

Globeleq Advisors Limited 2 More London Riverside London SE1 2JT United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 7234 5400 Fax: +44 (0)20 7234 5486 www.globeleq.com

30/06/2015 1

I N T E R N AT I O N A L C L A S S ACTION S R ECOVE R Y F I R M O F T H E YE A R, G OA L G R O U P TA X R ECL AMATION SER V I C E S F I R M O F T H E Y E A R, G OA L G R O UP

Stephen Everard Chief Executive Officer

Goal Group is the global leader in withholding tax reclamation and securities class actions recovery services. With a proud 25 year history, Goal helps the world’s largest financial institutions and the global investment community fulfil its fiduciary duty to reclaim excess tax on cross-border income, and seek legal redress for shareholders who have suffered financial losses due to corporate mis-management and/or unlawful behaviour. The company delivers end-to-end claims, recovery and reporting solutions that combine legal and procedural expertise with proprietary, market-proven software. In the past year, Goal has been awarded ISO 27001:2013 certification, the internationally recognised standard in information security – and is the only service provider in either of its business areas, tax reclamation and class actions, to have received this. Headquartered in London, Goal delivers its services globally through strategic partnerships, and through its network of offices in San Francisco, Philadelphia, Melbourne and Hong Kong. Goal has recovered hundreds of millions of pounds in withholding tax reclaims and class action settlement recoveries for its global client base, which includes five of the top ten global custodians and six of the top ten global fund managers. Goal receives the ACQ Awards on the back of its best year to date, with significant growth in the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Stephen Everard is Chief Executive Officer of Goal Group. He comments: “It is a huge honour to receive the ACQ Global Awards for consecutive years, which recognise our standing within the global financial services industry. “Our success is testament to the unparalleled knowledge and expertise that we have built up over 25 years, combined with our innovative technology that makes tax reclaims and class action recoveries as efficient as possible. Our excellence in client service, strong relationships with authorities and

commitment to information security really set us apart from our peers. Clients have the peace of mind that they are dealing with a secure, professional organisation at the forefront of its industry.” Goal is extending its presence to provide clients across EMEA, the Americas and APAC with a global service, delivered locally. For instance, the recent expansion of its Melbourne office to provide full processing and real-time reporting capability makes Goal the only provider able to offer ‘end to end’ withholding tax reclaims and class action recoveries within the region, as opposed to relying on backoffice processing delivered remotely from the US or UK. Mr Everard says: “Extending the capabilities of our regional offices ensures that all matters are dealt with in real time, which ultimately enhances our client service and overall proposition. We are fully committed to delivering global services at a local level.” This strategy is paying off. With an expanding client base in Australia, New Zealand, Korea and Singapore, Goal already monitors in excess of AUD450 billion in assets under management in the APAC region. Tax Reclamation Reclaiming over-withheld tax on cross-border investments continues to represent a huge opportunity for investors, fund managers and custodians across the world. Goal estimates that around a quarter of reclaimable withholding tax still lies unrecovered each year, which in 2013 amounted to global losses of £13.2 billion. This opportunity becomes yet more significant in light of major increases in market capitalisation, rising proportions of portfolios devoted to crossborder investments, and increasing numbers of companies paying dividends. Goal’s proprietary software is available on a licensed basis (GTRS), or outsourced (Goal TaxBack). The company estimates that GTRS, its flagship solution, is used to recover about 30% of all withholding tax that is reclaimed on cross-border securities income annually.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L C L A S S ACTION S R ECOVE R Y F I R M O F T H E YE A R, G OA L G R O U P TA X R ECL AMATION SER V I C E S F I R M O F T H E Y E A R, G OAL G R O UP

Goal Group For fur ther details please contact Vicky Dean, vdean@goalgroup.com www.goalgroup.com 1st Floor, 69 Park Lane, Croydon, Surrey CR9 1BG Tel: 44 (0) 20 8760 7130

Bill Salva, Global Business Development Manager at Goal Group explains: “GTRS can be used to automate as much of the tax reclamation process as required, from forms generation to a highly sophisticated, Straight Through Processing solution that tracks the claim lifecycle right up to receipt of funds.

Goal has led the industry since the emergence of US-centric class actions in early part of the twentyfirst century to the globalisation that is taking place today. Mr Everard comments: “The class actions landscape is undergoing rapid change. Non-US cases are a major opportunity for custodians and fund managers across the world, as increasing numbers of legislatures are developing mechanisms to make litigation possible. We are ideally placed to help fiduciaries and global investors monitor and take advantage of the new opportunities to recoup compensation on behalf of their clients and maximise fund returns.”

“We maintain tax treaty information and forms for 175 jurWe maintain tax treaty information and forms for all jurisdictions, client types and stoc– encompassing over two million possible reclaim permutations. We offer clients a truly global reclaim service.”

Goal provides an ‘end to end’, outsourced claims filing service. Bill Salva explains: “We take care of the entire process – from initially pinpointing transactions where investors have suffered losses, to completing, filing and tracking the claims and collecting the compensation on our clients’ behalf.”

Advanced, market-proven systems such as GTRS are crucial to obtaining the maximum entitlement for each claim, in the quickest possible timeframe. In addition, Goal’s excellent relationships with tax authorities, lawyers and claims administrators help to facilitate optimum returns for its clients.

Goal’s class actions software is developed and continually maintained in-house, and includes workflow capability to produce industry-leading claim submissions and bespoke client reports.

It is a modular system, featuring three elements Tax Calculation Engine, Forms Generator, and Tracking and Reporting.

Mr Salva summarised: “Clients trust us to provide the highest levels of data security, combined with transparency, reporting capability and process automation.” Securities Class Action Services Class action lawsuits, where groups of shareholders file a joint claim against a company to recover investment losses stemming from corporate fraud and misgovernance, have become an important area of fiduciary duty for custodians and fund managers. Institutional investors stand to boost fund returns substantially if they claim their rightful share of a settlement. Goal estimates that settlements in securities class actions outside the US will reach USD 8.3bn annually by 2020. If non-participation rates are similar to the US market, then USD 2.02bn of investors’ rightful returns could be left unreclaimed each year by the end of the decade.

Many custodians and fund managers do not realise that they can claim compensation from historical class action cases. Furthermore, it is possible to file claims once deadlines have passed, although the courts ultimately have the discretion to determine whether a late claim will be accepted. Thanks to its excellent industry relationships, Goal has an over90% success rate at delivering compensation for those clients who file late claims. To conclude, Mr Everard says: “Many investors and their advisors are still not participating in securities class actions, nor reclaiming the over-withheld tax to which they are legally entitled. There is still the belief that the complex processes involved outweigh the potential returns. With the right technology and services, this is simply not true.” Goal’s worldwide client base includes hundreds of asset managers, private banks, pension funds, hedge funds, high net-worth individuals, investment banks and prime brokers. The company monitors in excess of £8 trillion in client assets.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L RIS K A N D C O M P L IA N C E M A NAG E M E NT S Y S TE M SOLUT ION OF T HE Y EAR (C OR P ORAT E), IN T EGR UM GAMECHANGER OF TH E Y E AR ( R IS K AND C O M PL IAN C E), B EVEN SC HWAIGER, IN T EGR UM

v Chief Executive Officer Integrum Management Systems AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND UNITED KINGDOM NETHERLANDS UAE QATAR INDIA SRI LANKA SINGAPORE COLOMBIA USA Sydney Office: Tel: +61 2 9663 1004 http://www.integrumsystems.com

Integrum is a fully integrated Risk and Compliance management system solution, rich in functionality and highly configurable. Today, Integrum is a mature 8th generation application with in excess of 300,000 users across more than 40 countries. Integrum possesses a range of unique features and functionality that is not available in other governance, risk and compliance software applications. As well as being OGP compliant, Integrum conforms to International Standards including ISO 31000, 19600, 9001, 14001, OHSAS 18001, AS/NZS 4801, and ISO 22000. In addition, Integrum also includes a fully integrated ‘world-class’ business intelligence capability, providing rich reporting & dashboard capability as well as revolutionary mobile analytics and collaboration tools that are simple and intuitive. Our clients include large industry (Fortune 500), such as Energy, OGP, Shipping, Manufacturing, Construction, Finance, Engineering, Utilities, Aviation, as well as small to medium sized operations across all sectors. Chief Executive Officer, Beven Schwaiger, explains the unique challenges and opportunities working with varied companies in so many sectors.

“The extraordinary configurable nature of the integrum system means that our system is deployed in so many industry sectors and looks different for each customer. Yet, the configuration is done so quickly, and easily, using simple drag and drop to create any type of form and workflow process, risk matrix, risk assessments, checklists, portals and dashboards. The highly configurable nature of the system means all types of sectors can utilise, configure and deploy the integrum system without massive customisation required.” Schwaiger continues to describe how it feels to be awarded the prestigious title of ACQ Global Awards International Risk and Compliance Management System Solution of the Year 2015. “We are very honoured to have been named International Risk and Compliance Management System Solution of the Year 2015. “Our success is largely due to the innovations we have ntroduced to make software implementation easy, while providing incredible features and benefits to the users. Our global partner program has allowed us to grow and support our rapidly growing client base” “Awards such as this are important, as recognition of Integrum’s achievements and progress we have made and continue to make in the various industry sectors in which we operate.”

USA WEALTH MANAGEMENT SOLUTION OF THE YEAR, INVESTMENT POD GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (WEALTH MANAGEMENT), JACQUELINE KO MATTHEWS, INVESTMENT POD

Jacqueline Ko Matthews Founder/CEO Investment POD, LLC 46175 Westlake Drive, Suite 100 P o t o m a c F a l l s , VA 2 0 1 6 5 703-773-7006 tel 703-773-7010 fax email: jackie@investmentpod.com w w w. i n v e s t m e n t p o d . c o m

Investment POD’s mission is to provide investors with better and safer quantitative wealth management solutions. POD stands for Passive, Opportunistic, Defensive…the three core tenets of a comprehensive wealth management solution. Investment POD is an advanced digital wealth management platform combining both asset and strategy diversification based on our successful hedge fund experience supported by the latest academic research. The Investment POD was created to address the critical issue facing investors…that passive buy and hold strategies expose investors to the full extent of any major market losses. History shows that these painful declines occur at least once every 10 years and can have a devastating impact on a retirement portfolio. In the 1929 crash and subsequent Depression, stocks lost nearly 90%. In the 1970s, bonds had a major bear market. From 1989 to now the Japanese stock market has never recovered from its peak. Other examples are the 1997 Asian Financial crash, the 2000 tech bubble bursting and the 2008 Financial crisis. The conventional wisdom is that passive buy and hold is still the best approach for investors to help them avoid making bad timing mistakes. It may be better than most individuals doing it on their own, but it is not the only viable way of creating a long term investment plan. There have been a number of academic and practitioner books and papers written over the past few years showing that other approaches have worked better over periods of well over 100 years (refer to white papers on www.investmentpod.com). The successful strategies fall in the general categories of “stop-loss” risk management and relative strength/momentum tactical asset allocation. These studies confirm that investors would

have achieved at least the same very long term returns with far less downside risk in terms of drawdowns by using these strategies to complement a buy and hold portfolio. We created the Investment POD to provide investors with access to a suite of quantitative ETF based strategies across the general categories of Passive, Opportunistic (tactical asset allocation) and Defensive risk management strategies. Our innovative digital technology platform enables investors to easily access these types of strategies and have a customized experience by mixing and matching between the three buckets of Passive, Opportunistic and Defensive approaches.. This is a complete quantitative solution that goes well beyond the current robo-advisor offerings. We see the major engine of growth coming from firms seeking to provide the Investment POD as a value-added choice for their existing clients or to attract next generation clients. Our POD platform can be customized and white labeled for institutions such as wealth advisors, RIAs, family offices, broker dealers, custodians, banks, insurance companies and robo-advisors. Investment POD was invited to present as an “Emerging Disruptor” at the June 2015 InVest Digital Wealth Management conference in New York. Investment POD also received the 2015 Alternative Investment Award for Best Innovation in Online Money Management in addition to winning the 2015 ACQ Global Awards for U.S. Game Changer of the Year in Wealth Management and International Wealth Management Solution of the Year.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L N ICHE A DVIS O RY F I R M O F TH E Y E A R ( LI F E S E TTL EMEN T S), L AUR EOL A ADVISOR S IN C .

For fur ther information please contact: Tony Bremness Tony.Bremness@LaureolaAdvisors.com www.LaureolaAdvisors.com

In the United States it is both legal and encouraged for an individual to sell an unwanted life insurance policy to an investor. The policy then becomes a financial asset called a Life Settlement. Life insurance companies in the USA have never missed paying the death benefit on a valid life insurance policy since Abraham Lincoln was President - 1864. This is a track record unmatched in investment and banking. Life Settlements currently trade at an average yield (IRR) of 16%, with a range of 12% to 25%. The safety, predictability, and double digit returns offer an attractive combination - one not available in other asset classes. The best feature of the asset class is the genuine non-correlation with stocks, bonds, real estate, or hedge funds. Life Settlement investors will make money when others can't. Like many asset classes, Life Settlements provides smaller, boutique, niche managers with significant advantages over larger institutional players. In Life Settlements, niche managers can identify and close smaller opportunities in a cost effective manner, can move quickly when necessary, and can instantly adapt when opportunities dry up in one segment but appear in another. Larger investors are restricted not only by their size and natural inertia, but by self-imposed rules and criteria, which are typically designed by committees.

Even the best strategies in the best asset classes require proper implementation, and this is especially true in less transparent and less liquid asset classes such as Life Settlements. Life Settlement investing requires a unique set of skills: knowledge of life insurance, Life Settlement experience, legal and portfolio management expertise, fund structuring and design capabilities, and access to the deal flow. Christopher Erwin (CIO) is a member of both the Orange County Bar Association and the Life Insurance Settlement Association. He has over 10 years experience in all aspects of evaluating and transacting Life Settlements, and has built a successful business in these fields. He is supported by a group of nine Life Settlement professionals. Chris ensures that the Laureola Fund has access to the deal flow. Tony Bremness (Managing Director) has over 30 years experience in Portfolio Management and Fund design an structure; he graduated with an MBA and has been accredited the CFA designation. Tony manages the day to day operation of the Laureola Fund. Laureola Advisors was founded in 2013 by Tony and Chris to take advantage of the opportunities in this asset class. The Principals invested their own capital, and other interested investors are invited to join. Despite currency crisis and share price shocks, the Fund has delivered. Annual returns for Laureola investors since inception have been: s s s

TO *UNE

I N T E R N AT I O N A L M&A SOFTWARE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MIDAXO FINL AND - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, K AIJA K ATARIINA ERKKILĂ&#x201E; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MIDAXO

Kaija Katariina ErkkilĂ¤, CEO Midaxo Unioninkatu 7 B 17 00130 Helsinki Finland kaija.katariina.erkkila@midaxo.com +358 (0) 400 813 691 www.midaxo.com

Helping buy-side professionals maximize M&A value creation With Midaxo, M&A teams can systematize their process, collaborate, and accumulate best practices â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and ultimately make well-informed decisions, avoid risks, and capture merger synergies quicker. Today, 1,000 M&A professionals at HP and other customers rely on Midaxoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award-winning cloud platform to run their global M&A. Midaxo maximizes M&A value creation by giving buy-side M&A professionals all the tools and complete control of their complex activities, from target identification and deal evaluation through integration. The Midaxo Platformâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s key features: s "UILT ON MOST MODERN TECHNOLOGY BUILT ON PROVEN MODERN CLOUD TECHNOLOgies to ensure flexibility, constant improvement, and future proof. s !LL IN ONE FOR - ! )NCLUDES ALL TOOLS - ! PROFESSIONALS NEED TO SEAMLESSLY manage M&A: process, project, and issues management, documents, team coordination, collaboration, audit, and reporting. s %ND TO END (ELPS ENFORCE A DISCIPLINED - ! PROCESS FROM DEAL PROSPECTING through post-integration. Documents, notes, and issues collected during the deal evaluation are available to the integration team.

s %ASY TO USE 2EQUIRES NO CONSULTING TO SET UP - ! TEAMS THEMSELVES CAN improve their processes and accumulate best practices. Users can use Midaxo without lengthy training, making them effective in an hour. Pipeline, deal, and integration metrics are up-to-date at all times. s -ULTIPLE PROCESSES #USTOMERS USE THE PLATFORM ALSO FOR DIVESTITURES carve-outs, restructurings, investment proposals, legal cases, sales contracts, 2 $ EFFORTS ETC s 3ECURE (AS ROBUST AUDITED DATA SECURITY MEASURES AS WELL AS A GRANULAR user rights management to ensure the highest level of information security and controlled access. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have launched Midaxo at full speed and use it as our single platform for managing M&A transactions. There is no tool that compares to Midaxo in TERMS OF EASE OF USE AND USER FRIENDLY INTERFACE ) WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND Midaxoâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;? 3ERGIO % ,ETELIER 6ICE 0RESIDENT AND !SSOCIATE 'ENERAL #OUNSEL

- ! #ORPORATE 4RANSACTIONS AND )NTERNATIONAL 'OVERNANCE HP

I N T E R N AT I O N A L PAT H SOLUT ION S: CORE BA NK I NG S Y S T E M P R OV I D E R O F T H E Y E A R - I S L A M I C F I N A N C E iSHRAQ*Microfinance: SH A R I A- C O M P L I A NT M I C R O F I NA N CE S O LU T I O N O F T H E Y E A R

Powering Islamic Financial Markets

PATH SOLUTIONS P.O.Box 592, Safat 13006 United Arab Shipping Company Bldg Block 6, Bldg 3 1st Floor, Airpor t St Shuwaikh Kuwait Tel: +965 22286760 Fax: +965 24824500 Email: info@path-solutions.com www.path-solutions.com

Founded in 1992, Kuwait-based Path Solutions is a global Islamic banking software specialist for the Retail, Commercial, Corporate, Investment, and Islamic Microfinance sectors. Path Solutionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sharia-compliant banking suite iMAL provides advanced technology and rich functionality, incorporating best practice processes that leverage the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience in over 100 successful implementations around the globe.

consistently maintained throughout the high volume of Great Britain Pounds (GBP) remittances processed during 2014. Bank Sohar, which inked in 2012 a strategic partnership agreement with Path Solutions for the deployment of iMAL Islamic Banking & Investment System, became a major participant in the local market for Sharia-compliant Islamic securities, treasury and investment products.

Path Solutionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Islamic banking clients are proven to be more profitable than their industry peers: Data from Islamic Finance news on Islamic banking in Oman and the financial performance of Islamic banking entities (dated April 22, 2015) shows that financing assets of Oman Islamic banking entities crossed the US$2.59 billion by December 2014 as compared to US$1.12 billion in December 2013, showing an increase of 135% in a year. Almost 69% of the total financing assets are from three leading market players; Meethaq - the Islamic banking window of Bank Muscat; Al Hilal - the Islamic banking window of Ahli Bank; and Bank Nizwa - the first fully-fledged Islamic bank in Oman. Path Solutions plays a significant role in this positive trend as all three Omani clients rely upon the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iMAL Islamic core banking system for daily operations.

Path Solutionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; iSHRAQ suite, an Advanced Investment & Financing Management Model, provides Islamic-based financial and investment solutions to clients specializing in Sharia investments, to bring the best of stock markets, mutual funds, portfolio management services, real estate investment, and wealth management services in a Sharia-compliant way. iSHRAQ*Microfinance which falls under iSHRAQ*Islamic Finance module enables financial institutions to run the mass retail services that comprise microfinance and community banking at lower cost. The system delivers high security, efficiency, resilience and cost savings for financial institutions assisting them to develop loan programs to finance projects, training and education.

While Bank Sohar, most youthful and dynamic Islamic banking institution in the Sultanate has been recognized for the second consecutive year as one of the best 'Straight Through Processing' (STP) banks in Oman in 2015 by Standard Chartered Bank. This STP recognition reflects the efficacy of the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations resulting in major efficiency gains and improved customer experience, and highlights the exceptional 99 per cent modification-free rate it

Path Solutions is top of the IBS Islamic Sales League Table since 2008; Best Islamic Technology Provider for the 7th consecutive year in the IFN 2014 Awards Best Service Providers Poll conducted by REDmoney, first winner of its category at the World Finance Technology Awards 2014, with state-of-the-art iMAL ranking Islamic Banking Application of the Year at the 2014 Beacon of ICT (BoICT) Awards. For more information, please visit www.path-solutions.com

US SALES TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTING FIRM OF THE YEAR - RICHARD TYLER INTERNATIONAL, INC. GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, RICHARD TYLER - RICHARD TYLER INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Richard Tyler International, Inc.® 5773 Woodway Dr., Suite 860 Houston, T X 77057-1501 USA Tel: (+1) 713 974 7214 Web: www.RichardTyler.com Web: www.SalesImmersion.com Web: www.RichardTylerTechnologies.com

Richard Tyler is “America’s Corporate and Entrepreneurial Business Expert™ ” and is the world’s top expert on sales and management. Richard is a Best–Selling Author, highly acclaimed Sales Trainer, Management Consultant and Keynote Speaker. He has earned a worldwide reputation for his powerful educational methods, motivational techniques and success training. Richard Tyler’s two immensely popular training programs, “Commitment to Excellence®” Sales Immersion™ Program and “Commitment to Excellence®” Leadership Mastery™ Program, are influencing business people from all rungs of the corporate ladder. Richard shares his Success and Excellence philosophies with millions of individuals each year through keynote presentations, writing, radio, television, seminars, books, CDs and web-based programs. Richard Tyler’s two new books; "BOOM!" with Mark Victor Hansen, released in May 2015 and “SUCCESS TODAY” with Brian Tracy, released in June 2015 are both best sellers. In addition to these new books, Richard has authored or co-authored over a dozen books with top experts such as: Stephen Covey, Ken Blanchard, Denis Waitley, Dr. Warren Bennis, General Alexander Haig, Alan Keyes, Dr. John Gray, Ty Boyd, Dr. Robert Schuller and many others. Richard was selected as one of America’s PremierExperts™ and his philosophies have been featured in Forbes magazine, Entrepreneur magazine, The Business Journals, Sales and Marketing Management magazine, Wealth & Finance International magazine, Acquisition International magazine, the Houston Chronicle as well as in hundreds of articles and interviews. Richard has been seen on FOX, CBS, NBC and ABC television affiliates, CNBC.com, Morningstar.com, BostonGlobe.com, Moneywatch.com, MiamiHerald.com, Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch.com, YahooFinance.com, CNN.com, BBC.com as well as other major media outlets.

Richard is President and CEO of Richard Tyler International, Inc.®, which is one of the world’s top Sales Training and Management Consulting firms. Richard Tyler International, Inc.® has extensive experience ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Among it’s numerous honors are “International Sales Training and Management Consulting Firm of the Year”, “Top Sales Training and Management Consulting Firm in the United States”, the “Best For Corporate Growth Strategy” – USA, “Management Consultancy of the Year” “Game Changer of the Year” and the “Best of Business Award” Management Consultancy. Richard Tyler and Richard Tyler International’s, “Commitment to Excellence”® Sales Immersion™ Program” were recently recognized as the top sales trainer and top sales training program in the world when they received the “Award for Excellence in Sales Training” from Wealth & Finance International magazine. Richard has recently been asked to lend his expertise as a part of the Mayor’s International Trade and Developmental Council (MITDC – North America.) for Houston Texas. MITDC- North America’s goal is to expand the constructive dialogue between Houston’s international business community and the City government, and to jointly identify opportunities to promote the city of Houston globally – economically, educationally and in tourism. Houston, Texas is America’s fourth largest city. As Richard says, “Remember, your success tomorrow is in direct proportion to your ‘Commitment to Excellence®’ today.™”

Energy

Mining

Cement

Agrifoods

AFRICAN LEADER IN INFRASTRUCTURE & INDUSTRY

Transportation & Logistics

qalaaholdings.com Qalaa Holdings, previously Citadel Capital

The americas

US The United States is the globe’s largest national economy, representing 22% of nominal global gross domestic product and currently 17% of global GDP. The Americas was estimated at just under $18 trillion as of 2015 - with a mixed economy, it maintains a stable overall GDP growth rate, a moderate unemployment rate and high levels of research and capital investment. In the United States, when the year commenced, activity stalled, partly as a result of another low-temperate winter, disruptions to port activity, and sharp cutbacks in capital expenditures in the oil and gas industry and residual calendar effects. These factors are forecasted to dissolve; resulting in a rebound in activity later in 2015, but a strong U.S. dollar will continue to weigh on exports. For example, the almost 15% dollar appreciation in trade-weighted terms between mid- 2014 and March 2015 has been estimated to reduce growth by as much as 3⁄4 percentage point this year. Driven predominantly by private consumption, growth should strengthen modestly to 2.7% in 2015 and further to 2.8% in 2016, before slowing towards potential growth in 2017 (Figure 1.3). The unemployment rate is expected to fall to 5.2% by end-2015, below the level at the start of the previous monetary tightening cycle in 2004 and close to estimates of its structural level. The labour force participation rate is predicted to remain broadly unchanged at current low levels, as a return of discouraged workers is offset by the ongoing retirement of the sizeable baby-boomer cohort. Sharply lower oil prices are supporting household purchasing power (especially in lower-income households). While household saving rates initially increased, real income gains from lower energy bills are expected to continue lifting consumption in the remainder of 2015. This will help mitigate the cuts in capital expenditures in the energy sector that will dampen private sector investment in 2015. The anaemic post-recession recovery has been

characterised by a slow development in growth, high unemployment, a decrease in the number of residents seeking work, and a volume of uncertainty that has held back investment. Increases in tax and regulatory burdens, aggravated by favouritism toward entrenched interests, have undercut America’s historically dynamic entrepreneurial growth. Overall, policy in the United States is expected to remain accommodative. The fiscal stance should be broadly neutral, although unresolved discussions about legal caps on government borrowing and tax and entitlement reform are potential disruptions. As the economy closes in towards the employment and inflation objectives of the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate later in 2015, a very gradual monetary tightening cycle is expected to begin. Long-term interest rates, however, would remain low. Falling oil prices and a strengthening U.S. dollar have pushed headline inflation temporarily below zero in the first quarter of 2015. Core inflation is projected to stay below the Fed’s 2% target until the end of the year, but gradually increase towards it during 2016. The current account deficit is expected to widen modestly as the real dollar appreciation increasingly encourages imports and discourages exports.

proceed smoothly. The risk remains, however, that the liftoff or subsequent rate increases could lead to abrupt changes in market expectations regarding monetary conditions that could, in turn, prompt a spike in U.S. long-term interest rates, volatility in global financial markets, and a sharp increase in borrowing cost for emerging markets—similar to the way initial discussions of U.S. monetary policy normalisation triggered the “taper tantrum” of May-June 2013. If, in response to the liftoff, U.S. long-term bond yields were to jump 100 basis points (as they did during the taper tantrum), capital inflows to emerging markets could decline by 0.8–1.8 percentage points of GDP. The change in external conditions driven by the liftoff or subsequent rate increases could potentially combine with domestic factors to spark a sudden stop in capital inflows in some emerging markets, especially those where vulnerabilities have increased, where there has been uncertainty about policy direction, or where growth prospects have deteriorated significantly. In anticipation of such a risk, emerging markets should prioritise monetary, financial, and fiscal policies that reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen credibility, and structural reform agendas that improve growth prospects.

CENTRAL AMERICA [Over the last decade, following a long period of political turmoil and civil conflict, most Central American countries achieved moderate economic growth, although with wide variations among them. Average yearly growth between 2000 and 2011 ranged from 6.4% in Panama, which was the best performer, to 1.9% in El Salvador.] The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to begin to gradually raise policy interest rates in the near term. Given that it has been anticipated for some time and will take place against the backdrop of an ongoing U.S. recovery and highly accommodative monetary policy by other major central banks, the launch of a series of U.S. rate increases (“liftoff”) is likely to

The widely expected tightening of monetary conditions in the United States, along with monetary expansion by other major central banks, has contributed to broad-based appreciation in the U.S. dollar and is exerting downward pressure on capital flows to developing countries. Many developingcountry currencies have weakened against the U.S. dollar, particularly those of countries with weak growth prospects or elevated vulnerabilities. Past episodes of first rate increases in a U.S. monetary policy tightening cycle were often accompanied by a flattening U.S. yield curve, and currency depreciations and/ or monetary policy rate increases in emerging markets. The close correlation with emerging market borrowing costs suggests that lift-off in 2015 may increase global financing costs, especially for vulnerable countries.

Sovereign bond yields have mostly remained low, but corporate bond yields have risen sharply and portfolio flows have remained subdued. Post-crisis bond inflows have raised corporate foreign currency debt, which is predominantly denominated in U.S. dollar. Some sovereigns that have recently accessed international capital markets are likely to see sharp debt payment spikes. Euro-denominated bond issuances have picked-up since the start of quantitative easing in the Euro Area. As bank balance sheets heal, regions that are more dependent on bank flows than bond flows may benefit. Currency depreciations against the U.S. dollar have raised concerns about U.S. dollar exposures in sovereign and corporate balance sheets in some countries, especially those with rapid post-crisis credit growth. Since trade exposures tend to be diversified, depreciations have been considerably more modest, if not negligible, in trade-weighted terms for most developing countries and may not deliver significant competitiveness gains. With the gradual tightening in U.S. monetary policy likely to start later in 2015, capital flows are expected to ease and overall financial conditions for developing countries to tighten modestly. As the Fed readies for its first policy rate hike after almost a decade, financial conditions are on the cusp of becoming more challenging for emerging market countries. Most likely, the liftoff will proceed smoothly given that the U.S. recovery appears well entrenched and financial markets are being bolstered by highly accommodative monetary policies in other major advanced countries. If the liftoff takes place in line with market expectations, U.S. long-term yields will likely remain well contained, the term premium will remain narrow, and movements in capital flows to emerging countries will be modest. However, as evidenced during the taper tantrum episode, there is a risk that if market expectations adjust in a disorderly fashion, financial market volatility could spill over to emerging markets. Specifically, low U.S. term

premium, diverging views between markets and Fed policy makers about the future path of interest rates, and changing conditions in market liquidity all heighten risks to U.S. financial markets. If the risks around the liftoff and subsequent tightening steps materialise, U.S. interest rates could increase sharply. This could in turn lead to greater financial market volatility and could significantly reduce capital flows to emerging market countries. LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN Facing lower prices for oil and other commodities, challenging domestic business climates and widespread droughts, growth in Latin America and the Caribbean slowed to 0.9% in 2014 from 2.7% in 2013, with divergence among sub-regions. South America, deeply affected by the oil price decline, was also impacted by domestic macroeconomic challenges among its largest economies. In contrast, developing Central and North America, along with the Caribbean, benefited from the strengthening United States, and saw an acceleration of activity. The ongoing recovery among advanced countries is expected to support external demand in the medium-term, lifting growth to an average of 1.7% in 2015â&#x20AC;&#x201C;17. Deeper and more protracted declines in commodity prices, or a slower-than-expected recovery of the Euro Area, represent major downside risks. Despite a strengthening recovery in the advanced economies, growth in the LAC region is expected weakens further to 0.4% in 2015. Low commodity prices, tepid investment growth in challenging business environments, and fiscal consolidation are the main negative factors. As economic activity in the United States, the Euro Area, and Japan picks up, commodity prices gradually strengthens, and investor sentiment improves on better policies, growth is expected to rebound to 2.0% in 2016, and to 2.8% in 2017 (Figure 2.28). However, there is a divergence among the sub-regions, with prospects for Central and North America and the Caribbean being relatively

brighter than in South America. The balance of risks in LAC leans heavily towards the downside. The downside risks, which are both external and internal to the region, include insufficient macroeconomic adjustment among the largest economies, Financial Volatility, lower commodity prices, slower-than-expected recovery in the Euro Area and the hard landing in China.

USA GAME CHAN GE R OF THE YEAR (HUMAN SERVIC ES) - AC C ENTUR E SOF TWA R E

Accenture Software for Health and Human Services provides flexible, adaptable, standardsbased solutions that support service delivery to citizens across multiple government agencies' programs, service providers and service delivery models while preserving existing IT investments.

proven integrated eligibility solution that helps states reduce risks, lower costs, and deliver compliance at speed.

Accenture Software is helping transform the way Americans access health and social benefits—dramatically improving the speed of assistance, connecting solutions across different needs, and ultimately helping citizens find the path to self-sufficiency faster.

s Accenture Public Service Platform (APSP). A service-oriented architecture (SOA) technology platform that helps public agencies modernize and integrate systems in record time. Built on open standards and aligned with dozens of government and industry standards, APSP empowers public agencies to implement SOA in weeks. With pre-built and tested connectors to dozens of third-party software products, it allows states to preserve their existing technology investments. Over 56 million citizens in the United States have access to services delivered on APSP.

From introducing no-touch processing and real-time data verification, to integrating systems and unlocking the power of data sharing between government agencies and programs, this innovative software positions organizations to simultaneously reduce costs, errors, and fraud while delivering better service to citizens.

The suite includes:

The Accenture Human Services Suite is redefining human services delivery in the United States. With more families than ever relying on social and government health programs, government agencies have come under pressure to meet the increased demand. Designed to assist states in managing a wide array of citizen services in an integrated manner, the suite breaks down traditional program silos, cuts technology and operation costs, and enables government entities to help families in need faster.

s Accenture Benefits Management System (ABMS). An integrated citizen-focused solution supporting a wide range of assistance programs. ABMS uses flexible, proven business rules and workflow-driven processes to provide streamlined eligibility determination, benefits delivery and case management. Results include increased case worker efficiency, support for changes required by federal legislation, and creation of a foundation for multi-channel interaction with social welfare clients.

The Accenture Human Services Suite provides a complete software foundation for integrated service delivery, helping agencies provide better citizen service, handle higher caseloads, and improve efficiencies. Combining an integration platform with a benefits management system for caseworkers and a self-service portal for citizens, the suite offers a

s Accenture Citizen Self-Service Portal (ACSSP). A web portal that enables citizens to self-screen their eligibility for benefits, submit applications, and manage their benefits with simple-to-use online tools. For many clients, ACSSP provides the first real-time, anytime access to application and case interaction.

MEXICO TAX LIT IGAT ION L AW F I RM OF TH E YEAR, ARIA S, MEURINNE Y RODRÍGUEZ, S.C.

In Arias, Meurinne y Rodriguez we create unique solutions, for unique legal problems. ARIAS, MEURINNE Y RODRÍGUEZ, S.C. Prol. Paseo de la Reforma 1236, 5° piso Col. Santa Fe, 05348, México, D.F. Tel [52] (55) 5280 5240

Unique solutions, for unique legal problems In Arias, Meurinne y Rodríguez we provide original, straightforward and solid solutions to the most complex litigation and consultation problems regarding Tax, Administrative and Constitutional Law trusted to us by our international and national Clientele. This is what Chambers and Partners expreses of the Firm: "This firm has had a strong year in the tax field, with sources describing the 16-strong practice as having "exceptional capacity, unmatched quality and an ample understanding of the tax market." The team is also praised for its creative and confident approach, coupled with its disposition towards negotiation. It advises clients across a range of fields, including automotive, aviation, construction, retail and telecoms. Partner Luis Meurinne manages the planning and consultation aspects of the practice. Sources praise his "considerable tax knowledge, vast experience and total focus on the client." Partner Pedro Arias Garrido heads the litigation side of the practice and is noted as "a very good litigator, academic yet direct." The Law Firm's Tax, Administrative and Constitutional litigation practice, is built around four partners each of whom has at least 20 years of experience in Court and

who personally develop and implement the best possible legal strategies in order to increase our Clients possibilities of success. Since we participate in an average of 300 plus high-profile Tax, Administrative and Constitutional cases every year, some of them making even headline news, we have accumulated the experience to deal with the most wide array of problems. We make it our business to understand the business of each of our Clients, their goals and needs, tailoring individual solutions for each one of them. The Law Firm is specially adept at dealing with court cases involving International Tax issues, such as Double Taxation Conventions and national provisions with international effect. The Firm has won recently leading tax cases dealing with tough interpretation issues, such as antiavoidance provisions set forth in the Income Tax Law, specifically dealing with interest in alleged back to back situations and also a case dealing with the deemed repayment of capital from a Permanent Establishment to its Head Office. Being fully aware of how Courts interpret the Law, we are able to provide the most sound legal counsel on consultation and Tax consequences of business planning, including counselling before Tax Authorities during audits. Arias, Meurinne y Rodríguez is being recognized by Acquisition International as the Local Tax Firm of the Year - Mexico. This award makes each member of our Firm double our commitment to our clients and the purveyance of services of the highest quality.

USA N I C H E S T R AT E GY A N D M A N A G E M E N T C O N S U LTA N C Y O F T H E Y E A R S T R AT E G I C D U E D I L I G E N C E A D V I S O R Y O F T H E Y E A R ( P E )

M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R â&#x20AC;&#x201C; P R I VAT E E Q U I T Y Timothy Garnett AVA S C E N T 1 6 1 5 L S t r e e t N W, S u i t e 1 2 0 0 Washington, DC 20036 Te l : 2 0 2 - 4 5 2 - 6 9 9 0 E-mail: tgarnett@avascent.com w w w. a v a s c e n t . c o m

Avascent is the leading strategy and management consulting firm serving clients operating in government-driven markets, including aerospace & defense, intelligence, national security, government IT, and health care. Working with corporate leaders and financial investors, we deliver sophisticated, fact-based solutions in the areas of strategic growth, value capture, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) support. With deep sector expertise, analytically rigorous consulting methodologies, and a uniquely flexible service model, Avascent provides clients with the insights and advice they need to succeed in dynamic customer environments. As a top provider of buy and sell-side due diligence services, Avascent supports leading private equity firms, investment banks and top 100 governmentfocused corporate development teams to provide buy and sell-side due diligence on over 30 transactions per year. Avascent has built a dedicated M&A and Transaction Support practice serving financial and strategic clients investing in these complex, opaque and often technologically sophisticated sectors. For firms investing in markets driven by US and foreign government budgets and decision-making processes, developing a clear, sophisticated understanding of the interplay of forces can be daunting. In light of these complexities, Avascent has earned a reputation as a firm that can provide both deep insight as well as clear context, enabling investors to make wise decisions about risks and opportunities.

The M&A practice is led by Timothy Garnett, who serves as a leading strategic transaction advisor to private equity firms, lenders, corporate development teams, boards and investment banks evaluating deals in government-driven industries. Having worked for over a decade as a strategic advisor to senior leaders in industry, Tim brings a unique understanding of the customer, market, and operational considerations necessary to evaluate true risks and opportunities in these industries. Additionally, over the last three years Avascent has invested heavily to create the most comprehensive and detailed aerospace, defense and government forecasting tool in the industry. Avascent recognizes that in addition to great human capital talent, you need differentiated, proprietary data. Teams use this tool as both a foundation for analysis as well as an ongoing subscription service which allows us to serve a wider set of customer service delivery needs. In addition to our analytical rigor, there are two factors that drive our success: passion and knowledge. On passion, we care about the industries, we care about our clients, and we care about their success. On knowledge, we are truly industry geeks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we are the guys and girls that grew up with posters of airplanes and tanks in our rooms and read the US defense budget for fun â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that knowledge keeps us fresh, excited and eager to continue to learn to stay ahead of the curve.

BELIZE LEA DING INTERNATIONAL TAX A DV ISORY OF THE YEAR

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G l e n C H W i l s o n F C I S T E P, G r o u p P r e s i d e n t a n d M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r

S u i t e # 5 0 1 , 5 t h F l o o r, T h e M a t a l o n B u s i n e s s C e n t e r / P. O . Box 2130 C o n e y D r i v e , B e l i z e C i t y, B e l i z e Phone: ++501 223 1756 Fax: ++501 223 1775 E-mail Us: MD@oslbelize.com

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CANADA INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, BRUNET & CO. PATENT PROSECUTION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, BRUNET & CO. ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC DEVICES ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, BRUNET & CO. LEADING IP ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, ROBERT BRUNET, B RUNET & CO.

Rober t Brunet Brunet & Co.

Email: rob@brunetco.com patents@brunetco.com trademarks@brunetco.com

Brunet & Co. specializes in patent, design and trademark filing for domestic clients, foreign associate law firms, and IP Departments of foreign corporations. We are a boutique firm with a special focus on mechanical and chemical cases, especially in the agricultural, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and biotech industries. This allows us to excel at the day to day requirements of the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Our culture is open and communicative, with a high standard of ethical behaviour in our own personal interactions with one another. This promotes a similar approach to client interactions and sets a high standard for care and attentiveness to client matters. In addition, we strive to learn the business and commercial realities for our clients and their products so that we can tailor our strategic advice concerning their Canadian portfolio to their own specific circumstances. This collaborative approach provides better overall business value for the portfolio than can be attained by working in isolation. In the last few years, there has been an increase in awareness of the importance of patents, and particularly patent portfolios, as a defensive tool to use for bargaining in the event of complex litigation. It is becoming more and more difficult for a company to foresee all possible permutations and combinations of the patent landscape as it evolves through on-going prosecution of continuation and divisional applications; hence, there is a need to create a defensive shield with sufficiently

401 Bay St., Suite 1600 Toronto, Ontario M5H 2Y4 CANADA Phone: 519-474-0700 Toll Free: 877-880-6043 Fax: 519-474-0800 www.brunetco.com

broad claims to be used for counter-attack or bargaining in the event of an unforeseen future litigation challenge. Although this has always been an element of corporate patent strategy, awareness of its importance has been steadily increasing amongst our corporate clients. We are adept at providing prosecution advice and management to dovetail the Canadian patent portfolio objectives with those achieved in other jurisdictions. In fact, we are often able to provide more comprehensive coverage in Canada than can be obtained in other countries, providing additional leverage for defensive use of the overall portfolio. In the next year, significant changes to the Patent Act and Trademarks Act will come into effect in Canada. For patents, one significant change is a process for restoration of right of priority, which allows a priority claim to be re-established in the event of a missed Paris Convention filing date. For trademarks, Canada will now adopt the Nice classification system and adhere to the Madrid Protocol, both of which will make it easier for foreign trademark applicants to obtain protection for their marks in Canada.

USA MIDDLE MARKET INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR - CAPSTONE PARTNERS LLC

Capstone Par tners LLC John Ferrara, Founder & President jferrara@capstonellc.com www.capstonellc.com 176 Federal Street, 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02110 (617) 619-3325

Capstone Partners LLC is a premier investment banking firm dedicated to serving the corporate finance needs of middle market business owners, investors and creditors. The firm provides corporate sale & divestiture, merger & acquisition, private placement, corporate restructuring, valuation and financial advisory services. Capstone’s capabilities have been utilized by industry leaders, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to the leading private equity and venture capital firms. Founded in 2002 through the spin-off of Arthur Andersen’s corporate finance group, Capstone has built a broad US market presence and established itself as one of the country’s most respected middle market investment banking firms. In 2010, Capstone acquired Morgan Stanley’s middle-market M&A practice to expand nationally, adding four subsequent acquisitions to offer broader services, extend geographically, add international presence and strengthen industry group capabilities. Today, Capstone maintains eight offices throughout the US and UK. The firm covers five US regions (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Central, West and Southeast) through seven offices, including Boston (the firm’s headquarters), Philadelphia, Chicago, LA-Orange County, San Diego, Silicon Valley and Tampa. In addition, through Capstone’s London office, the firm has direct access to the European capital markets. Additionally,

Capstone is a member firm of International M&A Partners (IMAP), affording the firm global access to 38 countries with over 450 M&A professionals. From an industry coverage perspective, Capstone has developed seven practice groups, including: Business Services; Consumer Products; Education & Training; Government Services; Health & Medical; Industrial & Manufacturing; and Technology & Telecom. To support its industry initiatives, Capstone has a dedicated research team that publishes proprietary market intelligence for business owners, private equity firms and acquirers to keep pace with evolving industry dynamics. With well over a decade of proven results, Capstone has established itself as a truly unique middle market investment banking firm, offering clients a compelling value proposition comprised of a strong national presence with global reach and deep industry expertise delivered by senior-level executives. As a result, Capstone has consistently been recognized as an elite firm. In 2014 alone, the firm won seven major category awards including: Boutique Investment Banking Firm of the Year, US Middle Market Investment Banking Firm of the Year, Middle Market M&A Deal of the Year, Middle Market Cross Border Deal of the Year and North America Middle Market Deal of the Year.

USA GAMECHANGER OF THE YE A R ( O NL I NE H O SP I TA L I T Y M A R K E T I N G S O LU T I O N S ) , C H A R L E S D E YO, C E N DY N ®

Charles Deyo | CEO, Cendyn

800.760.8152 info@cendyn.com www.cendyn.com

Cendyn was founded 19 years ago by Charles and Robin Deyo, based on their decades of leadership experience in sales, marketing, and technology at global hospitality brands. As a result, Cendyn rapidly became an early leader in digital marketing and technology solutions for the travel and hospitality industry. Over the past decade the company has developed innovative, cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) applications for both the meetings/events business as well as the leisure hospitality space. As the company continued to experience rapid growth around these distinct lines of business, the decision was made in 2014 to reorganize Cendyn into two signature companies: Cendyn/ONE™, which provides an integrated CRM and Data-Driven Digital Marketing Platform for hospitality, gaming, and leisure; and Cendyn Arcaneo®, an end-to-end event and entertainment technology platform that is redefining the way clients plan, execute, and measure global event programs including corporate entertainment and sponsorship ticket spend. The recent acquisition of Ovations Management Solutions™ gives Cendyn Arcaneo’s enterprise customers the ability to manage corporate tickets and entertainment assets through a stand-alone solution, Ovations™, or integrated with its Metron® Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) software. Cendyn/ONE’s recent accolades include: Trend Setter and Best Overall Value awards by Info-Tech Research Grosup, INC’s 2015 CRM Vendor Landscape Award and a total of six Adrian Awards in HSMAI’s Annual Competition. Additionally, Cendyn/ONE was voted one of the “Top 20

Most Promising Hospitality Companies in 2015” by CIO Review and held the cover story for their annual Travel and Hospitality issue. To support the new corporate structure, Cendyn purchased and completely renovated a 94,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art office building that now serves as the company’s global headquarters and provides clients with 24/7 support via an enterprise-grade infrastructure and advanced Talk & Tech network. The new space is also home to Cendyn’s signature enterprises as well as Cendyn SPACES, an innovative co-workplace environment, and the award-winning restaurant concept M.E.A.T. Eatery & Taproom. “Being awarded with ‘Gamechanger of the year for online hospitality marketing solutions’ in the ACQ Global Awards 2015 is a supreme honor, said Cendyn CEO and Founder Charles Deyo. “Whether it’s delivering enhanced loyalty, higher average rates, increase return on advertising spend, faster group conversions or collaborative event solutions, our seasoned team is committed to being the thought leader in the hospitality industry.” Cendyn Corp. remains a shared services company supporting both signature businesses and their 30,000 hotel, resort and enterprise clients worldwide. With office locations in Boca Raton, Atlanta, Boston, Toronto and London, the Cendyn Portfolio of Companies proudly serves clients in 143 countries and enterprise meeting spend levels in excess of 1 billion USD.

G U AT E M A L A INTERNATIONAL L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR - CENTRAL L AW - DIAZ DURAN & A SOCIADOS

Díaz-Durán & Asociados | Central Law Guatemala Juan Pablo Carrasco de Groote Par tner Tel: +502 2383 6000 jpcarrasco@central-law.com www.central-law.com

Founded in 1990 in the city of Guatemala, Díaz-Durán & Asociados | Central Law provides, since then, professional service on legal matters, consultancy, as well as a wide range of related services. The Firm has positioned itself as one of the most prestigious and successful. Díaz-Durán & Asociados | Central Law Guatemala counts with the infrastructure, professionals and necessary staff to provide its clients with an efficient and immediate service in all legal matters in which they might need counseling with. The multinational focus has characterized the Firm representing the interests of local and international clients with a precise and personalized service. Given that globalization of services is today a reality, Díaz-Durán & Asociados | Central Law, has established a presence in all Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic. This allows us to provide our clients a variety of options in their regional legal operations, coordinated from one contact point. CENTRAL LAW is the result of a merge of our Firm with leading law firms in the Region. Central Law was founded in 2002 after a 3-year period of meticulous market and investment analysis of the Central American Region, Panamá and Dominican Republic. With 11 offices in the countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic, CENTRAL LAW has helped develop domestic and foreign corporations as well as financial institutions in the countries where the firm´s offices are located.

Working under the philosophy of Seven Countries: One Contact Point, allows us to efficiently manage our firms resources and expertise, which implies cost effective oriented services for our clients and a simplification of the overall process of doing business in the region.

CANADA BUSINESS VALUATION FIRM OF THE YEAR, DARTMOUTH PARTNERS LIMITED LITIGATION SUPPORT ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, DARTMOUTH PARTNERS LIMITED GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DREW DORWEILER, DARTMOUTH PARTNERS LIMITED

%SFX %PSXFJMFS .#" $1"t"#7 $#7 "4" $'& $#" $7" '3*$4 Managing Par tner DARTMOUTH PARTNERS LIMITED 308 Square Saint-Louis Montréal (Québec) CANADA H2X 1A5 1 (514) 962 6896 Dar tmouthPar tnersLimited@gmail.com www.drewdor weiler.com

Dartmouth Partners Limited is a boutique business valuation, litigation support, transaction advisory, corporate finance and fraud examination firm headquartered in Montréal, Canada with additional offices in Chicago, Illinois and Hong Kong.

Mr. Dorweiler ha as spoken at myriad conferences and authored many articles in professional publications on business valuation, litigation support and fraud-related topics during the past twenty-six years. Among his numerous presentations are included:

Dartmouth Partners Limited possesses over thirty years of experience in the valuation of hundreds of privately and publicly-held companies in business valuation, corporate finance and litigation support mandates on a global basis. The firm has frequently participated as a financial advisor in corporate merger and acquisition (buy- and sell-side) transactions, divestitures, sourcing financing and due diligence, as well as to start-up businesses throughout North America and internationally. The firm also possesses international expertise in fraud detection and prevention, as well as in forensic accounting.

Dartmouth Partners Limited was founded by Drew Dorweiler, a world-renown business valuation professional, who has testified as an expert witness in more than twenty cases before the Québec Superior Court, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, U.S. District Court, Tax Court of Canada, Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta and arbitration panels in high-profile, complex financial litigation and valuation matters. Mr. Dorweiler is recognized as one of North America's pre-eminent valuers of professional sports franchises and properties. His valuation and transaction repertoire includes NHL, MLB, NBA, CFL, English Premier League, European and semi-professional sports teams, arenas, broadcasting and naming rights. Mr. Dorweiler has given numerous interviews featured in international television, radio and print media on valuation, financial and sports business matters. In particular, he has worked with Forbes for the past 21 years on many sports business-related articles, including the magazine’s annual valuation rankings of professional sports franchises. Mr. Dorweiler was a co-panelist (along with Steve Ballmer and Leigh Steinberg) in the Forbes “Top 30 Under 30 – Sports” issue (January 2015). http://www.forbes.com/30under30/#/sports Mr. Dorweiler has been featured in several New York Times articles. He also frequently appears on nationwide television and radio broadcasts in Canada on networks such as CTV (Nightly News), Business News Network and TSN (The Sports Network).

International Technology Transfer Network Convention, Beijing (April 2015) 13th Conference on International Exchange of Professionals, Shenzhen (April 2015) RICS Summit of the Americas, Toronto (May 2014) Valuation of Sports and Entertainment Businesses and Personal Property Conference, Capital Normal University, Beijing (January 2014) Canadian Fraud Conference, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Montréal (September 2013) NACVA/IBA Annual Consultants’ Conference, San Diego (June 2011) Annual Connoisseurship Conference, American Society of Appraisers, Montréal (October 2009) 18th Biennial Conference, The Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators, Québec City (September 2008)

Mr. Dorweiler was elected to Board of Trustees of The Appraisal Foundation for the 2013-2015 and 2016-2018 terms (and appointed Chair of the Business Valuation Resource Panel for 2015). He was also previously elected to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators from 2006-2009 (he was the recipient of the Institute’s Communicator Award in 2012). Mr. Dorweiler was named a Fellow of Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 2013. He has also been a member of the Board of Directors of the Montréal Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners continuously since 1995, having served as President from 2005-2007. Mr. Dorweiler graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Economics, Dartmouth College. He obtained a dual MBA, Corporate Finance and Accounting, Lubin Graduate School of Business, Pace University.

BAHAMAS INSOLVENCY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, DELANEY PARTNERS

John K F Delaney QC Senior Par tner Lyford Manor ( West Bldg), Western Road, Lyford Cay P. O. Box CB-13007, Nassau, The Bahamas T. (242) 702-4500 / 603-4500 | F. (242) 702-4524 M. (242) 357-3880 jdelaney@delaneypar tners.com | www.delaneypar tners.com

JOHN K F DELANEY QC A former Attorney-General of The Bahamas and one of Her Majesty’s Queens Counsel, John’s areas of practice concentration are financial services law and regulation, business restructuring and insolvency, commercial litigation, and corporate governance. Highly valued by industry to navigate complexities and pitfalls to achieve strategic business objectives, John has held a range of non-executive directorships of financial institutions and has served as member and chair of audit committees. He currently serves as a non-executive director and audit committee member of RBC Financial (Caribbean) Limited, the regional parent of the Royal Bank of Canada’s interests in the jurisdictions comprising the Caribbean region. John has a history of national contribution and previously served on the Road Traffic Authority, National Insurance Board, Bahamas Financial Services Board, and has chaired The Bahamas Trade Commission. In May 2012, John completed a stint (2009-2012) of public service as AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Legal Affairs, with portfolio responsibility for liaising with, promoting and developing the financial services sector. As Attorney-General, John coordinated the most comprehensive legislative action in support of the country’s financial services industry carried out in more than a decade. The reforms included the modernization of the laws relating to corporate insolvency, introduction of

corporate governance requirements relating to accounting records, and the introduction of cutting-edge private wealth management legislation. Prior to serving as Attorney-General, John led a major Bahamian firm as it global managing partner. Upon his return to the private sector in 2012, John founded the commercial law firm of Delaney Partners. In November 2013, in recognition of outstanding contribution to the Financial Services Industry of The Bahamas, John was named Executive of the Year 2013 in the Industry’s 13th Annual Excellence Awards. John’s practice engagements regularly include significant commercial, financial services related and business restructuring matters. He is currently assisting Switzerland’s largest bank with the restructuring of its interests in The Bahamas serving as joint liquidator in the solvent voluntary liquidation of its Bahamian bank subsidiary. In his substantial cross-border insolvency practice, in highly contested legal proceedings during late 2015, John won court approval for a European (Bahamian-resident) former billionaire to enter personal insolvency protection in The Bahamas. A member of INSOL International, under John’s leadership the business restructuring and insolvency practice of the firm is consistently recognized for top awards by international business and legal publications.

BRAZIL OVERALL TAX ADVISORY OF THE YEAR, DELOITTE TRANSFER PRICING FIRM OF THE YEAR, DELOITTE

Cristina Arantes Berr y Tax Adviser – Brazil Deloitte Rua Henri Dunant , 1.383 (4th to 12th floors) São Paulo, Brazil (55) 11 5186 1013 (55) 11 5181 2911 caberr y@deloitte.com www.deloitte.com.br

Tax solutions in Brazil Deloitte is the leading provider of tax consulting services in Brazil and counts to a recognized team of specialists, frequently listed among the industry’s best in the country. Our range of services includes: Business tax Deloitte delivers deep knowledge of tax and statutory requirements as well as a breadth of experience applying them in practice worldwide. Practical tax advice combined with our consistent tax compliance framework instills confidence that a consistent approach is followed across jurisdictions. We help simplify tax management and oversight while providing global visibility for making informed strategic decisions all with the ease of working with a global provider. International tax and foreign capital Set of specific tax solutions for Brazilian companies in globalization process, foreign organizations that are investing in the country and agencies investor in general; all these services earn high potential in a context of economic globalization. Transfer pricing Transfer pricing rules represent the set of controls which are subject to the transactions between companies belonging to the same group or that are dependents on another organization based in a different tax jurisdiction from his own headquarter. We have a cutting-edge technology and a team of experts to respond to challenges in this area. General tax consulting Deloitte has a practical and comprehensive approach for a plan of taxation that can help companies meet their tax and statutory responsibilities.

Mergers & Acquisitions (Tax) All transactions – mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, investments or divestments – involve complex issues that require dedication of experienced professionals. Deloitte can assist your company in fiscal challenges, accounting, legal, regulatory, cultural, and labor transactions in "cross-border", managing compliance risks and improve returns. Corporate reorganization combined with tax efficiency Set of solutions that support organizations in different situations involving corporate issues, from creating a new company to restructuring an enterprise group or internal processes of succession. Labor and social security consulting Support for businesses on tax aspects related to labor and social security issues in accordance with the current legislation in those areas. Indirect and direct taxes and customs Solutions to enable opportunities to your organization in the tax area due to tax benefits and incentives requested by Brazilian legislation. Global employer services Deloitte supports companies and executives to accomplish their obligations related to tax, labor, social security and other relevant aspects of the foreign professionals activities in Brazil. For more information, visit www.deloitte.com.br > English > Services > Tax and www.deloitte.dbbrazi.com.br

USA GAME C HAN GE R OF THE YEAR (FINANCIAL ANA LYSIS) - DEMOTEC H, INC

Demotech, Inc. is gratified to secure the 2015 USA Gamechanger of the Year (Financial Analysis) award from ACQ. Since our incorporation in 1985, Demotech has responded to the challenges facing the insurance industry. In the late 1980s, independent, regional insurers writing in the United States were unrated by the existing insurer rating agencies. In response to this need, Demotech pioneered its rating service. Today, we review, rate and follow more than 400 insurers operating in the USA. Our initial acceptance, secured subsequent to two independent due diligences, occurred in May 1989 when Demotech gained acceptance from the Federal National Mortgage Association for our Financial Stability Ratings (FSRs) of A or better. In 1990, subsequent to additional due diligences, we received acceptance from the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. In 1993, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) memorialized its first of many acceptances of our FSRs. In the mid-1990s, other rating agencies abandoned the State of Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. To address the crisis in the marketplace, Demotech was invited to assign FSRs to insurers domiciled in Florida so as to facilitate depopulation of Florida’s residual market mechanism. Today, 55% of the homeowners’ insurance written in Florida is provided by the 50+ carriers rated reviewed and rated by Demotech. In January 2005, insurers earning FSRs of A or better were deemed acceptable to qualify to provide professional and general liability insurance to skilled nursing facilities under HUD’s Section 223(f) and 232 Programs. In 2011, Florida State University’s College of Business Risk Management and Insurance undertook an independent study comparing our FSRs with ratings issued by A.M. Best, Standard and Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch. Thousands of ratings issued over a nine year period were analyzed. The analysis,

A Comprehensive Examination of Insurer Financial Strength Ratings, concluded there is general consistency in the firms (insurers) that each agency would categorize as financially secure and that Demotech serves the need of a unique group of insurers. In 2013, Fannie Mae Multi-Family revised its Selling and Servicing Guide, Part IIIA to accept FSRs of A or better on captives and risk retention groups writing general or professional liability insurance on senior housing facilities. In 2014, HUD expanded our acceptances to include its Section 241(a) program. Demotech earned an ACQ Global award as Niche Insurer Rating Service – US. We were also nominated by Intelligent Insurer for its Global Award – Best Rating Agency. We began 2015 by receiving Corporate Live Wire’s Excellence in Financial Analysis - USA award. Our recognition continues with the recent addition of the 2015 USA Gamechanger of the Year (Financial Analysis) award from ACQ. With more than 400 insurers being reviewed and rated, an increasing number of umbrella insurance markets, premium finance companies, insurance agents’ errors and omissions insurers and other informed third parties recognizing the value of FSRs of A or better, we will continue to do what we began in 1989 – level the playing field for financially stable insurers of all sizes, specialties and niches. Joe Petrelli, ACAS, ASA, MAAA, FCA is the President and co-founder of Columbus, Ohio, USA based Demotech, Inc. He has a Bachelors Degree in Actuarial Science from The College of Insurance (currently part of St. John’s University) and a Masters in Business Administration from The Ohio State University. Prior to founding Demotech in 1985, he has been employed by Insurance Service Office, Nationwide and Agway Insurance Company.

USA NICHE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE) - DEMOTECH, INC.

Incorporated in 1985, Demotech, Inc. is a financial analysis firm serving the Property and Casualty as well as the Title insurance industry. We entered the insurance company ratings sector to level the playing field and assist financially stable insurers that had been ignored, neglected or under-rated by rating agencies. Although our approach for leveling the playing field has been to secure specific accreditations, an increasing number of entities are voluntarily recognizing the value and integrity of Financial Stability Ratings (FSRs). Although FSRs may be new to you, Demotech has been reviewing and rating insurers since 1989. Our impressive long-term survival rate of insurers designated as Stable underscores our capability to provide reliable information. Equally important to our capability to identify financially stable insurers is an independent examination of our process. Recently, Florida State University’s College of Business Risk Management and Insurance compared our FSRs to ratings issued by A. M. Best, Standard and Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch. The study reviewed thousands of insurer ratings issued over a nine year period. The results were released in A Comprehensive Examination of Insurer Financial Strength Ratings. The study and its executive summary contained the following conclusions: 1. Demotech serves the need of another unique group of insurers, namely those that are geographically focused. 2. Comparisons of Demotech ratings to other agencies show relative consistency in the factors that drive Demotech ratings compared to agencies such as A. M. Best, Moody’s, Standard and Poor’s, and Fitch.

3. There is also general consistency in the firms that each agency would categorize as financially secure. 4. These results have important public policy implications for insurers, regulators and consumers as they work to better understand the ratings process. Of particular importance to most is the comparability of Demotech ratings to other agencies. 5. Given that lenders often have requirements related to the use of rated insurers and some states require ratings to operate in a state, the results suggest that Demotech serves an important service within the ratings community and plays a very important role in the insurance market. Demotech’s capability to level the playing field continues to grow because our capability to identify and support financially stable insurers has been documented through a comparison of our historical record of accomplishment and an independent analysis of our FSRs versus the insurer ratings issued by A. M. Best, Standard and Poor’s, Fitch and Moody’s Investor Services. Today we review, rate and follow more than four hundred insurance companies. The size of the carriers range from small to members of world famous, publicly traded insurers, such as members of the Allstate family. We also review mutual carriers of all sizes, including members of the Nationwide family. Joe Petrelli, ACAS, ASA, MAAA, FCA is the President and co-founder of Columbus, Ohio, USA based Demotech, Inc. He has a Bachelors Degree in Actuarial Science from The College of Insurance (currently part of St. John’s University) and a Masters in Business Administration from The Ohio State University. Prior to founding Demotech in 1985, he has been employed by Insurance Service Office, Nationwide and Agway Insurance Company.

INVESTMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR (GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING), DISTRICT EQUITY, LLC

DISTRICT EQUITY, LLC 1100 17th Street, NW Suite 1140 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 822-8100 Fax: (202) 822-8105 info@districtequity.com

District Equity is an independent, private capital and corporate development firm whose focus is on being a true value-adding partner to its growing portfolio. District Equity is humbled to be receive 2015 ACQ’s Investment Firm of the Year (Government Contracting) – U.S. and would like to thank ACQ and our colleagues for this honor. The District Equity story began in 2007 when we invested in our first governmentcontracting firm. Since then we’ve learned many lessons and that has enabled us to leverage our knowledge and experience to benefit our portfolio companies and partners. We invest in companies where there’s a good synergy with management and where we can add immediate and lasting value. Our approach is that of a long-term partner. This enables us to build a strategy and reinvest based on where we want the company to be not only in 12-36 months, but also in the next 10 to 20 years, etc. Our returns are the result of properly executed business tactics that make fundamental improvements to our portfolio companies while accelerating both top and bottom line growth, versus employing sophisticated financial engineering or head count reduction. District Equity is not a fund: We invest our money in the deals we transact. By using our own, private capital we are able to employ a true “open architecture” investment mindset. This freedom allows us to build corporations positioned to achieve both short and long-term success while generating superior returns for all parties. The companies that we partner with know that in addition to capital, District Equity brings proven and successful processes. Applying these processes delivers the alpha and the consistent performance we look to

achieve. The results are businesses with steady cash flows that can scale in their respective market segments. It’s this unique approach that allows us to be more creative and vigilant when it comes to our investment strategy. One of the fascinating things about government contracting is the breadth of companies, capabilities, and investment opportunities. Acquiring 100% or majority ownership isn’t always the best approach, being willing to explore other scenarios has opened a lot of doors for us. The results of which have been great partnerships and investments that would not have been possible otherwise. This agile investment strategy has led to a lot of great opportunities in the government contracting space because we can look at every opportunity from every angle. District Equity is typically the first outside investor for a lot of our portfolio companies. Our policy of building true partnerships with current ownership and management enable us to retain their institutional knowledge that would be difficult to replace. In the government contracting space we encounter a lot of businesses that have built a solid base, but are having difficulty taking the company to the next level. A common hurdle many government contractors face is transitioning from a small business, where there are a number of programs in place to help them succeed, to successfully competing in a full and open environment. By working on the companies and not in them, and by working alongside our business partners and not around them District Equity has been able to scale the businesses and develop management/ownership along the way. The District Equity team is grateful for this recognition and we look forward to what the future holds for the government-contracting sector.

TURNAROUND & RESTRUCTURING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, DISTRICT EQUITY, LLC

DISTRICT EQUITY, LLC 1100 17th Street, NW Suite 1140 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 822-8100 Fax: (202) 822-8105 info@districtequity.com

The District Equity team would like to express their deep gratitude and appreciation for being named ACQ’s 2015 Turnaround and Restructuring Advisory Firm in the US. The District Equity story began in 2007 when we invested in our first government-contracting firm. Since then we’ve learned many lessons and that has enabled us to leverage our knowledge and experience to benefit our portfolio companies and partners. Our structure allows us to be remarkably innovative and flexible in the way we evaluate opportunities and structure our investments. We build a robust strategic plan for each company, which is developed at the outset, we then partner with management and consultants to rigorously pursue. These plans must be dynamic, especially in a turnaround situation. The ability to pivot or adapt to the progress of the company or a change in the market is critical. We focus on improving organizational and operational efficiencies, driving revenue growth while increasing margins, and establishing competitive differentiation. The results of a well executed plan place all of our partners – owners, management, employees, lenders, other capital providers, vendors, and customers – in a favorable position. By utilizing our institutional knowledge base and our deep bench of advisors, experts, and partners we have been able to invest in and turn around businesses that were struggling financially and underperforming.

Our successful turnarounds and traditional build outs are the direct result of the proper execution of District Equity’s investment strategy. Focusing on each detail of our strategy is critical when trying to properly execute a turnaround and take the necessary steps to put the company on the path to profitability. Because the District Equity team has founded, operated, grown, and successfully exited businesses before we know what to look for; where potential issues may be hiding, how to trim unnecessary costs, and where to invest in human capital as well as monetary assets. We’ve run the gamut in terms of special situation investing and what we’ve seen. Our team has dealt with and resolved everything from payroll shortages, to bank workout groups, to corporate lawsuits. Experience with situations like these enables us to quickly prioritize the issues that need to be addressed. Evaluating and executing distressed investments is never an easy process, for the investor, management, or the employees. Changing corporate habits can be unsettling and it is as much an exercise in corporate character building as it is an exercise in sound corporate strategy. There are a core set of processes that must be followed to breath new life into a non-performing asset, and each time our strategy gets a little better and our character a little stronger. The District Equity team sincerely thanks ACQ; we are humbled and grateful for this recognition.

MEXICO T RA DE MARK L AWY ER OF TH E Y EA R, L AU RA C O L L ADA SAL C I D O - D U MO N T B E RG M A N BID ER & CO S C IP L AW FIRM OF TH E Y EAR, DUMO N T B E R G M AN B I D E R & C O. , S. C . B RA N D L AW F IRM OF TH E Y EAR, D U MO N T B E RG MAN B I D E R & C O. , S. C . CO P YRIGH T L AW F IRM OF TH E Y E AR, D UM O N T B E R G M AN B I D E R & C O. , S. C . A N T I- CO UNTERF EITING L AW F IRM O F THE YE AR, D U MO N T B E RG MAN B I D E R & C O. , S . C. T RA DE MARK PROSECUTION L AW FI R M O F THE YE AR, D UM O N T B E R G M AN B I D E R & CO. , S . C. L E A DING L AWY ER OF TH E Y EAR (C O M ME R C I AL AR B I TRATI O N ), ARM AN D O PI N TO - D U M ONT BER GM A N BID ER & CO S C L E A DING L AWY ER OF TH E Y EAR (I P L I TI GATI O N ), J O RG E G O M E Z R O B L E S - D U M ONT BER GM A N BID ER & CO S C

Laura Collada Managing Par tner DUMONT BERGMAN BIDER & CO., S.C. Avenida Insurgentes Sur 1898 Pent Office 21 Floor, Colonia Florida C.P. 01030, Del. Álvaro Obregón. Mexico City, MEXICO Tel: (52) (55) 5322-6230 Fax: (52) (55) 5661-3056 lcollada@dumont.com.mx www.dumont.com.mx

Laura Collada has been the managing partner of the Mexican firm Dumont Bergman Bider & Co S.C. (DBB) since 2008, and has worked there since 2001. The firm is an Intellectual Property boutique established 75 years ago and is a traditional key player on IP issues. She graduated with honours from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). She has law specialisations in IP, corporate, civil, constitutional and environmental law from the Universidad Panamericana (UP) and she has a legal specialisation in contracts from the ITAM Mexico, all of them with honours. Laura started in the field in a renowned IP firm and then moved to work at the Mexican Trademark Office (IMPI) where she was the sub-director for the Prevention of Unfair Competition in charge of all administrative infractions. She returned to private practice in 2001, joining DBB in which she was in charge of the litigation department. Laura has been teaching at several colleges and universities including the ITAM, the Universidad Panamericana and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM), on IP litigation as well as copyrights. She has also written about IP for national newspapers and national and international IP magazines. She speaks at conferences organised by various organisations. Laura actively participates in the AMPPI (Mexican Chapter of AIPPI, Former Chair of the Trademark Committee). She is also involved in other organisations such as INTA, AIPPI (Special Committee Q 220 Geographical Indications),

Marques (Chair of the Madrid Protocol Team), PTMG, ASIPI (for which she is National Delegate), AIPF (member of the board) and BMA (Mexican Bar). Laura’s practice includes the complete lifecycle of IP rights, from consultancy, strategies, filing and prosecution, to resolving disputes involving these rights through litigation as well as negotiating settlements. She always tries to understand her client’s needs to tailor personal and adequate strategies for each and every case. As managing partner she has modernised the image of DBB as well as developed it in different areas to achieve complete client satisfaction. Under her supervision, DBB achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification (by TUV Rheinland) for having a quality management system. DBB is the first IP firm in Mexico that has been certified in all areas. Laura has also achieved the complete digitalisation of DBB’s archives and can render a paperless service if clients so wish. Laura has recruited several lawyers and engineering leaders in the field to support and enhance her team and in order to provide legal services related to IP such as regulatory, corporate, IT, data protection, and valuation of IP assets. Laura is also in charge of client relations and travels worldwide attending conferences and/or visiting clients. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

CHILE ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, EELAW ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT LEGAL ADVICE LEADING FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ), PAULINA RIQUELME, EELAW ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT LEGA

EELAW - Energy and Environment Legal Advice Address: Av. Apoquindo 5.555 Of. 605, Las Condes Santiago â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CHILE 7580012 Phone: (562) 2 229 95 67 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 202 11 94 Web: http://www.eelaw.cl

EeLaw is a boutique law firm dedicated to provide legal services in the areas of environment, natural resources and energy. With extensive and proven experience in the legal analysis required for the development and implementation of projects, proceedings before the public authority, and the study of environmental regulations. The firm initiated its practice in the beginning of 2008 as a response to the growing need for strategic consultancy focused exclusively on issues of environmental law, natural resources, pollution control and energy. The philosophy inspiring the firm is to provide our clients with excellence, quality and modern services, orienting our efforts to the implementation and improvement of work standards in order to add value to our clients businesses. The firm uses a collaborative style of work, focused on deep analysis of the law and its practical application aimed at obtaining concrete results in an efficient and effective manner, constantly innovating and creating new standards for the practice of environmental law. Eelaw has national and international recognition for its performance and constant evolution, appearing in international publications for its human capital and achievements for the benefit of our clients.

Paulina Riquelme is the founding partner of Eelaw and has devoted her career to the practice of environmental law, natural resources, mining and energy, national and international environmental regulations. Ms. Riquelme began developing her practice in environmental law and natural resources in 1999; as a Fulbright Scholar, she completed an LLM in Environmental & Energy Law at the University of Tulane. Through her career Paulina has consolidated an extensive and recognized practice in environmental law, including regulation of hazardous waste, remediation of contaminated sites, environmental corporate, system environmental impact assessment, offset emissions, environmental compliance, among others. She is currently a member of the Presidential Commission established in Chile for the Reform of the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA); a member of the Consultative Council of the Ministry of Environment of Chile (MMA), and board member of the Civil Society Council at the Superintendence of the Environment (SMA). Recently, Ms. Riquelme was recognized by the 2016 Chambers & Partners publication for Best Lawers in Latin America due to her â&#x20AC;&#x153;sophisticated analysis, effective strategies and dedication to environmental mattersâ&#x20AC;?. Peers also noted that â&#x20AC;&#x153;she is an important and respected lawyer,â&#x20AC;? and highlight her â&#x20AC;&#x153;methodical, hard-working approach.â&#x20AC;?

USA NICHE AUDIT FIRM OF THE YEAR (SUSTAINABILITY SERVICES), ELM SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERS LLC CONFLICT MINERALS ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, ELM SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERS LLC

Lawrence Heim, CPEA +1 678-200-5220 Lheim@elmsustainability.com

Under the banner of our parent E LM S USTAINABILITY P ARTNERS LLC, we began working with conflict minerals soon after passage of the Dodd-Frank Act in the summer of 2010. Responding to subsequent growth, E LM S USTAINABILITY P ARTNERS LLC was created in 2012 as a subsidiary to focus on conflict minerals and sustainability offerings. E LM S USTAINABILITY P ARTNERS LLC is now a globally recognized expert in the field along with maintaining a leading blog on the topic. Accustomed to the C-suite and Boardrooms, most of our clients are multi-billion dollar multinational manufacturers privately held as well as Fortune 50, 250 and 500. Examples of our experience: s !S ONE OF THE THREE ORIGINAL AUDIT FIRMS SELECTED BY %)## 'E3) FOR THE #ONFLICT &REE 3MELTER #&3 0ROGRAM COMPLETING THE FIRST TWO #&3 AUDITS RESULTING IN THE INAUGURAL CERTIFICATIONS s 3ELECTED BY THE 53 3ECURITIES AND %XCHANGE #OMMISSION 3%# AS THE ONLY (3% CONSULTANCY as a panelist at their 2011 Conflict Minerals Roundtable. s Leading the development of auditor guidance for use by environmental, health, safety and SUSTAINABILITY AUDIT PROFESSIONALS IN APPLYING '!/ S 0ERFORMANCE !UDIT STANDARD TO INDEPENDENT PRIVATE SECTOR AUDITS )03!S OF CONFLICT MINERALS REPORTS s Conducting conflict minerals program evaluations, gap assessments and developing programs for major companies in the electronics, retail, chemical, medical device and motor sports industries, among others. s 0roviding subject matter and non-financial auditing expertise within a project to establish

THE )NDEPENDENT -INERAL #HAIN !UDITOR )-#! FUNCTION OF THE )NTERNATIONAL #ONFERENCE ON THE 'REAT ,AKES 2EGION )#',2 s 0RESENTINg on the subject in numerous events including those sponsored by the American "AR !SSOCIATION 4HE 3OCIETY OF #ORPORATE 3ECRETARIES AND 'OVERNANCE 0ROFESSIONALS )0# A LEADING ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION )42) THE WORLD S LARGEST TIN INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION %)## S #ONFLICT &REE 3OURCING )NITIATIVE #&3) 4HE !UDITING 2OUNDTABLE 3USTAINOPIA Bloomberg BNA and ThomsonReuters among others. s #OnductinG ONE OF ONLY SIX )03!S FILED WITH THE 3%# FOR #9 E LM S USTAINABILITY P ARTNERS LLC, was founded in 2001 as an independent health, safety AND ENVIRONMENTAL (3% MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY BASED IN THE 5NITED 3TATES /UR CORE COMPETENCY IS (3% AUDITING MANAGEMENT PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION 0RINCIPALS AVERAGE MORE THAN YEARS PROFESSIONAL (3% MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE WITH backgrounds in top-tier management consulting firms, manufacturers, regulatory agencies AND INSURANCE RISK ADVISORY FIRMS %,- OPERATES ON A GLOBAL SCALE WITH OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE 5NITED 3TATES -EXICO 3OUTH !MERICA AND !SIA 0ACIFIC A JOINT VENTURE IN China and a network of over 100 hand-selected affiliates in over 25 other countries. All E LM G ROUP 0RINCIPALS MAINTAIN THIRD PARTY (3% AUDITOR CERTIFICATIONS IN THE 53 AND ABROAD ADHERE TO APPLICABLE #ODES OF %THICS AND #ODES OF 0RACTICE AND MAINTAIN FORMAL company-wide structural and auditor-level controls to prevent impairment as auditors.

CANADA GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (NANOSTRUCTURED COATING) - JONATHAN WEBSTER, ENVAEROSPACE, INC.

Jonathan Webster, FRAeS President & CEO EnvAerospace, Inc. 7-2023 Williams Pkwy East Brampton, Ontario Canada L6S 5N1 www.envaerospace.com

905-791-1368 (1ENV ) x 21 1-855-791-1368 (1ENV ) x 21 905-791-7679 (fax) 647-261-7287 (mobile)

jonathan.webster@envaerospace.com

EnvAerospace™, Inc. is the world’s first environmental aerospace company dedicated to engineering nanocoating solutions to improve fuel efficiency and performance in aero and aeroderivative gas turbine engines and reduce harmful GHG emissions. Since inception, EnvAerospace™, Inc. has experienced rapid development in nanostructured nanocoating materials capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius. The firm’s EcoBladeTM Series nanocoatings protect valuable assets by reducing erosion, corrosion and fouling resulting from the ingestion of particulate matter thereby extending the service life of engine components and significantly reducing the need for premature part replacement during maintenance overhauls. The company’s success is based on an extensive award winning IP portfolio combined with comprehensive development and application know how all which contribute to reducing operating cost as well as benefitting the end user’s carbon footprint and ultimately the environment. Jonathan Webster joined the firm as President and CEO in September 2009. As an experienced international airline pilot with over 17,000 hours of flying experience on Airbus and Boeing wide-body aircraft including the B767, A330, A340 and B777 aircraft, his working knowledge of gas turbine engines played

a pivotal role in forging a unique strategy that helped drive the company's success. Formerly the vice-president of an airport planning and management consulting firm, he worked as an aviation consultant before joining EnvAerospace™, Inc. As a result of his previous roles, he championed EnvAerospace™ with a clear understanding of the needs of airlines and other industrials and benefit the environment. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS) and in addition to completing the Carbon Finance Strategy program at Columbia University, he holds an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University as well as an MSc. in Global Finance from the Stern School of Business at NYU in New York and the HKUST Business School in Hong Kong. He is the recipient of the 2014 Clean 16 Award for Research and Development, the 2014 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in Ontario, Canada, a 2015 recipient of the Sector Success Awards for Nanotechnology and a 2015 recipient of the Corporate LiveWire Award for Innovation and Excellence.

USA F O REN SIC DUE DILIGENC E A DVI SO R Y F I R M O F T H E YE A R - E R N S T & YO U N G L L P ADVIS OR OF THE YEAR ( F RA UD I NVE ST I GAT I O N A ND D I S P U T E S E R V I CE S ), G R E G W O L S K I - E R N S T & YO U N G L L P T RANS ACTION R ISK ADVI SO R Y F I R M O F T H E YE A R - E R N S T & YO U N G L L P

Greg Wolski, Partner g r e g o r y. w o l s k i @ e y. c o m (312)879-3383 E r n s t & Yo u n g L L P 155 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606 United States of America g r e g o r y. w o l s k i @ e y. c o m (312)879-3383

About EY EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com. Ernst & Young LLP is a client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited operating in the US. About EY’s Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services Dealing with complex issues of fraud, regulatory compliance and business disputes can detract from efforts to succeed. Better management of fraud risk

and compliance exposure is a critical business priority – no matter what the industry sector is. Our more-than-2,500 fraud investigation and dispute professionals around the world bring the analytical and technical skills needed to quickly and effectively conduct financial and other investigations and gather and analyze electronic evidence. Working closely with you and your legal advisors, we assemble the right multidisciplinary and culturally aligned team, and bring an objective approach and fresh perspective to these challenging situations, wherever you are in the world. And because we understand that you need a tailored service as much as consistent methodologies, we work to give you the benefit of our broad sector experience, our deep subject matter knowledge and the latest insights from our work worldwide. Transaction Forensics is a separate service line in Ernst & Young LLP’s Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services practice. Transaction Forensics focuses on due diligence services (primarily related to anti–corruption and other forensic due diligence) and disputes and investigations that stem from contemplated and completed merger and acquisition transactions.

USA COMPANY OF THE YEAR (EVENT MANAGEMENT), EVENTS.COM GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (NICHE SOFTWARE), MITCH THROWER - EVENTS.COM

Gregg Parise, CEO and Mitch Thrower, Founder

Events.com is a leading online marketplace uniting event organizers and event participants in a single place. The mobile-friendly, simple-yet-sophisticated cloud-based application bridges the gap between event organizers and event goers, giving the event ecosystem an improved solution to planning and finding events.

The technology better connects local event organizers (LEOs) with modern event goers (MEGs). Most LEOs lack access to online promotion tools and insights to understand their audience. MEGs of the world feel disconnected and frustrated and desire a better event experience from beginning to end.

Events.com takes a new and personalized approach to event technology, with a mission to connect people with the experiences they love, one event at a time.

Check out LEO and MEG’s love story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taslrEf6GFE Most importantly, our product is simple and easy-to-use. We’re proud to have Color Fun Fest, Les Courses Gourmandes, Cadence Sports, iRun Productions, In Motion and the Fargo Marathon among our valued clients.

Our team identified a gap in the industry where online event registration software offerings were complex, unintuitive and concerned with their own bottom line. What existed in the marketplace lacked mobile optimization, restricted functionality and engaged event organizers OR event goers, not both. Much of the technology used to build Events.com did not exist when our competitors launched their products. Those companies have been forced to retrofit to meet the mobile demands of today. Building our technology from the ground up, without any legacy constraints, has enabled our team to incorporate the latest in cognitive science around human and computer interaction. We’ve been able to build intuitive and user-friendly technology that can fit any style and complexity of an event – whether it’s a simple pancake breakfast or a multi-day festival.

The mission of the company is tied very closely to the culture which is embodied by four core values: User First, Innovation, Commitment to Team and Winning. Earlier in 2015, Events.com ranked on Entrepreneur’s inaugural Top Company Cultures list, a comprehensive ranking of US-based businesses exhibiting high-performance cultures. When your founder is a 22-time Ironman, there's no shortage of ways to flex your muscles (literally) in and around the office with daily lunchtime workouts, 5K Fridays and, if you're up for it, a 20-mile bike ride on Wednesday mornings. It’s not all endurance though. The team boasts many amateur home brewers and every Thursday is Thirsty. Here’s a glimpse of what it's like to work at Events.com https://events.com/blog/culture/were-awesome/. Events.com has over 75 employees with headquarters in San Diego and an office in Ottawa, Canada. To learn more about Events.com, please visit events.com.

USA (WASHINGTON) - TRIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (FEDERAL), FREY BUCK, P.S. (WASHINGTON) – NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (GOVERNMENT), FREY BUCK, P.S. (WASHINGTON) - TRIAL LAWYER OF THE YEAR (FEDERAL), TED BUCK, FREY BUCK, P.S.

Ted Buck E: tbuck@freybuck.com Frey Buck P.S. 1200 Fifth Ave Suite 1900 Seattle, WA 98101 T: 206.486.8000 E: info@freybuck.com

Companies subjected to the travails of civil litigation face abundant risk and uncertainty. Victory is not a matter of luck. It is not borne of endless pretrial discovery or dependent on having the biggest team, the gaudiest technology or the greatest war chest. Victory comes from a well-planned campaign built on a careful understanding of the client’s needs. Victory comes from crafting the seminal facts into the best possible narrative and giving the jury a reason to believe in the client’s case. Whether the topic is complex or emotional, victory in trial comes from telling the best story credibly, simply and well. At Frey Buck, we have been winning hard cases for decades. We have the experience that makes the difference in the toughest cases from catastrophic loss to class actions, commercial litigation to civil rights. We render the complex simple and bring objectivity to emotion, leading jurors to understand and sympathize with our clients’ positions. We learned long ago that litigating to get to mediation is a recipe for failure, a waste that leaves a client unacceptably exposed. With creativity and credibility, we prepare our cases to win at trial; our opponents know we are ready to do just

that. We maximize our clients’ prospects by making the other side blink. Our approach is efficient and effective. We believe that exceptional client communication is essential to success. We work with our clients to help them define their goals and then assure they know what is happening and why, making the uncertainty of litigation manageable. Frey Buck’s attorneys bring that same vigor to their representation of clients in family law matters, estate planning, victim’s rights, trademark and copyright, property and title disputes, and myriad other fields. The senior leadership of the firm, Ted Buck and Thomas D. Frey, along with special counsel to the firm, Anne M. Bremner, have collectively tried hundreds of civil actions covering a broad panoply of issues including the successful defense of multiple class actions. They and their team of talented attorneys and paralegals recognize that tenacity, professionalism and creativity yield success.

US PREMIER FUND ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR, FUNDADMINISTRATION, INC. GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR - DENISE DEPAOLA, FUNDADMINISTRATION, INC.

Denise M. DePaola, CEO 4175 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Suite 204 Ronkonkoma, New York, USA 11779 2900 Westchester Avenue, Suite 309 Purchase, New York, USA 10577 Tel: (631) 737-4500 | Fax: (631)737-4513 ddepaola@fundadministraion.com www.fundadministration.com

Who we are

Why Fundadministration

F o u n ded in 1999, Fundadministration i s a premier service partner with global capacity. Typically w o r k ing with emerging and establishe d hedge fund managers, registered investment advisers and traders who require the attention of a boutique style firm. Ou r hands on advisory services enable our c lients to focus on increasing their assets, knowing they have a team of professionals providing accurate and timely financials whi le safeguarding their cash.

Many of our clients face challenges and limitations when establishing and maintaining in-house administration systems. By outsourcing key administrative functions to an external advisor with an established track record, proven technology and honed processes, our clients can focus on ru nning their businesses and raising capital.

What we do

s s s s s s s s s

Trade s s s

Reconciliation and Reporting Services Automated trade capture Customized reporting services Secure web portal

Administration Services s Daily, weekly or monthly NAVs s Anti-money laundering (AML) s Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA) compliance s Registrar and transfer agency services s Fee and return calculation s Partner allocations

As your partner, we offer: Deep knowledge across various asset classes Competitive pricing Wide range of customized services Seamless transitioning Prompt and personalized attention Accurate and timely reporting Experienced, trained professionals Independence and transparency Cutting-edge technology

What our clients are saying “We have found the Fundadministration team to be extremely responsive and hard-working. Their assistance with the partnership's annual audits has been exceptional, saving our firm considerable time and energy. It has been a pleasure to work with Fundadministration. We would highly recommend their services to other investment managers. “ Oberon Asset Management, LLC

Additional Support Services s Cash management / Escrow s Bookkeeping and bill paying s Financial statements s Audit and tax coordination

“Professional, responsive and with an attitude that “we are in this t ogether” makes it easy to recommend Fundadministration. Their rapport with our investors is outstanding, which can make all the difference. We whole heartedly encourage those looking to get this end of the business ri ght to give them a call." Princeton Alternative F unding

CANADA

G r a n t e c Engineering Consultants Inc.

NICHE ENGINEERING COMPANY OF THE YEAR (MARINE, OFFSHORE, & DEFENCE), GRANTEC ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS INC.

Richard M. Grant info@grantec.ca www.grantecengineering.com Address: 53 Lakefront Drive Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia Canada B4B 1L4 +1 902 835 6982 Richard M. Grant, M.Eng., FEC, P.Eng., Founder and President of Grantec Engineering

Grantec’s founder and president, Richard M. Grant, has strove to be at the leading edge of technology since starting his professional career over thirty years ago. Some of his accomplishments, prior to incorporating Grantec, include: design of the Experimental Towed Array Sonar System (ETASS) handling system for the Canadian Navy’s first installation of the Gould towed array system in Canada; lead engineer responsible for the design of weapon systems installations onboard Canadian Navy vessels deployed under Operation Friction in 1990; detailed assessment of the safety of a subsided subsea wellhead system following the emergency evacuation of the offshore drilling platform; critical review of the integrity of “certified” offshore platform fire deluge systems, leading to their replacement; and was the engineer responsible for the advanced structural analysis (i.e. shock, blast, vibration, fatigue, etc.) of the Canadian Navy’s Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel (MCDV). Grantec was founded in May 2006 with the goal of providing world-class advanced engineering services with specialization in the areas of structural dynamics, pressure vessels, offshore structures, and ocean engineering. Some of Grantec’s offshore areas of expertise include: offshore structures; marine risers; subsea, including launchers and receivers; design for resistance to accidental actions; process equipment design; and fitness for service assessment. In addition, Grantec has provided highly specialized expertise on a range of notable projects such as for the design of the Sequoia Detector Vessel for the $1.4 billion Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) Project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. The

Sequoia Detector Vessel is one of the largest vacuum chambers ever built in North America. Some of Grantec’s other notable accomplishments include: the design of the TEXCC Chamber for the Trident Laser Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory; and advanced analysis in the area of naval shock and vibration to support the design of the US Navy’s Expendable Mine Neutralization System (EMNS). Richard Grant has been an instrumental leader in Canada’s offshore structures standards development initiatives and those under ISO since 1997. He currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Canadian Strategic Steering Committee on Offshore Structures Standards and represents Canada on several of the ISO offshore structures standards working groups and technical panels. He has made significant contributions to the advancement of offshore safety standards. One of his most significant accomplishments was the work he performed to advance fire and explosion safety for offshore platforms. This work was initiated by Richard after he identified serious shortcomings in both the Canadian offshore regulations and the offshore standards in 1999. Much of his work in the area of fire and explosion safety formed the basis of the provisions in revised CSA offshore standards. He was subsequently called upon by UK and European members to participate directly in the authoring of the ISO offshore structures standards requirements for fire and explosion safety, including those in the new ISO 19901-3 standard.

USA P R I VAT E E Q U I T Y F I R M O F T H E Y E A R ( M I D D L E - M A R K E T ) - G R I D I R O N C A P I TA L , L L C

To m B u r g e r To m B u r g e r @ g r i d i r o n c a p i t a l . c o m Gridiron Capital, LLC 220 Elm Street New Canaan, Connecticut 06840 Phone: (203) 972-1100 Fax: (203) 801-0602 w w w. g r i d i r o n c a p i t a l . c o m

Gridiron Capital has been awarded the Private Equity Firm of the Year. With a differentiated strategy based on the founders’ experience of being part of their own family businesses and their and the Gridiron Team’s years of operating experience, Gridiron Capital continues to achieve success in middle market buyouts.Over the past year, the firm had four dividend recapitalizations and a successful portfolio company exit and made two platform investments out of its newly raised fund. Gridiron Capital attributes its success to the backgrounds and experience of its leadership and Team including the firms Operating Partners and Board of Business Executives. “Tom and I both grew up working in and leading family-owned businesses,” said Mr. Conese. “We understand that a company’s people and culture are critical to success, and we seek to work with owners and management teams who are motivated to build and grow their companies by executing on a shared strategic vision.” Gridiron focuses on niche manufacturing, business services, and specialty consumer product sectors. Working with families, entrepreneurs and management teams, the firm brings its tremendous experience to the companies it partners with to drive value creation. Tom Burger commented, “We combine years of operating expertise and financial resources with our management teams to develop and execute business plans and build market-leading companies. As a result of our own experiences of having been family business owners and management executives ourselves we bring a unique perspective to investing and building businesses. We have an appreciation for the great value management teams bring given their knowledge of operating the business on a daily basis for years and years.” Gridiron exited Yellowstone

Landscaping Group in January 2015, an investment made in April of 2008. During the investment, YLG became the number one service provider in its served markets through acquisitions and organic growth, built out a great management team and successfully built a sizable scarce asset in the commercial landscape industry. Based on its historical success, Gridiron Capital is finishing up its’ most recent fund raising for Gridiron Capital Fund III, L.P. and is already putting it to work. Gridiron Capital recently invested in two high growth companies, Dent Wizard and LRS. “Both companies have identified needs in the market place and built world class service organizations to establish strong market positions,” according to Tom Burger. “We’re excited to bring together our experience and relationships and management’s strong knowledge of the marketplace to help continue each Company’s high growth.” Gridiron Capital took advantage of significant earnings growth and deleveraging across its portfolio from cash flow generation to return capital to investors through four dividend recapitalizations over the past year. “Our focus on investing in high growth, high cash flow companies provides us with many options to generate returns and send money back to our limited partners,” said Tom Burger. With a newly raised fund, Gridiron Capital is actively pursuing new investment opportunities with families, entrepreneurs and corporate carve-outs to expand its portfolio.

USA G A M E C H A N G E R O F T H E Y E A R ( P E ) , T H O M A S A . B U R G E R, J R. - G R I D I R O N C A P I TA L , L L C

Scott Harrison sharrison@gridironcapital.com Gridiron Capital, LLC 220 Elm Street New Canaan, Connecticut 06840 Phone: (203) 972-1100 Fax: (203) 801-0602 w w w. g r i d i r o n c a p i t a l . c o m

Gridiron Capital’s Tom Burger has been awarded Private Equity Game Changer of the Year. With a unique combination of family business, operating and private equity experience, Mr. Burger was co-founder and has led Gridiron Capital with fellow co-founder Gene Conese since the firms founding. Over the past year, Gridiron Capital completed four dividend recapitalizations, a successful portfolio company exit, and two platform investments out of its newly raised fund. Mr. Burger grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania working in several family owned businesses. Mr. Burger continued his education at Duke University where he received a BSE in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science while playing on the football team. Upon graduation he began his professional career in General Electric’s Manufacturing Management Program working in several operating positions within GE Aircraft Engines and GE Electrical Distribution & Control. After receiving his masters in business administration from Wharton, Mr. Burger advised businesses on strategy, growth initiatives, process improvement, and international expansion including working with US companies to successfully enter the Asian and Chinese markets while at the Boston Consulting Group before entering the private equity industry. Mr. Burger credits his humble roots growing up working in family businesses in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for influencing his approach to partnering with middle market companies. “Growing up working in family-owned businesses, we understand that a company’s people and culture are critical to success, and we seek to work with owners and management teams who are motivated to build and grow their companies by executing on a shared strategic vision. As former family business owners we understand the responsibility that comes with being a steward of a company, the hard work and leadership that goes into being successful, and since

we’ve done just about every job in a company over the years we understand how important every single person is to success in a company”. Mr. Burger continued “We run Gridiron as a business. Just as we work with and expect our companies to build, improve, and grow we do the same with Gridiron Capital. We have a vision, a strategy and a plan, and we work on getting better and executing better. Our name was chosen because it reflects our philosophy of being successful as a company ourselves and for the companies we invest in. Business is a lot like football. To be successful in each you need a strong leader, a great team, a successful vision and strategy, and you need to go out and execute, do the blocking and tackling that will help achieve the vision.” Kevin McKenzie, Chairman of McKenzie Sports Products, a prior investment of Gridiron Capital commented “As a former CEO of a Gridiron portfolio company, I have experienced the benefit of Tom’s insight and have profited equally from his friendship and counsel. It’s very rewarding for me to see that others in his field recognize his capabilities as well.” Mr. Burger recently led the investments in two high growth companies, Dent Wizard and LRS. “Both companies have identified needs in the market place and built world class service organizations to establish strong market positions,” according to Tom Burger. “We’re excited to bring our experience in growing companies and relationships to help these companies continue their high growth.” With a newly raised fund, Mr. Burger and Gridiron Capital are looking to continue their success in the middle market and partnering with families, entrepreneurs and corporate carve-outs to expand its portfolio.

ARGENTINA TAX FIRM OF T HE YEAR - GRUPO GNP TAX C ON SULTA N T OF TH E YEAR, GUI LLERMO N. PEREZ - GRUPO GNP TRANSFER PRICING FIRM OF THE YEAR - GRUPO GNP TRANSFER PRICING FIRM OF THE YEAR IN ARGENTINA" ACQ AWARDS 2014-15

t $&0 BOE $PVOUS Z 5BY -FBEFS Guillermo N. PĂŠrez HVJMMFSNP QFSF[!HSVQPHOQ DPN t *OUFSOBUJPOBM $PSQPSBUF BOE *OEJSFDU 5BY SebastiĂĄn Mancuso TFCBTUJBO NBODVTP!HSVQPHOQ DPN Valeria Brocos - valeria.brocos@grupognp.com Leonardo De Gennaro - leonardo.de.gennaro@grupognp.com t 5SBOTGFS 1SJDJOH o 0VUTPVSDJOH Juan Elias PĂŠrez Bay o KQFSF[CBZ!HSVQPHOQ DPN CFZ5FDI B (/1 (SPVQ .FNCFS 'JSN XXX HSVQPHOQ DPN ]JOGP!HSVQPHOQ DPN 5FM

GNP Group, is a professional firm specialized in Tax and Business Consulting - Founded by Guillermo N. PĂŠrez - President and CEO; since 2006 provides high quality services, supported by a deep technical knowledge, commitment and business approach at Local and International level. GNP Group professionals team is highly qualified and specialized by industry, working to develop the best tax strategies to maximize the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business opportunities. These factors have allowed GNP Group to get an exponential growth since the beginning of its operations and the recognition of the local and international market. These factors have been decisive for GNP Group to clearly position itself among the top firms in Argentina and they are also reflected in the awards and nominations obtained in recent years, as detailed below: s '.0 'ROUP !WARD "EST 4AX &IRM IN !RGENTINA !WARDED BY 7ORLD &INANCE ,EGAL !WARDS - 2013. s '.0 'ROUP !WARD "EST 4AX &IRM IN !RGENTINA !WARDED BY !#1 ,AW !WARDS s 'UILLERMO . 0Ă?REZ !WARD "EST 4AX #ONSULTANT !RGENTINA !WARDED BY 7ORLD &INANCE Legal Awards- 2013. s 'UILLERMO . 0Ă?REZ !WARD "EST 4AX #ONSULTANT !RGENTINA !WARDED BY !#1 ,AW !WARDS

s '.0 'ROUP 3PECIAL .OMINATION 0ROFESSIONAL &IRM OF THE 9EAR FROM !RGENTINA IN 4RANSFER 0RICING ISSUED BY )NTERNATIONAL 4AX 2EVIEW !MERICAS !WARDS s Group GNP NoMINATION 3PECIAL ,ATIN !MERICA )NDIRECT 4AX 4EAM OF THE 9EARv !WARDED BY )NTERNATIONAL 4AX 2EVIEW !MERICAS !WARDS s '.0 'ROUP 3PECIAL MENTION TO FOR ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE )NSTITUTIONAL %XCELLENCE !WARD BUSINESS AWARD GRANTED BY )$%! s GNP Group Recognized as one OF THE #OMPANIES /UTSTANDING 7ORLDWIDE 0ERFORMANCE BY ITS FOR !WARDED BY 7ORLD &INANCE s '.0 'ROUP )NCLUDED IN THE 2ANKING "EST %MPLOYERS !PERTURA -AGAZINE survey. GNP Group has been sponsor and speaker in the major Congresses and Business Forums in !RGENTINA )$%! )!%& 6ISTAGE 5#%3 5#! #RONISTA #OMERCIAL %CONOMY AND &INANCE Congress, etc.). 4AX 3ERVICE LINES &ISCAL 3TRATEGY AND 4AX 0LANNING s 4AX RETURNS s $UE $ILIGENCES s 4AX !UDIT s 4AX ,ITIGATIONs ,OCAL AND )NTERNATIONAL !DVISEs 4RANSFER 0RICINGs /UTSOURCING

US CRIMINAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, HARRIS, O'BRIEN, ST. LAURENT & CHAUDHRY LLP

Andrew St. Laurent Harris, O'Brien, St. Laurent & Chaudhr y LLP T: 646-248-6010 www.harrisobrien.com Andrew@harrisobrien.com

Priya Chaudhry Harris, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, St. Laurent & Chaudhr y LLP T: 212-785-5550 www.harrisobrien.com Priya@harrisobrien.com

ANDREW ST. LAURENT

PRIYA CHAUDHRY

A deep thinker and legal scholar, Andrew St. Laurent is a partner at Harris Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien St. Laurent & Chaudhry LLP. He offers more than 15 years of experience to the firm as a leading criminal defense and commercial litigation attorney.

A dynamic force in the criminal defense bar of New York, Priya Chaudhry is a partner at the trial boutique firm Harris O'Brien St. Laurent & Chaudhry LLP. With over 30 jury trials in her 15 years of practice in some of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most complicated and high-profile criminal cases, Ms. Chaudhryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s formidable career in criminal defense wins regular recognition.

Mr. St. Laurent has tried over 20 cases to verdict as lead counsel, and has won full acquittals for clients charged with larceny, fraud, driving intoxicated, and many other offenses. His notable victories include recovering a $61 million award for the plaintiff in Aurum v. Societe Generale, and most recently winning a substantial award for the diversion of a commission earned on a private equity raise in a FINRA arbitration. Prior to joining the firm, the wise and witty attorney served as a criminal defense attorney with the Manhattan Criminal Defense Practice of the Legal Aid Society, and previously worked as an associate at prominent white-collar criminal boutique Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Iason, & Anello P.C. Mr. St. Laurent was named to The National Trial Lawyers elite list of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Top 100 Trial Lawyers in New Yorkâ&#x20AC;? (2013-2015); Super Lawyers, New York Metro (2013-2015); and was recognized by The National Association of Distinguished Counsel as a Member of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top One Percent of Counselâ&#x20AC;? (2015). He is the author of Open Source & Free Software Licensing (Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly 2004) and numerous articles in the area of criminal law. He is admitted to practice in New York and in the the U. S. District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Ms. Chaudhry has handled criminal matters from the most sophisticated white-collar cases to murder. She has represented individuals accused of crimes ranging from insider trading, money laundering, and securities fraud to homicide and narcotics violations. The forward-thinking attorney is a regular adjunct faculty member of the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program at Cardozo Law School, and has taught Intensive Trial Advocacy for Rutgers School of Law. Her notable recognitions include being selected as a Super Lawyer of New York (2012-2015), and as one of the twelve Super Lawyers â&#x20AC;&#x153;Top Womenâ&#x20AC;? in Criminal Defense in New York (2012-2015). The National Trial Lawyers named Ms. Chaudhry as one of the elite â&#x20AC;&#x153;Top 100 Trial Lawyers in New York,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Top 40 Under 40,â&#x20AC;? (2013-2015). The National Association of Distinguished Counsel selected Ms. Chaudhry as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top One Percentâ&#x20AC;? (2015), and the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys awarded Ms. Chaudhry â&#x20AC;&#x153;10 Best Under 40â&#x20AC;? (2015).She is admitted to practice in New York and in the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. She is fluent in Hindi and Urdu.

US GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (LITIGATION), JONATHAN HARRIS, HARRIS, O'BRIEN, ST. LAURENT & CHAUDHRY LLP

Jonathan Harris Harris, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, St. Laurent & Chaudhr y LLP T: 212-397-3370 jon@harrisobrien.com www.harrisobrien.com

Jonathan Harris is the founding and managing partner of Harris, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, St. Laurent and Chaudhry LLP, a premier litigation boutique with offices in New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. Trained as a trial lawyer, and having extensive business and financial experience, he is equally successful in the courtroom and in business negotiations. Mr. Harris represents plaintiffs and defendants as lead counsel in litigations, arbitrations, negotiations and investigations, and specializes in going head-to-head against the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest corporations, international financial institutions, and the U.S. government. In addition, Mr. Harris regularly advises family offices, investors, founders, and executives in business negotiations. Mr. Harris has been named a Super Lawyer, as American Lawyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Co-Litigator of the Week (October 2011), to The National Trial Lawyers elite list of Top 100 Trial Lawyers in New York, to the Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top One Percent list by The National Association of Distinguished Counsel, and as Corporate LiveWireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Global Award Winner for Investor Litigation in 2015.

s 7INNING A MILLION ARBITRATION AWARD FOR A HEDGE FUND AGAINST A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL BANK relating to the settlement of a complex hedge fund based derivative; the award is amongst the largest ever granted by a FINRA panel; s 7INNING A MILLION JURY AWARD FOR THE ,EARNING !NNEX IN FEDERAL COURT IN .EW 9ORK AND THEN AFTER A NEW TRIAL WAS AWARDED ON DAMAGES WINNING A LARGER VERDICT OF MILLION ON RE TRIAL against one of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prominent defense firms; s 3UCCESSFULLY RESOLVING AN INTERNATIONAL FORFEITURE ACTION BROUGHT BY THE 5NITED 3TATES $EPARTMENT of Justice against the family of the former President of the Republic of China (Taiwan); s 3UCCESSFULLY RESOLVING A "LACK &RIDAY INTERNET GAMBLING ACTION BROUGHT BY THE 5NITED 3TATES Department of Justice against a world-renowned poker player; and s .EGOTIATING A MILLION SEED INVESTMENT IN A START UP HEDGE FUND FOR A FAMILY OFFICE

He is a 1984 graduate of Stanford University, Phi Beta Kappa, and a 1987 graduate of Stanford Law School, Order of the Coif. Mr. Harrisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recent trial victories and significant representations include: s 4HE COMPLETE EXONERATION OF A PROMINENT FINANCIAL ADVISOR AGAINST FRAUD AND NEGLIGENCE CHARGES brought by the SEC following a multi-year investigation, a month long federal jury trial and all appeals;

Prior to founding the firm, Mr. Harris worked closely with legendary trial lawyer Peter Fleming, Jr. at Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP. Mr. Harris clerked for Federal Judge Thomas P. Griesa in the Southern District of New York, and is admitted to the bars of New York and California. Harris, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, St. Laurent & Chaudhry LLP is a rapidly growing twenty-lawyer trial boutique with a focus on trial advocacy and a reputation for excellence in civil and criminal trials and arbitrations.

USA E VE NT DR IV EN EM ER GI NG M A NAG E R O F T H E YE A R - HI L L A I R CA P I TA L MA N AG E ME N T L L C

Scott D. Kaufman Partner / Founding Member Hillair Capital Management LLC ScottK@HillairCapital.com 646.945.8378

Hillair Capital Investments LP (the “Fund”) makes fundamental investments in smaller, growing public companies by creating and acquiring custom structured products via private placements. The Fund deploys capital primarily through “high on the balance sheet” fixed-priced convertible securities to mitigate risk, typically coupled with long-term warrants in order to capture upside equity participation. The Fund’s investment objectives are to ensure capital preservation and offer a base return independent of market direction while positioning investors for further upside appreciation under favorable market conditions or as a result of the performance of the portfolio companies.

Capital. Scott received both a BA and a MBA from Columbia University.

The Fund’s investment strategy is focused on an underserved segment of the U.S. capital markets, namely, the more than 4,000 publicly traded small-cap companies with market capitalizations under $500 million operating in the U.S. today. These small-cap public companies collectively have a combined market capitalization of over $250 billion.

Sean McAvoy has over fifteen years of experience in negotiating and structuring transactions primarily in the public markets. He was a member of the M & A and corporate finance practices at Jones Day and a founding partner of the firm’s Silicon Valley office. Sean received a BA with honors from Williams College, an MSc from The London School of Economics, where he was an AFLSE Scholar, and a JD from Georgetown University Law School, where he was a member of the Georgetown Journal of International Law.

Detailed biographies of the principals of the investment manager follow: Scott Kaufman has over fifteen years of experience investing in small- and micro-cap companies, trading securities and managing investment portfolios. He previously was a Partner and Managing Director at Midsummer Capital, which specialized in financing small capitalization exchange-listed companies through negotiated credit-centric investments. Prior to Midsummer, he was a senior trader at Knight

Neal Kaufman has over fifteen years of operating experience with large and small publicly traded companies and also has significant experience supporting financing activities. He headed up the West Coast activities of Ardour Capital, was the CEO of TieTek, held senior leadership positions at 3Com and NBC Internet, and began his career at McKinsey & Co. Neal received an AB magna cum laude from Harvard College, a MA from Stanford University, and a MBA from Harvard Business School where he was a Baker Scholar.

Hillair Capital Management LLC, the investment manager, is a Delaware limited liability company and is a registered investment advisor with the California Department of Corporations. The Fund is a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership and is a master fund in a master feeder structure.

US INDEPENDENT IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, IMMIGRATION SOLU TIONS LLC GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (IMMIGRATION), MICOL MION, IMMIGRATION SOLUTIONS LLC

Immigration Solutions LLC 585 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116 Tel.: 617-536-0584 Fax: 617-217-0757 Email: info@immsolutionsllc.com

Immigration Solutions LLC is a boutique Immigration law practice. We pride ourselves on our ability to relate to our clients’ experiences and to communicate effectively. Our attorneys are fluent in 16 languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hindi, Bangla, Urdu, Russian, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Czech, Slovak, and Polish) and are no strangers to the immigration system, since we are immigrants as well. This enables us to connect directly to clients and anticipate their needs and concerns. Our philosophy is rooted in the concepts that each case is unique and that time is of the essence. We first try to win a client’s trust during initial consultations by offering effective advice in a patient, friendly setting. We believe that there is no insignificant question, and addressing our clients’ concerns is paramount to a successful relationship. It is imperative for us to listen to our clients’ thoughts and concerns, propose the best solution, and then let the client decide what to pursue based on an accurate understanding of the law.

We handle all cases related to immigration law, including, but not limited to, family petitions, work visas, green cards, reinstatement of student visas, extensions and changes of status, asylum, refugee petitions, removal proceedings, waivers, EB-5 Investor’s green cards, and I-9 compliance. We work effectively and efficiently in a short amount of time. Our clients like our services because we are always available by email, even during weekends, and we can prepare visa petitions and green cards applications within tight deadlines. In our experience, immigration law is always evolving depending on political whims and international trends and events. Our attorneys are acutely aware of the dramatic impact that immigration issues can have on a person’s life, and our attorneys are heavily invested in staying current on the latest developments in immigration law. Staying current on these latest trends allows us to provide the best possible services for our clients.

BRAZIL INTL TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - INTERCORP GROUP

Leonardo Braune leonardo@intercorpgroup.com www.intercorpgroup.com INTERCORP LONDON 45 Pont Street, London, SW1X 0BD +44 (0) 203 3427 3308 INTERCORP MIAMI 150 SE 2nd Ave. Suite 808, Miami, FL33131 + (305) 371 2858

Intercorp Group is a privately owned high-level consulting firm, which provides tax, estate planning and fiduciary structure solutions to high-net-worth families. Intercorp Group provides advice with responsibility, liability and execution. Intercorp functions as an accessible interface, streamlining intelligence from an elite global network of professionals and specialists and ultimately bestowing on clients both the knowledge, confidence and solutions to handle their matters in the best possible way. INTERCORP GROUPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MISSION IS TO: D =1,- 01/0 6-< ?7:<0 .)5141-; <0:7=/0 <0- +0)44-6/-; opportunities and issues surrounding taxation, succession planning, estate planning and investment structures in an international context. D =:)<- )6 16<-:6)<176)4 6-<?7:3 7. -@8-:<1;- .:75 ?01+0 its consultants and clients can draw the very best intelligence from across the globe D &61.A ),>1+- ?1<0 -@-+=<176 <7 /=):)6<-- :-41)*4A ;741, results D =< <0:7=/0 +7584-@ 8:7+-;;-; <7 8:7>1,- +41-6<; ?1<0 intelligent and actionable solutions D -+7,- 87<-6<1)44A +7584-@ )88:7)+0-; 1/61<- ,-*)<- and encourage considered action in the context of the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own situation D 6<-/:)<- <0- +41-6< +76;=4<)6< :-4)<176;018 )6, 8:757<- united objectives, high standards and trust D 9=18 +41-6<; ?1<0 <0- 367?4-,/- +4):1<A )6, +76fidence to make proficient decisions when handling their assets Our Expertise Through our work with many successful and prosperous families, our consultants have developed a deep understanding of the tax systems throughout many jurisdictions across the globe. This expertise is consulted during each of our engagements, from personal estate planning to corporate restructuring of a family business. Intercorp Group provides counsel to clients who are looking to explore the benefits an international perspective may bestow upon their matters.

Intercorp Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consultants regularly advise families in the following circumstances: +76751+ /47*)41B)<176 0); +)=;-, 5)6A +41-6<; <7 +76;1,-: the salience of thorough estate planning. The resulting 57*141<A 7. 01/0 6-< ?7:<0 .)5141-; :-9=1:-; ) <07:7=/0 =6,-:;<)6,16/ 7. <0- 8:7+-,=:-; )6, +76;-9=-6+-; <0)< ) change in domicile entails. Intercorp Group has developed an exceptional understanding of the solutions available to families who wish to structure their assets across multiple jurisdictions in a way which is both tax efficient and ensures the effective preservation, management and transference of their family wealth, for future generations who may reside internationally. !=: +76;=4<)6<; ?7:3 <7 +4):1.A 9=-;<176; -,=+)<- )6, provide the very best guidance to clients on the structures available to them whilst, paying due concern, to the variant global succession laws. The team brings decades of experience in designing and implementing complex structures and instruments such as international trusts, limited liability companies and family limited partnerships: these will not simply be tax efficient *=< ?144 *)4)6+- <0- 6=)6+-; )6, :-9=1:-5-6<; 7. -)+0 individual family. Moving abroad, many family businesses are expanding into other territories, bringing forth a plethora of considerations regarding the protection of the business. In terms of intellectual property, while clients will have taken care of <0- 8:7+-;;-; :-9=1:-, <7 :-/1;<-: )6, 8:7<-+< <0-1: *:)6, under domestic legislation; this protection often will not survive under another jurisdiction. As the business expands, both the brand identity and the fundamental concept â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the processes or products it trades on â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are vulnerable to exploitation by competitors. Intercorp Group ensures the effective preservation and development of brands and intellectual property across several jurisdictions, working with each business to define and integrate the value of their brand and their idea into legally recognised assets of the company. Our team can then execute the necessary registration of these assets through trademarks, patents, designs and copyright in each country of operation.

BRAZIL INTL TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - INTERCORP GROUP

In addition, Intercorp Group regularly advises on the tax implications of cross- border expansion, identifying and mitigating issues surrounding the current business relationships and educating clients on solutions yielded through the formation of offshore holding companies. Our consultants will engage with our global network of professionals to draw upon expertise spanning corporate and commercial contracts, intellectual property, data protection, tax, banking and finance, employment and immigration, ultimately acting as trusted advisor for the client, throughout the entirety of the process. A primary concern of high-net-worth families is ensuring their wealth is sustainable, protected both now and for future generations. As a result, many families have long mobilised their assets internationally, safeguarding them against political, economic or social instability. Intercorp’s consultants have at their disposal a number of investment vehicles and structures, each of which can have a positive impact upon the tax liability of the investments they support. At the heart of this is a tax efficiency programme, which employs our comprehensive knowledge of jurisdictional rules to identify the best opportunities for return. While our consultants will never offer recommendations on the suitability of individual investments, the team is accomplished at advising the client’s fund managers on the best type of investment vehicles, always in full appreciation of tax legislation and the objective of the investment. We are committed to keeping abreast of developments in these areas and regularly appraise and update our advice in line with such developments. In making new investments internationally and outside of the family business, the potential liability for risk, naturally increases. Intercorp works alongside both the families and their existing advisors to identify ways in which to minimise such risks. Our consultants will assess and properly protect the invested assets and effectively structure the business to ensure the risks fall directly and solely on the capital to be invested. Our global perspective is particularly valuable for these types of engagement as we ensure that any structuring undertaken is enforceable and reliable across all territories.

Many family businesses reach a point of maturity, which demands the anticipation of a change in structure. This commonly manifests as either; an initial public offering (IPO), a private investment or a merger or sale, each of these requiring exceptional skill, sensitivity and precision in their execution. Intercorp Group regularly provides counsel on such matters, working collaboratively with existing advisors and our trusted network of professionals. Our consultants perform a pre-due diligence investigation on the clients’ business, highlighting potential complications that could affect the proposed restructuring and the company’s corporate attractiveness to other parties. This diagnostics report is a strategic and consolidated representation of the very best advice and clear identification of the courses of action required for their implementation. Intercorp will then advise on the appropriate structures for the transaction, paying special regard to both cross-border tax liabilities and the potential implications of these on the family’s overall wealth, following the completion of the transaction. Following a major restructuring of any family business, particularly one which involves the dispersal of equity, the client’s wealth will look vastly different to that which it is experienced in managing. Where once, profit may have been reinvested into the business in pursuit of growth, a client’s concerns will have now shifted and the situation may warrant a diversification of its portfolio. Intercorp’s role is to expand the potential of this wealth. Our team will advise on the best way to handle and protect these assets and on the most appropriate jurisdiction in which to manage and coordinate these. Additionally, we will look at the structures required to make these assets efficient and to plan for their transferal to future generations. Once agreed, Intercorp will develop the necessary vehicles to satisfy these objectives. These may include international trusts, private trust companies in offshore jurisdictions and the establishment of charitable foundations. Our team has no allegiances or biases when it comes to the investments themselves, which puts us in a valuable and constructive position to advise objectively on the most suitable structures to sustain them. Our global network of professionals, who are bestowed with a wide variety of

BRAZIL INTL TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - INTERCORP GROUP

different expertise, allow us to consider and implement every available investment vehicle to yield bespoke tax efficient solutions and the best opportunity for returns. Investment in real estate is a very natural endeavor for high-net-worth families who are in pursuit of more tangible ways to invest their wealth. Particularly popular, is foreign investment in the US and UK real estate markets which each raise several estate tax liability issues. These in turn, must be mitigated to achieve the families’ investment objectives. Intercorp Group manages the acquisition and financing processes in collaboration with our network of legal and commercial professionals across the world. Our advice always pays due regard to the individual needs of the family and the tax implications imposed both by their domestic jurisdiction as well as those of the country in which they wish to invest. Ultimately, Intercorp Group professionals work to help clients reconcile the consequences of different structures for their real estate investment and decide on a bespoke solution.

Leonardo Braune Leonardo Braune is a respected and highly experienced consultant in the areas of international tax, real estate planning, wealth preservation, fiduciary advice, implementation and management of international structures and projects. With a vast experience in tax, an extremely diversified client base and a very strong global network of top specialists in many different business related areas, Leonardo has led a large number of successful projects in several industries including oil and gas, telecommunications, real estate, international services, investment funds and asset management. Intercorp Group was established under the supervision of Leonardo Braune with the objective of becoming one of the few truly international tax consulting boutiques, fully capable of providing high quality tax, estate planning and fiduciary structuring services, delivering to its clients only the most efficient and practical solutions.

The Firm Since its establishment, Intercorp Group has grown consistently to become a truly international operation with offices in both Miami and London. With a strong heritage in tax consulting, the scope of Intercorp’s expertise has evolved and developed in observation of its clients’ changing requirements, while maintaining a tradition of outstanding client service and the very best intelligence for our clients. The majority of the firm’s engagements comprise the application of an international perspective to traditional concerns such as estate planning and succession, investment structuring, wealth protection, and corporate restructuring. Intercorp works closely with major law firms, consultancies and professional services firms across the world, commissioning and curating a unique library of tailored expertise.

BRAZIL INTL TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - INTERCORP GROUP

“Great business is built through trust, transparency and reciprocity”

USA NIC H E SOLUTION S PR OVI D E R O F T H E YE A R ( I NSURA NC E ), I P I P E L I N E GAMECHANGER OF TH E YE A R ( I NSURA NC E & F I NA NC I A L S E R V I C E S ( S A A S ) ) , I P I P E L I N E

Tim Wallace, CEO, iPipeline ( Worldwide Headquar ters) 222 Valley Creek Boulevard Exton, PA 19341 USA (484) 348-6555 www.ipipeline.com

iPipeline -- 2015 ACQ5 Winner of the US - Niche Solutions Provider of the Year [Insurance] for a Consecutive Year and the US - Gamechanger of the Year [Insurance & Financial Services] Awards Founded in 1995 by seasoned technology and insurance professionals with deep domain knowledge of the life insurance industry, iPipeline today is a leading provider of cloud-based software solutions for the life insurance industry. Through our SaaS solutions, we accelerate and simplify insurance sales, compliance, operations and support. We provide process automation and seamless integration between every participant in the life insurance industry including carriers, agents (such as financial advisors and independent insurance agents), distributors (such as banks, broker-dealers and general agencies) and consumers. Our innovative solutions enable automated processing for pre-sales, point-of-sale execution of applications, post-sale support, reporting, consumer delivery and agency management. iPipeline provides the process automation and seamless integration needed on a global basis to make a sale by aggregating more than 120 carriers, 875 distributors and financial institutions, and their producers and licensed advisors in a cloud-based environment. Headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania, iPipeline has locations in Cheltenham (UK), Fort Lauderdale, Huntersville, Horsholm (DK), Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Tokyo, and Vancouver. To streamline functions across the entire life insurance value chain, iPipeline has built a comprehensive suite of solutions. We offered the first electronic

application solution in the market allowing agents to take applications on the go with mobile platforms and to improve efficiency and productivity by cutting down on sales cycles from approximately 50 days to 18 days. Additionally, we built the first integrated agent desktop in the marketplace to manage the entire sales process from front office to middle office to back office. This solution allows the agents to perform daily tasks through a single platform that aggregates data from multiple carriers and distributors. This enables us to standardize, centralize and effectively distribute data to agents in an integrated experience and provide immediate access to relevant policy information, providing agent visibility into all stages of the selling process. iPipeline provides a secure, comprehensive suite of cloud-based software solutions designed for the life insurance industry. Our solutions enable the marketing, selling, processing, and support of life insurance products on integrated platforms that streamline activities across the entire chain. We are often the mission-critical single processor of a significant percentage of policies for our largest customers. Many of our customers view us as a strategic partner, and we emphasize the delivery of exceptional, outmost customer service and the highest levels of system reliability in the industry. Customers can purchase anything ranging from an individual/point solution to our integrated suite of products. Visit us at www.ipipeline.com or contact sales@ipipeline.com for an exploratory discussion about our solutions.

USA A N T I T R U S T L I T I G AT I O N L A W Y E R O F T H E Y E A R, J O S E P H R. S AV E R I - J O S E P H S AV E R I L A W F I R M A N T I T R U S T L I T I G AT I O N L A W F I R M O F T H E Y E A R - J O S E P H S AV E R I L A W F I R M

Joseph Saveri Law Firm, Inc. 555 Montgomery Street, Suite 1210 San Francisco, CA 94111 ( 4 1 5 ) 5 0 0 - 6 8 0 0 Te l e p h o n e (415) 395-9940 Facsimile jsaverilawfirm.com w w w. s a v e r i l a w f i r m . c o m

Joseph R. Saveri founded the Joseph Saveri Law Firm Inc. in 2012. Based in San Francisco, California, Mr. Saveri, and his law firm, specializes in antitrust law and complex civil and class action litigation in federal and state courts across the United States. With more than 25 years’ civil litigation experience, Mr. Saveri has handled all phases of litigation. His cases have involved numerous industries including banking and financial services, insurance, energy, pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, computer hardware, computer software, travel and transportation, paper products, cosmetics, and consumer electronics. Representing entrepreneurs, individuals, consumers, small business owners, public officials, and heads of corporations negatively affected by anticompetitive monopolistic business practices, Mr. Saveri has established himself as one of the country’s top litigators in the antitrust field.

member of teams operating under the leadership of others. As court-appointed lead counsel in many of these cases, he has taken a personal leadership role in organizing litigation, setting strategy, establishing and directing teams of lawyers to ensure the efficient use of resources, maximize the talents of the litigation team and to achieve results for his clients. Throughout these cases, Mr. Saveri has displayed the energy, vision and commitment that leadership requires. Mr. Saveri serves or has served as lead counsel in many class actions and other complex cases, including most recently the Capacitors, Titanium Dioxide, High Tech Employee, and TFT (Flat Panel) litigation. Mr. Saveri serves on many committees and advisory boards organized by judicial tribunals and competition advocacy groups. He has developed rules and procedures regarding the discovery of electronically stored information in complex cases. He is a frequent lecturer and speaker on competition law, civil procedure, litigation management and other topics.

He has served both as a court-appointed leader of complex cases and as a valued

US NICHE COMPLIANCE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR, JUMPFORWARD GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, ADAM MCCOMBS, JUMPFORWARD

Adam McCombs Founder JumpFor ward 112 S. Sangamon, 3rd Floor Chicago, IL 60607 o: 312.784.2945 C: 773.575.2052 Adam.mccombs@jumpfor ward.com

JumpForward was founded in 2008 by Adam McCombs. Prior to starting JumpFor-

long to see the impact this application would have in the compliance industry and

ward, Adam worked at Cisco Systems Inc. for 8 years as a Senior Product Manager

JumpForward quickly worked to build the most comprehensive recruiting and

developing next generation internet solutions. Adam is one of only 502 people in the

compliance product in the market. From there, JumpForward used a customer driven

world that hold two CCIEs (CCIE 10,116: Route & Switch & Voice), an undergraduate

development process to build custom solutions for each user in the athletic

degree from the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management in

department onto a single unified platform.

Accounting and Management Information Systems (MIS), an (MBA) from the University of Notre Dame – Mendoza School of Business, and is currently pursuing a

JumpForward is the leading provider of custom software solutions for college athletic

Master of Science in Predictive Analytics (MSPA) at Northwestern.

departments. JumpForward software is used at nearly 75% of Division I athletics departments, including 180 universities that use the software across the entire

Adam’s role at Cisco was to use his knowledge of Voice over IP (VOIP) to improve the

athletic department. JumpForward's product suite includes integrated solutions for

way Fortune 500 companies communicated. Adam soon realized that the same

coaches, student-athletes, compliance offices, business offices, academic services,

technologies he used to help Fortune 500 companies could be used to help college

registrars, financial aid, development, marketing, admissions, equipment rooms, and

athletics departments communicate better. He spent the next few years researching

ticket offices. By bringing all of these departments onto a single technology

the market and building JumpForward’s mobile application with Automatic Call

platform, JumpForward allows colleges to communicate more effectively, securely

Tracking® which has revolutionized the way college coaches recruit. It didn’t take

share information across departments, and use analytics to predict progress towards user specific goals.

CANADA APPELLATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, KLEIN LAWYERS NICHE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (AUTO ACCIDENTS), KLEIN LAWYERS GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (CLASS ACTION), DAVID KLEIN, KLEIN LAWYERS

Klein Lawyers LLP 400-1385 West 8th Avenue Vancouver, BC V6H 3V9 Telephone: 604-874-7171

Klein Lawyers is one of the leading providers of legal expertise in motor vehicle accident claims in British Columbia, Canada. The firm also represents clients from across Canada to obtain compensation in a broad range of class action lawsuits. The head office in Vancouver, British Columbia, is the hub for the motor vehicle group who represent the injured victims of motor vehicle accidents against ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia). This specialized group handles plaintiff only injury claims and maximizes each claim by utilizing a well-established network of experts including doctors, occupational therapists, vocational consultants, engineers and economists. The firm is led by managing partner David Klein, who is recognized as one of Canada’s leading litigators by Best Lawyers in Canada, Benchmark Canada and Lexpert Canada. David has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for thousands of victims in a wide range of landmark cases.

History of the Law Firm Klein Lawyers is respected nationwide employing over 50 staff with offices in Vancouver and Toronto, Canada. Many of the firm’s lawyers have been called to the bar in British Columbia, Ontario and Washington State. The motor vehicle group has grown to help thousands of people obtain settlements for injuries, lost wages, property loss and medical expenses. Klein Lawyers has successfully negotiated millions of dollars in settlements from minor to catastrophic injuries. David Klein was plaintiffs’ counsel in the first class actions certified in British Columbia, Manitoba and Newfoundland & Labrador. Landmark class action cases include Breast Implants, Hepatitis C Tainted Blood, Woodlands Residential School, Air Canada (Retiree Benefits), Crocus (Financial Advisor Negligence) and more. Millions of dollars have been won and distributed to clients. The firm supports a healthy society by donating to the Sauder School of Business at UBC and the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association.

Mr. Klein is a prolific writer and speaker on legal issues, and has provided over 100 papers and presentations to various organizations, universities and trial lawyers associations across North America. Mr. Klein is frequently sought out by the media to comment on current legal issues in Canada.

MEXICO

ACCOUNTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR - KSI MEXICO

Corporativo Cd. de México Paseo de la Reforma 935 Col. Lomas de Chapultepec Deleg. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P.:11000 CONTACT Mexico city +52 55 5520 5353 Mexican Republic: 01 800 849 6614

KSI México is a global network, member of KS International, an association of independent accountancy firms with over 100 offices; we operate in some 50 countries around the world to deal with your international business need. KSI México offers a personal service, focused on the growth and success of our clients. We outstand for the quality of our services, offering a complete solution for each client. We provide a wide range of business service to companies in a variety of industries. The firm specializes in corporate finance advice, accounting, tax planning, consultation, and auditing services. We belong to the PCAOB (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board), as a corporation to oversee the audits of public companies in order to protect the interests of investors and further the public interest in the preparation of informative, accurate and independent audit reports.

Our commitment is to help your business succeed by keeping up-to-date with your affairs and offering a high standard of both commercial and supportive advice. The Key to our approach is to build a close relationship between partner and client. Qualities you will find in a KSI México firm include: • • • • •

A real understanding of your business. The partners are in tune with your needs and aspirations. Regular attention and support from accessible partners. Commercial realism in the advice you receive. Technically reliable responses to your enquiries. Additionally, KSI México firm attach great importance to recruiting and training quality staff.

MEXICO CORPORATE TAX L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR - L AW FIRM JÁUREGUI Y DEL VALLE, S.C.

Torre Arcos Bosques I, Paseo de los Tamarindos No. 400-B, Pisos 8 y 9, Bosques de las Lomas, 05120, México, D.F. T. +5255.5267.4500 F. +5255.5267.4599 www.jaureguiydelvalle.com

Jáuregui y Del Valle, S.C. was founded in 1975. It is the result of the merger between Jáuregui y Navarrete, S.C. and Del Valle Torres, S.C and one of Mexico’s foremost multidisciplinary law firms specialized in international business transactions. The Firm is a leading practitioner in the areas of mergers & acquisitions, tax and taxation, finance, banking, securities, insurance, antitrust, energy, oil and gas, telecommunications, project finance, infrastructure, equity investments, joint ventures, corporate governance, privatizations, real estate, corporate reorganizations, international trade (including AD/CVD investigations), intellectual property, labor matters, healthcare, restructurings and workouts, transportation, Public Private Partnerships, commercial arbitration, regulatory, commercial and civil litigation and environmental law. The Firm consists of eight partners, five of counsel and over twenty five associates and five pre-graduate associates which make it one of the leading law firms in México.

advising highly-regulated entities and in structuring foreign equity investments in those companies. The Firm is also a major provider of legal services in all kinds of financings, privatizations of government-owned companies of all types and of public services, and in advising and assisting clients in all steps of qualifications for public bid processes and negotiations of procurement, services, infrastructure and other kinds of agreements with government entities. The Firm has also advised foreign governmental entities, including the US Department of Commerce in connection with the negotiation of various Chapters of NAFTA, the US Department of the Treasury in the USD$20 billion emergency financial package for Mexico in 1995 and the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States of America, and represented the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health of Mexico in the design and launch of two of the initial three public private partnerships programs in Mexico.

The Firm represents domestic and foreign clients involved in a wide range of joint ventures, investments and economic activities, including industry, trade and services. The Firm has consistently implemented innovative transactions and is a market leader in

Clients’ needs have required the Firm to establish working relationships with a number of law firms in the majority of the most relevant markets around the world.

USA LEADING INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR, LOCKEBRIDGE LLC

Scott Waxler LockeBridge, LLC 12 Waltham Street Lexington, MA 02421 www.lockebridge.com Office: 781.676.2001 Mobile: 978.764.0727 Email: swaxler@lockebridge.com

Headquartered in the Boston area, LockeBridge is an investment banking firm focused on middle market transactions; primarily assisting clients with liquidity events, capital raises, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and valuations generally between $5M – $100M. Through our client-centric, “no retainer” process (see “Uncommon Business Model” below), we eliminate conflicts of interest and create an alignment of objectives between the Client and LockeBridge. The LockeBridge Core Value Proposition is uniquely positioned to deliver seasoned expertise, multiple global bids and unprecedented success rates—all without requiring upfront retainer fees.* Uncommon Business Model What differentiates LockeBridge from the competition is our uncommon business model. Prior to engaging with a client, we invest a substantial amount of time and resources conducting due diligence at our own expense. This diligence process enables us to identify potential value deflators and transaction showstoppers while assessing, at a very high confidence level, the probability of achieving the clients’ objectives. This critical assessment is an essential factor in justifying the substantial investment LockeBridge makes, with no retainer from the client, in order to execute the merger and acquisition process. Additionally, the value deflators identified during the diligence process can be addressed via our proprietary pre-sale consulting process,

whichtypically results in significant value enhancement. The foregoing enables LockeBridge to attract seasoned advisors from among the world's top business schools and advisory firms, who insure execution performance resulting in an unparalleled closing rate at an optimal valuation. LockeBridge has been recognized, with numerous national and international awards, for delivering superior results to our clients (view http://www.lockebridge.com/Awards.html), but more importantly our client-centric approach has proven to deliver premium value and true goal alignment with our clients’ objectives. This Partnership relationship is the backbone of the LockeBridge Model. Scott Waxler is the Managing Partner of LockeBridge. He has won various highly acclaimed awards including the M&A Advisor’s “Deal Maker of the Year”. Throughout his 20+ year history in the investment banking, merger and acquisition business Scott has founded and exited numerous firms and has published dozens of articles.

We are the leading legal ﬁrm in cross-border class action trials Nathalie Lozano Blanco Founding partner

www.lozanoblanco.com - nlozano@lozanoblanco.com - (57 1) 796 86 33

Lozano Blanco & Asociados, founded by Nathalie Lozano Blanco in 2009, offers innovative legal solutions through a semi-massive approach. We guarantee our clients the best service available in an effective cost scheme. This approach has allowed us to be pioneers in class action litigation in Latin America, offering solutions to consumers in cross-border trials. PIP BREAST IMPLANTS LEGAL ACTION:

A new area of practice for lawyers

Lozano Blanco & Asociados consolidated itself as a world leading ﬁrm in class action litigation with the historic PIP implant cross-border trial. The ﬁrm represented 9054 women from Colombia, Australia, New Zealand, England, United States and Spain, more than half of the plaintiffs, in the French legal actions against TÜV and the PIP factory directives. In the commercial trial, Lozano Blanco & Asociados argued

the negligence of TÜV in fulfilling its obligations as certifier of the safety and quality of PIP implants. On the 14th of November the Tribunal de Commerce de Toulon declared TÜV’s negligence and sentenced the company to pay 3400 euros to each women. Many international trials concerning consumer protection and environmental damages are waiting for bold, aggressive and innovative lawyers to start creating a new approach to class actions. Traditional legal practices may not produce the results expected by clients from their lawyers . The firm’s experience in the PIP implants trial has con stituted a new know-how and area of practice for lawyers.

Nathalie Lozano Blanco is a Colombian lawyer with more than 20 years experience in telecommunications, class actions, commercial law and advising the public sector in organizational strategies. Nathalie has a law degree from Universidad del Rosario in Colombia, a masters degree in International Economic Law from Paris I University- Pantheon Sorbonne and was a doctoral candidate in Banking Law. Before founding Lozano Blanco & Asociados, Nathalie also held management positions in legal, ﬁnancial and administrative areas of the public sector and telecommunication companies.

USA LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR IN 6 COUNTRIES AND 21 DIFFERENT CATEGORIES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2015 - MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP

MAALOUF ASHFORD & TALBOT, LLP 5FM t 'BY XXX NBBMPVGBTIGPSE DPN 8BMM 4USFFU UI 'MPPS /FX :PSL /FX :PSL

Maalouf Ashford & Talbot, LLP is among the world's leading international law firms with offices in New York City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Riyadh, SÃ£o Paulo, Beirut and Moscow. John J. Maalouf, Senior Partner of the Firm, is a globally recognized expert in the areas of International Trade & Finance Law, Corporate Law, Securities Law, Oil & Gas Law and Mergers & Acquisitions, and has been ranked as one of the Top 10 International Trade & Finance Lawyers in the United States for the past 10 years in a row by the United States Lawyer Rankings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2006 to 2015 Editions.

Maalouf Ashford & Talbot's lawyers are internationally recognized as leading experts in the areas of International Finance Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Oil & Gas Law, Energy Law, Private Equity Law, Project Finance Law, Banking Law, Capital Markets Law, Corporate Law, Cross Border Law, Shipping & Maritime Law, Antitrust Law, Sharia Law, and Tax Law.

AREAS OF PRACTICE International Trade &INANCE s 3ECURITIES ,AW s %NERGY /IL 'AS ,AW s -ERGERS AND !CQUISITIONS )NTERNATIONAL !RBITRATION s #ORPORATE ,AW s %NTREPRENEURIAL 3ERVICES s -IDDLE %AST 0RACTICE #HINA 0RACTICE s )NVESTMENT &UNDS s 3TRUCTURED 0ROJECT &INANCE s 2ENEWABLE %NERGY ,AW 3HIPPING -ARITIME ,AW s 3PACE 3ATELLITE ,AW s !VIATION ,AW s )NTELLECTUAL 0ROPERTY 2EGULATORY 0RACTICE s 4AX ,AW s "ANKING ,AW s 6ENTURE #APITAL Winners in the Following Categories:

United States US - BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR U S - C A P I TA L M A R K E T S L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R U S - C O R P O R AT E L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R US - CROSS BORDER LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR US - ENERGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR U S - I N T E R N AT I O N A L L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R U S - I N T E R N AT I O N A L T R A D E & F I N A N C E L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R US - ISLAMIC FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR US - M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR US - MINING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR US - OIL & GAS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR Saudi Arabia S A U D I A R A B I A - I N T E R N AT I O N A L L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R S A U D I A R A B I A - O V E R S E A S C O R P O R AT E L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R SAUDI ARABIA - OVERSEAS M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR S A U D I A R A B I A - O V E R S E A S P R I VAT E E Q U I T Y L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R U A E - I N T E R N AT I O N A L L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R China C H I N A - I N T E R N AT I O N A L L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R CHINA - OVERSEAS BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR CHINA - OVERSEAS M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR Russia L E B A N O N - I N T E R N AT I O N A L L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R Lebanon I N T E R N AT I O N A L L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R UAE I N T E R N AT I O N A L L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R

CANADA NICHE - FAMILY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR FOR A CONSECUTIVE YEAR - MARTHA MCCARTHY & COMPANY FAMILY LAWYER OF THE YEAR - MARTHA MCCARTHY, MARTHA MCCARTHY & COMPANY

Mar tha McCar thy Mar tha can be reached at: mar tha@mccar thyco.ca 416-862-6226

Martha McCarthy is the winner of the Ontario Bar Association 2007 Award of Excellence in Family Law. Martha was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1991, winning the Silver Medal and the Family Law and Advocacy Prizes. Martha has practised family law since her call, first in a large Bay Street firm, then the largest family law specialist boutique in Canada, and now with her own firm. Martha was counsel for M. in M. v. H. which after eight years and a decision from the Supreme Court of Canada resulted in widespread amendments to include same-sex couples as spouses in both federal and provincial legislation. In 2000, she commenced the equal marriage case Halpern, which resulted in the first decision in the country and internationally calling for immediate same-sex marriage, effective June 10, 2003. Martha later acted for the Hendricks couple in Quebec, and the Dunbar couple in the Yukon in cases that opened up equal marriage in those provinces as well. She was counsel to the Ontario and Quebec couples on the Supreme Court Marriage Reference and, just to complete the circle, was counsel to the applicant in the first same-sex

divorce in Canada. In 2006, Martha acted for lesbian families who won the right to immediately register both mothers as their children's parents, and intervened on behalf of these families in AA v. BB v. CC, a case achieving legal recognition for a three parent family. Apart from gay and lesbian equality issues, Martha's areas of specialty include the interaction of family issues with business organization and valuation, shareholders' remedies, marriage contracts, equality claims in family law, child representation and the effect of divorce on children. She is a Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Martha was awarded the Law Society Medal in 2013. Martha is a frequent advocate, author and commentator on issues of gay and lesbian equality, and our evolving concept of family.

USA TAX L IT IGAT I O N L AW FI RM O F TH E Y E A R, M AYE R B R OW N T RA NS FE R P R I C I N G A DV I S O RY O F TH E YEA R, M AYER BRO W N TAX L IT IGAT I O N AT T O R N E Y O F TH E Y E A R, J OE L W I L L I A M SO N , MAYER BROWN

We are especially proud of the three top tax awards in 2015 from ACQ, including “US - Tax Litigation Firm of the Year,” “Transfer Pricing Advisory Firm of the Year”, and “Tax Litigation Attorney of the Year, Joel Williamson.” Our special thanks to ACQ for recognizing our global Tax practice as top in its class. Mayer Brown’s Tax Controversy and Transfer Pricing practice is a leader in the field, with 45 lawyers whose level of experience in providing transfer pricing planning and handling tax controversies is widely recognized. Its deep experience allows the practice to effectively represent clients in a variety of situations, such as counseling corporations during tax audits, pursuing administrative appeals of audit results, litigating tax matters at the trial court or appellate court level, or providing clients with advice and representation involving international tax matters such as transfer pricing. We continue to handle very large, high-profile US Tax Court cases for our clients. Across the nation Mayer Brown’s tax controversy practice is actively representing clients in over 25 Tax Court dockets which together involve over $10 billion in federal income adjustments. The vast majority of large tax cases are docketed in the US Tax Court, a forum in which we are one of the most active law firms in the nation. "Mayer Brown is 'among the best' and fields a

Scott M. Stewart, Partner Chicago sstewart@mayerbrown.com T +1 312 701 7821

Thomas Kittle-Kamp, Partner Chicago tkittlekamp@mayerbrown.com T +1 312 701 7028

J o e l V. W i l l i a m s o n , P a r t n e r Chicago jwilliamson@mayerbrown.com T +1 312 701 7229

J o h n T. H i l d y, P a r t n e r Chicago jhildy@mayerbrown.com T +1 312 701 7769

large team…dedicated exclusively to tax controversy and transfer pricing," said Legal 500. Legal 500 also named Mayer Brown Tax Controversy Team of the Year and the International Tax Review named Mayer Brown the US Tax Court Firm of the Year, in 2014. Meanwhile, Mayer Brown's transfer pricing lawyers and economists are known for employing innovative techniques, as well as offering experience in negotiating advance pricing agreements and providing guidance on a worldwide basis. Mayer Brown would like to congratulate Joel Williamson for being named ACQ’s “Tax Litigation Attorney of the Year” in 2015. Mr. Williamson is widely acknowledged as one of the nation’s leading tax attorneys and litigators, having litigated over 60 tax cases. "We continue to grow the practice in ways that benefit our clients, and this recognition underscores our efforts to be a market leader in providing international tax advice to multinational corporations," said Mr. Williamson. "Our entire team is pleased to receive these outstanding recognitions." For more information about the practice, please see: www.mayerbrown.com

CANADA DISPUTE RESOLUTION L AWYER OF THE YEAR, DAVID CHODIKOFF - MILLER THOMSON LLP TAX LIT IGAT ION L AWYER OF TH E YEAR, DAVI D CHODIKOFF - MILLER THOMSON LLP

David W. Chodikoff Par tner Toronto 416.595.8626 dchodikoff@miller thomson.com http://www.miller thomson.com/en/our-people/david-w-chodikoff

Miller Thomson is one of Canada’s largest business law firms, catering to domestic and international clients with Canadian legal needs. W ith a network of almost 500 lawyers in 11 offices, we offer an extensive and diverse portfolio of industry and functional expertise across a complete range of business, advocacy and personal legal services. As one of the firm’s leading practice groups, the Tax Law Group is among the largest in Canada, and continually growing. Our lawyers provide a variety of cost-effective solutions to clients with domestic, cross-border or off-shore requirements on a variety of topics. This includes corporate tax, litigation/dispute resolution, charities and not-for-profit, international trade, and customs and commodity tax. We represent clients in various industry sectors, such as manufacturing and processing, oil and gas, real estate and banking and finance, and are also positioned at the forefront of rapidly growing technological areas, such as cleantech and greentech.

David Chodikoff is an expert in tax litigation (civil and criminal) and international tax dispute resolution. W ith a practice spanning 26 years, he was selected as one of the leading tax controversy advisors in the world by the International Tax Review’s “Tax Controversy Leaders Guide”, and is a consistently sought-after speaker on the subjects of advocacy and taxation in both public and private sectors. David is the co-editor and contributor to six tax books and he has authored dozens of articles. In addition, David will be releasing two more tax books this year.

“All Star Litigation Shop.” —LAW360

NEW YORK 540 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10022 T: 212.607.8160

WASHINGTON, D.C. 600 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037 T: 202.556.2000

www.mololamken.com

CHICAGO 300 North LaSalle Street Chicago, IL 60654 T: 312.450.6700

USA RIA OF THE YEAR, MONETA GROUP INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FINANCIAL ADVISORY), GENE DIEDERICH, MONETA GROUP INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC

Moneta Group monetagroup.com 314-726-2300 CEO: Gene Diederich gdiederich@monetagroup.com

As Family CFOs, Moneta Group’s main responsibility is to provide guidance for their clients on how to manage, grow and protect their family’s assets. Investment management is a piece of this, but the complexities of retirement planning, estate and philanthropic strategies, tax planning, money management, risk management and business succession also require a wide range of expertise. To achieve that expertise, Moneta’s advisors hold more than 195 professional designations, including CFP®, CFA®, AWMA®, AFI®, PFS, J.D., CPA, CLU and others, giving the firm an incredible depth and breadth of expertise across a broad range of topics. Although providing expert financial advice is an obvious objective, Moneta’s true goal is to provide clients with completely customized services that take the stress and complexity out of managing their financial affairs. An independent Registered Investment Advisor, Moneta Group manages more than $14.1 billion in assets (as of Dec. 31, 2014), which ranks them among the top RIAs in the country. The firm also has a growing Institutional Consulting business that offers customized, fiduciary advice to retirement plan sponsors, endowments and foundations. This arm of the business manages more than 250 retirement plans with more than $3 billion in assets. Taking Care of Moneta’s Clients “We are truly dedicated to ‘Raving Fan’ service. When you trust Moneta Group with your family’s financial future, you can be assured of our passion for service and a long-term relationship dedicated to your needs,” says Gene Diederich, CEO. To ensure that their clients are taken care of for generations to come, Moneta’s principals are independent owners of the firm, meaning they do not answer to shareholders who may inhibit their ability to provide specialized advice. Multi-generational advising is a pillar at Moneta Group, and they strive to stay highly sensitive to the

unique subject of generational differences. The firm has been purposeful in their approach to developing professionals and multi-generational teams that serve all kinds of multi-generational clients. In fact, Moneta’s commitment to providing Raving Fan service for their clients compels them to think in terms of sustainable, long-term relationships, which allows Moneta to exceed the expectations of their clients and contributes to their more than 97% client retention. Taking Care of Moneta’s Employees “At Moneta Group we take exceptional care of our clients and each other,” says Diederich. “Our business model takes a long-term approach, which makes it important for us to nurture long-term relationships with our employees as well.” And, with rapid growth and less than 10% turnover (relative to 18% industry average), this method appears to be working. “We encourage professional and personal growth at all levels and continue to invest heavily in our training and development programs to leverage the intellectual capital of our firm,” says Tom O’Meara, Chairman of the Board at Moneta Group. In addition to continued education, Moneta has found it to be very important to include all levels of employees in decisions regarding the firm’s future. This allows the firm to better understand and anticipate the impact that current decisions will have on Moneta’s relationship-driven business. This dedication to employees has lead Moneta to receive accolades for being a top workplace in the St. Louis community. In addition to being a finalist for the Business Journal’s Best Places to Work award, in 2014 Moneta was named to the Post-Dispatch’s Top Workplaces list. All in all, Moneta Group’s dedication to providing ‘Raving Fan’ service is a pillar in their business that leads them to take exceptional care of their clients and each other.

US NICHE TRAINING COMPANY OF THE YEAR (FUNDS TRADING), NEXT LEVEL TRADING

Next Level Trading LLC 75 Hatton Ave. #303 Eugene, OR 97404 Phone: 541 636-3111 Twitter: @nxtlvltrdr

Don Turner has been actively trading since 2009, and building systems since 2012. After

must be tested with positive results, and the trader must follow through with the plan.

initially losing money, Don discovered how to trade wave to wave. In 2012, he began work

Knowing how to calculate the waves and patterns allows us to anticipate decision points

on the X90 WaveRider in a live trading environment. Originally conceived as a training tool,

and odds on the next wave. Wave to Wave analysis uses an entirely new way of calculating,

the X90 WaveRider provided a simple approach with easily followed rules for entry for day

and anticipating waves and patterns. It is not Elliot Wave. Trading is hard, so we developed

trading any instrument. His goal is to bring his approach to traders to help increase the

a simple system with simple rules that can be shown to repeatedly lead to profitable results.

success rate of those entering the business. Wealth and Finance International recently

The best way to learn Wave to Wave analysis is in a live environment, which is why we have

named Next Level Trading the best provider of trading templates, and the premier trainer

daily live training. We use Wave to Wave analysis to set our anticipation. The X90

and educator in the United States. Next Level Trading was launched in May 2013. We trade

WaveRider shows us our entries. The X90 WaveRider is the culmination of 5 years of

the markets wave to wave, and teach traders how to recognize and calculate the patterns

training traders and designing systems and indicators. The X90 WaveRider works seamlessly

that repeat themselves. Using higher time frames, symmetry, and proper calculations we

with our extensive training program, and is simple enough to be used by the novice trader.

help the trader take their trading to the “next level”. Our experience has taught us that the

Using a combination of higher time frame levels, atrs, moving averages, and fibonaccis, the

market is calculated. The important question is, “Do you know the calculations?” It’s been

X90 WaveRider is the ultimate entry tool.

said that 98% of all people who try trading fail. It shouldn’t be that way. Anyone can learn how to trade successfully. In order to be successful, the trader must have a plan, the plan

ANTIGUA NICHE BUSINESS ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, PACCS INC

Antigua Email: info@sandrabaptist.com www.PACCSInc.com Office: 1-268-734-1084 Direct: 1-268-732-4734

PACCS Inc. is a dedicated team of professionals, committed to helping:

#ARIBBEAN REGION

s s s s s s

$URING THE YEAR THE COMPANY OFFERS A NUMBER OF )NTERNAL !UDIT 7ORKSHOPS AND 2OUND 4ABLES AND IN &ALL THE ST !NNUAL 2ISK -ANAGEMENT )NTERNAL #ONTROLS AND 'OVERNANCE #ONFERENCE WILL BE HELD IN 3T *OHN S !NTIGUA

.ON "ANK &INANCIAL )NSTITUTIONS (OTELS 3TATUTORY /RGANIZATIONS 'ROWTH /RIENTED #OMPANIES "USINESS /WNERS AND 6ISIONARY %NTREPRENEURS AND THEIR TEAMS

GENERATE AND MANAGE THEIR INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES AND CREATE PLAN AND TRACK UNCOMMON STRATEGIES TO CREATE UNCONVENTIONAL PROFITS AND MASSIVE GROWTH 0!##3 )NC WAS FOUNDED BY 3ANDRA "APTIST &##! WHO IS THE #%/ AND -ANAGING $IRECTOR 3ANDRA HAS A DEGREE IN !CCOUNTING AND &INANCIAL -ANAGEMENT FROM THE 5NIVERSITY OF %SSEX IN THE 5+ 3HE RECEIVED HER PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION FROM THE !SSOCIATION OF #HARTERED #ERTIFIED !CCOUNTANTS !##! AND IS A 0RACTISING -EMBER OF THE )NSTITUTE OF #HARTERED !CCOUNTANTS OF THE %ASTERN #ARIBBEAN )#!%# -S "APTIST IS A #HARTERED !CCOUNTANT WITH OVER YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCOUNTING AND AUDIT OF VARIOUS INDUSTRIES INCLUDING COMMERCIAL AND OFFSHORE BANKS TRUST AND GAMING INSTITUTIONS INSURANCE COMPANIES SERVICE AND RETAIL BUSINESSES /UR %XTERNAL OR FINANCIAL AUDITS ARE OFFERED TO A VARIETY OF COMPANIES AND 3-% S MOST OF THEM OPERATING IN SERVICE INDUSTRIES WHILE OUR )NTERNAL !UDIT AND CONSULTANCY SERVICES ARE OFFERED TO .ON "ANK &INANCIAL )NSTITUTIONS ."&) S INCLUDING )NSURANCE AND 'AMING COMPANIES AND #REDIT 5NIONS (OTELS 3TATUTORY /RGANIZATIONS AND 3-% S WITHIN THE

/UR &OUNDER 3ANDRA "APTIST IS AN ENTREPRENEURIAL FINANCIAL STRATEGIST A #ERTIFIED "USINESS #OACH A #ERTIFIED 'UERRILLA -ARKETING !DVISER A #ERTIFIED ,IVE0LAN %XPERT !DVISOR AND A 0ROFIT &IRST 0ROFESSIONAL 3ANDRA IS A )NTERNATIONAL "EST 3ELLING !UTHOR (ER ST BOOK 5NLOCK 4HE #ODE BECAME A BEST SELLER ON !MAZON WITHIN HOURS 3HE IS ONE OF THE CO AUTHORS OF h2EADY !IM )NFLUENCE v WITH #ARLOS 3LIM THE 7ORLD S 2ICHEST MAN -ARSHALL 'OLDSMITH AND OTHERS 3ANDRA HAS ALSO BEEN A MENTOR FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS FOR THE 2ICHARD "RANSON #ENTRE OF %NTREPRENEURSHIP AND SHE HAS BEEN FEATURED ON A NUMBER OF LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA &OR PERSONS DOING BUSINESS IN THE %ASTERN #ARIBBEAN 0!##3 )NC OFFERS THE !NTIGUA "USINESS /FFICE AN ALL PURPOSE ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL HUB JUST FOR (IGH .ET 7ORTH 0ERSONS LIVING IN OR DOING BUSINESS IN !NTIGUA OR THE #ARIBBEAN WHO NEED BUSINESS SERVICES ON AN ON GOING BASIS &OR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT US FOR A FREE MINUTE CONSULTATION ON HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOUR COMPANY S GOALS

UK SOFTWARE VENDOR OF THE YEAR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PARASOFT CEO OF THE YEAR (TECH), ELIZABETH KOLAWA - PARASOFT GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (STRATEGIC CHANGE), WAYNE ARIOLA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PARASOFT

Parasoft 101 E. Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016 888-305-0041 info@parasoft.com

Elizabeth Kolawa, President and CEO

Wayne Ariola, Chief Strategy Officer

Parasoft researches and develops software solutions that help organizations deliver defect-free software efficiently. By integrating development testing, API testing, and service virtualization, we reduce the time, effort, and cost of delivering secure, reliable, and compliant software. Parasoft's enterprise and embedded development solutions are the industry's most comprehensiveâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including static analysis, unit testing, requirements traceability, coverage analysis, functional and load testing, dev/test environment management, and more. The majority of Fortune 500 companies rely on Parasoft in order to produce top-quality software consistently and efficiently as they pursue agile, lean, DevOps, compliance, and safety-critical development

CANADA FULL SERVICE PATENT ADVISORY OF THE YEAR, PATENTAXIS INC.

PatentAxis Inc. Jai Chatterjee mail@patentaxis.com www.patentaxis.com 10 King Street East, suite 500 Toronto, Ontario M5C 1C3 Canada. Telephone: +1-416-556-2999

Every win fuels greater efforts to strive to provide clients with success. Just as securing a patent for a client is inspiring, so is a win from the ACQ Awards. This recognition is much appreciated and enthusiastically accepted. PatentAxis Inc. is a Canadian patent services firm located in Toronto, specializing in patent filing and prosecution. For local clients, patent portfolios and international filing strategies are managed and executed. International clients are represented for Canadian patent prosecution to achieve grant of a Canadian patent. A high premium is placed on client relationships. Whether the client is a local start-up or a large international law firm, PatentAxis Inc. is committed to clear communication, transparent billing and steadfast pursuit of patent protection. Accessibility and prompt and clear responses to clients wishing to discuss strategy or query a patent practice is a cornerstone of PatentAxis Inc.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s service model. Discussion and questions are encouraged by a policy of not charging for calls that are less than 30 minutes. Every attempt is made to have calls directed to and answered by a relevant patent professional during business hours. Open communication channels provide clients with opportunities to make informed decisions when considering multiple parallel options that can arise during filing and prosecution and ultimately obtain patents that are better correlated with client goals.

Billing models can be either based on hourly rates or fixed fees. Historically, a majority of clients provided with both options have chosen fixed fees. Responding to client demand a fixed fee structure has been developed for full Canadian prosecution from filing to grant. PatentAxis Inc. is dedicated to explicit and plain billing, so that invoices are aligned with expectations. A founding principle of PatentAxis Inc. is to treat every client as a premium client, with an emphasis on client communications and client satisfaction. Regardless of the size of the client a concerted effort is made to provide clear and practical advice at each decision point, and whenever relevant set out options with benefits and risks of each option. It is a distinct honour to receive this ACQ Award. These awards are useful indicators of being on the right track, and provide a validation from existing clients without having to impose on these same clients with requests to answer surveys or submit testimonials. PatentAxis Inc., is thrilled to celebrate this award as a reflection of a roster of trusted client relationships and sends heartfelt thanks to those who took time out of their schedules to cast favourable votes and make this win possible.

USA FUND ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM OF THE YEAR (BASISPOINT), PENDO SYSTEMS, INC. CAPITAL MARKET TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR, PENDO SYSTEMS, INC. GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (CMT), PAMELA CYTRON, PENDO SYSTEMS, INC.

Pendo Systems introduces ibria A digital universal transparent platform for live global investment data !

! ! ! !

FUND ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM OF THE YEAR

CAPITAL MARKET TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR Pendo Systems has been on a roll this year, winning a number of awards from international financial technology publications and the New Jersey Technology Council. The recognition by ACQ Global awards in the three categories is distinguishing Pendo in the Capital Markets industry.

GAME CHANGER OF THE YEAR! ! With ibria you can: •!

•! •! •! •!

! Shouldn’t checking an investment portfolio be as easy as ordering an Uber from your phone? With Pendo Systems’ ibria, it is.

ibria is a revolutionary cloud-based digital investment platform for family offices and investment professionals. Built on decades of industry experience and an awardwinning back office solution. You can check your holdings, consider trading opportunities and run analytics from a phone, tablet, notebook or desktop.

Upload your Excel spreadsheet to a system with a global inventory of investments Receive real-time valuations Produce on-demand regulatory and client reporting See instantly: What do I own? What is it worth? What is my counter-party exposure? Comply with compliance and regulations

Our cloud API infrastructure will allow you to plug into any web service to enrich your views or analytics, and to share information with advisors. •! •! •! •!

Self Service: Back Office in a Box Shadow & Consolidate Multi-Tenant for multi-family office environment General ledgers outputs

Our platform will provide the foundation for asset owners to control their future of investing. This is an invitation to explore the future with an early We know the struggles to get the information needed adopter incentive from banks, brokers, regulators and even consultants. The program. We will be asset management business runs on outdated legacy releasing to the elite group systems that receive almost no investment to update the full functionality in an their technology. Seven years after the financial crisis and Alpha Mode and desire nothing has changed. Family Offices. It is time to collaborate on redundant Ibria provides live inventory 24x7, completely multifunctions and share commodity expenses. We are ready jurisdictional for investing around the world, completely to collaborate with you. For more information and to multi-asset class and provides for real time analytics and confirm your spot, please contact Pamela Cytron at data management. Hosted in Amazon Web Services pamela@ibria.co or 973 735 5787. and with stringent security in place we are able to bring the back office technology into the 21st Century both in terms of implementation and price point. Ibria is available through Amazon Web Services.

USA ACCOUNTING PL ATFORM OF THE YEAR - PENNY-IT WORKS

Founder: Ron Kashden Web: www.PennyItWorks.com Email: info@PennyItWorks.com Tel: (914) 358 0016

HEADING: The acclaimed software, Penny-It Works, is a registered Microsoft Partner that offers specialized partnership and shareholder accounting solutions for the financial industry. Penny is used to manage more than 950 funds with more than $490 billion in AUM, providing automated and instant access to detailed investor data. BODY COPY: Penny’s open architecture and proven features easily integrate with portfolio accounting and CRM systems, data warehouses and in-house proprietary solutions. Penny is tailored to the specific needs of leading hedge funds, fund of funds, PE firms, fund administrators and management companies with assets under management ranging from $100 million and up. Distinguished from Competition Our organization is comprised of a remarkable group of alternative investment accounting veterans that give us the expertise to develop software in a way that cannot be matched by our competitors. Our staff’s deep understanding comes from real-world experience – a CFO of a large hedge fund group,

controller of a private equity organization, lead developer for a major fund administrator and more – and gives our team an unrivaled ability to create flexible, user-friendly, automated solutions for the demanding back-office alternative investment environment. In Depth Design A big factor in our continued success is the deep analysis that goes into the product design process that starts with a constant review of regulatory literature, as well as ongoing communication with clients. When we uncover a need, we gather our experts together to determine what the underlying purpose of the request is and how that might morph in the future. This deep analysis allows us to create a more holistic solution that goes beyond superficial answers. We endeavor to enhance our product so that it not only solves today’s needs, but is flexible enough to handle tomorrow’s anticipated problems. Statistics: s /VER BILLION ASSETS UNDER ADMINISTRATION s OF TOP FUNDS FLOW THROUGH 0ENNY s OF THE TOP ADMINISTRATORS USE 0ENNY

CANADA PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, PIPELLA LAW PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, TARA D. PIPELLA, PIPELLA LAW

Tara Pipella Barrister & Solicitor Pipella Law tpipella@pipellalaw.com +1.403.265.8733 (phone) +1.403.263.3153 (fax) After-hours phone number: (403) 660 - 9383

Tara Pipella has been continuously listed in the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory as a leading practitioner in Alberta in the area of Personal Injury litigation. Tara carries on the family tradition of her late father, Edward S. Pipella, QC, practicing exclusively in the area of personal injury law and acting exclusively for Plaintiffs, successfully negotiating settlements and arguing cases that ensure proper compensation for her clients' catastrophic injuries. Tara received her Bachelor of Communications from the University of Calgary in 1989. Thereafter, she completed her Bachelor of Education in 1991 and taught with the Calgary Board of Education for one year. Tara then pursued her Bachelor of Laws (Honours with Distinction) from the University of Wales in Cardiff in 1997. Upon graduation, Tara articled with Pipella Law and Calgary Legal Guidance, where she acquired experience in family and criminal law. Following her admission to the Bar in 1999, Tara practiced solely at Pipella Law under the tutelage of her father, Edward S. Pipella, QC, repeatedly voted as one of the Best Lawyers in Canada for his accomplishments in the legal field, and who was proud that he never acted for an insurance company in his 56 year legal career.

Suite 200, Dorchester Square 1333 – 8th Street SW Calgar y, AB T2R 1M6 www.pipellalaw.com www.calgar y-personal-injur y.ca

Tara now operates Pipella Law which her father founded. She has developed a high level of expertise in the areas of personal injury and medical malpractice. Tara has volunteered with the Canadian Bar Association, Personal Injury Subsection. She held the positions of Secretary and Legislative Review Chair and was the acting Chairperson. She has also prepared papers for the Legal Education Society of Alberta, (LESA), and has presented seminars for Alberta physicians and the Occupational Therapy Association. In addition to dedicating time to her husband and children, Tara, has further volunteered for various community organizations for close to two decades including Spinal Cord Injury Alberta, (SCI), the Association for the Rehabilitation for the Brain Injured (ARBI), the Southern Alberta Brain Injury Society (SABIS), Inn from the Cold, the Canadian Diabetes Association and the Calgary Drop-in Centre. Ms. Pipella is a member in good standing with the Alberta Law Society and the Canadian Bar Association and currently sits on the Board of Directors for SABIS.

CANADA GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (LITIGATION COUNSEL), SHAUN T. MACISAAC, Q.C., PITTMAN MACISAAC & ROY

PMR Law 2600 West Tower, 144 – 4th Avenue SW Calgar y, Alber ta, Canada T2P 3N4 T: 1.403.716.3629 F: 1.403.237.6594 stm@pmrlaw.ca www.pmrlaw.ca

Shaun T. MacIsaac QC has led the litigation practice of PMR Law for many years. The firm has been successful in over 100 civil trials. Shaun has developed a concentration on the resolution of Transfer Pricing disputes over the last 10 years. Shaun has successfully resolved many disputes. Shaun has also been counsel in one of a very small number of transfer pricing cases won by the taxpayer. The case has attracted interest from around the world. Speaking to us from his office in Calgary, Canada, Shaun told us “This award is based on a peer review process. I am so very pleased to have been chosen under the careful criteria of ACQ for this award for our transfer pricing team, and for my role as lead litigation counsel in contested cases”. Pittman MacIsaac & Roy have experience as successful counsel in many Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench trials. They have also appeared before the Alberta Court of Appeal, and the Tax Court of Canada. They also have done counsel work before other boards and tribunals. ACQ asked Shaun to comment on the litigation team at PMR Law. He explained “Our litigation team handles cases involving transfer pricing, corporate and real estate law only. We approach cases from the point of view that the best and most valuable advice a client can receive is a comprehensive, critical analysis of the cost and

benefits and likely outcome of a case done at the very beginning. The firm prides itself on litigating deserving cases. We use litigation support software to reduce and manage the time needed to prepare cases. We have experience in representing groups of litigants on major cases. There are many reported successful cases that have been handled by our litigation team.” Given the firm’s emphasis on transfer pricing disputes, ACQ also asked what this is about, and what is the approach taken by PMR Law. Shaun continued “Transfer Pricing is a field of international tax law. It involves advising companies regarding the prices that are charged by Canadian companies to foreign related companies. Transfer Pricing issues arise in companies when filing their annual tax returns, and structuring relationships amongst parents and subsidiaries. The role of the law firm is to investigate transfer pricing disputes as these develop. Advice on documentation, and new approaches to existing compliance strategies are often needed. Litigation counsel can bring unique critical analysis of what would persuade a tax auditor, an economist, or when needed, a judge. I was the lead litigation counsel for the taxpayer in the 2011 decision of Alberta Printed Circuits Ltd. v. The Queen, a decision of the Tax Court of Canada. In that decision, the Tax Court of Canada disallowed 80% of the proposed adjustments proposed by the Canada Revenue Agency. The key to the success of the case was the work done in identifying and proving internal and external CUPs. There were issues decided in the case relating to intangibles, the TNMM methodology and the use of expert testimony that are widely applicable to many developing transfer pricing disputes.”

CANADA Gamechanger of the Year Real Estate, Gerald W. Pittman, QC

PMR Law 2600 West Tower, 144 – 4th Avenue SW Calgar y, Alber ta, Canada T2P 3N4 T: 1.403.237-6566 F: 1.403.237.6594 gwp@pmrlaw.ca www.pmrlaw.ca

Gerald W Pittman, QC has been a key figure in acting on a vast number of real estate transactions in Alberta over the last 50 years. Gerald established the firm of PMR Law, which is a small boutique firm that specializes in the acquisition and sale of real estate and in the acquisition and sale of companies that own and sell assets of all kinds. From his office in downtown Calgary, Canada, Gerald told us “I am thrilled that a prestigious publication ACQ has decided to provide me the award of Gamechanger of the Year in my field of specialty, Real Estate. I have seen my practice grow from representing individuals in smaller transactions to becoming the firm of choice for the South Alberta building industry.” This latest award is international confirmation by his peers which is appropriate, given that it confirms the trans-national nature of the transactions that PMR Law now handle. PMR Law’s real estate practice counts amongst its clientele significant real estate owners, developers and lenders. These clients have spearheaded the sweeping physical changes that have been made to Calgary, Canada as it has increased in size to over five times what it was when Gerald’s career began. PMR Law works as part of international teams in multi-jurisdictional transactions. PMR Law is able to collaborate with other legal and real estate professionals in other cities. The firm has just formalized its relationship in real estate transactions through its

founding membership in the Bridge Network. Gerald told us “The Bridge Network has allowed our firm to ally itself in the market with capable industry leading law firms in Toronto and Montreal to meet the needs of international owners, lenders and borrowers”. In 1988, Gerald became a Queen’s Counsel. In 2001, Gerald received the award for Distinguished Service from the Law Society of Alberta, which is the highest honor a lawyer can receive. In 2011, Gerald received an award for having practiced for 50 years, an achievement matched by less than 2% of all lawyers. Gerald Pittman has succeeded in attracting and retaining many long term clients and relationships. Gerald Pittman has led the way with his communication ability, his organizational ability, his calm under pressure, and his ability to supervise the work of a team of real estate legal specialists. These specialists have introduced cutting edge technology, and streamlined the requirements of Alberta based transactions for client value. All of this work challenges the skills and patience of the team at PMR Law. Gerald’s part in meeting these challenges has been met with effort, dignity and integrity. Gerald’s nimble but productive real estate team has been the envy of others in the field. Through each turn in the economy, the firm has met competitor’s challenges.

MEXICO FULL S E R VIC E L AW F I R M O F TH E Y E A R - PO RTI LL A , R UY- DÍAZ & AGUIL AR S.C . AB OGADOS

Portilla, Ruy-Diaz y Aguilar, S.C.

is a

law firm with enormous experience gained by their members in serving clients, based on superior ethics, quality and professionalism. Some of our clients are some of the largest and bestknown companies in the world, such as international law firms, both national and multinational, as well as financial institutions, and of course, smaller firms and individuals.

of the law including: administrative; bindings and privatisations; arbitration; civil and commercial litigation; consumer protection; product liability; corporate and contracts; intellectual property, criminal litigation; franchising; health; immigration; labour; mergers

and acquisitions; real estate; social

we take a preventive, coordinated, and

security; and tax and trusts.

strategic approach to advise our clients.

PORTILLA, RUY-DÍAZ & AGUILAR

Our firm currently has 6 partners,

The firm and its lawyers actively

and 15 associates, and a supporting

participate in various public and private

Bosques de Guayacanes 117 Col. Bosques de las Lomas C.P. 11700 . México, D.F.

organisations at an international level, technical specialists and administrative Queretaro and Los Cabos.

which keeps us attuned to what is

T +52 (55) 559 66047 +52 (55) 524 51953

happening in the community and the

E cportilla@portilla.com.mx

world at large. It enables us to not only understand better and be closer to our

The specialisation and development

clients’ needs, but also to participate

of each practice area of the firm, the

in and have an influence upon the

and the deep knowledge which we

A more detailed description and further

have of Mexico, its legal system, markets

information is available upon request at cportilla@portilla.com.mx or on our

clients innovative, timely, and complete

website http://www.portilla.com.mx.

Sabinos 213 Col. Jurica C.P. 76100 . Stgo. de Queretaro, Qro. T +52 (442) 218 4766 +52 (442) 218 5706 E ruy-diaz@portilla.com.mx Blvd. Paseo de los Cabos #150 Int. 119 . San José del Cabo. C.P. 23405 . Baja California Sur, México.

solutions to their needs at very good

T +52 (624) 173 9738

and competitive prices. In order to

F +52 (624) 173 9738

avoid problems before they develop,

E iguerrero@portilla.com.mx www.portilla.com.mx

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, PRIETO CABRERA & ASOCIADOS ASSET FORFEITURE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, PRIETO CABRERA & ASOCIADOS ASSET RECOVERY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, PRIETO CABRERA & ASOCIADOS

Prieto Cabrera & Asociados, S.R.L. Calle Haim Lopez Penha No. 19, Paraiso Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic +1 809 541 1444 www.prietocabrera.com Aimee Prieto aprieto@prietocabrera.com

ACQ Global Awards 2015 has chosen Prieto Cabrera & Asociados as the leading firm in real estate law, asset recovery and asset forfeiture in the Dominican Republic from a poll of its readership. Commenting on the award, Aimee Prieto, who is and an attorney from the Dominican Republic with over 14 years of practice, and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), said that they are pleased to receive this recognition. They feel privileged to have very esteemed clients, who value their commitment to personalized service, clear and capable advice, and reputation for honest judgment. ACQ Global Awards recognizes Prieto Cabrera & Asociados as the pioneer law firm on the Dominican Republic on asset forfeiture and asset recovery for the victims of fraud of foreign countries. They have assisted in the investigation and recovery of assets valued in the millions of Dollars.

Prieto Cabrera & Asociados is a small law firm in the Dominican Republic, focusing on real estate transactions, corporate and commercial law, asset recovery, and litigation management and supervision. Aimee Prieto is the member for the Dominican Republic of ICC FraudNet (www.icc-fraudnet.org) the World’s Leading Asset Recovery Network operating under the auspices of the ICC’s London-based Commercial Crime Services unit. FraudNet’s focus is locating and recovering assets and proceeds of crime for victims of all types of fraud, including corruption, embezzlement and Ponzi schemes. FraudNet members have been retained around the world and have recovered billions of dollars for victims that include corporations, individuals, governments and state entities.

USA INVESTMENT REPORTING PL ATFORM OF THE YEAR - PRIVATE WEALTH SYSTEMS

One Touch > Total Control Experience the power of repor ting precision www.privatewealthsystems.com or call 980 288 6535

Private Wealth Systems is the industry-defining financial technology company that is transforming the way private wealth is analyzed, reported, and managed. Founded by pioneers of the consolidated investment reporting industry, Private Wealth Systems provides a total wealth dashboard with transaction-level-transparency so sophisticated investors and their advisors have instant access and understanding of the drivers of risk, return, income and expense across all investments, regardless of complexity, asset class or entity structure. The Company’s award winning multi-asset, multi-custodial performance reporting platform provides an integrated yet modular suite of applications that include account aggregation of over 12,000 data sources globally, data normalization, performance calculation and client reporting that transcends all levels of wealth. With a simple touch on your mobile device you have absolute and unprecedented control and oversight over the wealth that you manage with reporting that is as personalized as you are. Founded in January 2015, Private Wealth Systems is exclusively designed to support informed communications between investors and their advisors to help elevate and personalize that trusted relationship. Working with global private banks, family offices, and ultra-high net worth investors, the company remains focused on its core mission to lead the industry forward by focusing on the

four core foundational elements of consolidated investment reporting; Data Accuracy – good data drives good decision making; Comprehensiveness consolidating all transactions from all accounts across all asset classes including equity, fixed income, derivatives, private equity, hedge funds, real estate, direct investments and art; Personalization – Private Wealth Systems is the only platform that can support personalized attributes to ensure each investment report is relevant to each individual user; and Visual Design – great design drives engagement. The company’s average client has several hundred million in investable wealth held across more than forty accounts with five or more advisors managing complex ownership structures spanning foundations, trusts, partnerships and pooled investment vehicles. Capturing, cleansing, calculating and presenting data that is among the most complex in the financial industry is what separates Private Wealth Systems from other investment and personal financial management applications. The company’s self-enrollment service has successfully reduced the time it takes for a new client to enroll from the current industry standard of 4 months down to 4 minutes. As a SaaS offering there is no expensive software to install or maintain, and all data is secured in a Tier 4 data center with security protocols that exceed the collective needs of the world’s top private banks.

USA B O U T I Q U E I N V E S T M E N T B A N K O F T H E Y E A R ( G R O W T H I N D U S T R I E S ) , R E D W O O D C A P I TA L G R O U P I N V E S T M E N T B A N K O F T H E Y E A R ( C O - I N V E S T M E N T S ) , R E D W O O D C A P I TA L G R O U P L E A D I N G M & A D E A L M A K E R O F T H E Y E A R, G R E G O R Y B E D R O S I A N , R E D W O O D C A P I TA L G R O U P

Redwood Capital Group is an award-winning investment banking firm serving the technology, communications, media, business services and other growth industries. The firm focuses on mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, restructuring and valuation advisory services for its clients worldwide. Redwood also has a private equity co-investment partnership which seeks to invest between $25 - $150 million of capital per transaction in private equity, buyout and mezzanine opportunities alongside established lead investors in a diverse set of industries and geographies. Redwood has offices in New York, Los Angeles and Geneva and via its LD&A Redwood Joint Venture, fully-staffed offices in London, Paris, Munich, Berlin and Amsterdam. For additional information, please visit our website at www.redcapgroup.com. At Redwood, each Partner has more than two decades of investment banking experience with bulge bracket investment banking firms such as Merrill Lynch,

Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, and others advising on M&A and corporate financings in the multiple of billons of US dollars both domestically and internationally. In addition to deep finance capabilities, most Partners have also been operators in different growth oriented companies which provides clients with a unique perspective. This breadth of transactional and operational experience coupled with deep cross border capabilities provides a unique differentiator for Redwood Capital as a leading international boutique investment bank. The firm has a very team-oriented approach that taps essential skills of our professional staff, provides clients with an unmatched level of advice, support and execution. The Redwood Capital team typically advises on transactions ranging from tens of millions of US dollars to multi-billion US dollars both in the United States, Europe and elsewhere internationally with a broad range of transaction structure, including sales and divestitures, acquisitions and carve-outs. By bringing deep industry knowledge and relationships to each engagement, we help our clients think more strategically about their transactions which helps improve outcomes. The firm has extensive relationships with private equity,

US PATENTS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - ROSENBAUM IP, P.C.

1480 Techny Road Nor thbrook, Illiniois 60062 Tel: 847-770-6000 Fax: 847-770-6006 info@RosenbaumIP.com www.RosenbaumIP.com

What: We partner with high technology companies to assist in developing intellectual property assets, formulating and executing strategic plans for achieving maximal value for our clients. Our clients have achieved over $1.6 Billion (USD) in market value, either through financing rounds, merger and acquisition, licensing or litigation awards. To achieve this success, we combine professional and technical skills with level-headed business principles and experience. Or practice is devoted to supporting our client’s intellectual property asset development, commercialization and, when necessary, enforcement. Planning: We unwaveringly focus on securing maximum value for your intellectual property assets. The desired business outcomes are first identified and then an IP asset development plan is created together with implementation steps. Strategy: Once the IP asset development plan has been created it is pressure tested against the identified outcomes. Congruence between the plan, the

ongoing research and development initiatives and the business outcomes desired is then challenged to identify potential problems and obstacles. The plan’s strategies are then revised to anticipate these potential problems and obstacles. Being dynamic, the plan is consistently and constantly assessed, revised, and reassessed as new outcomes are identified, new opportunities are presented or new challenges arise. Who: Members of the firm have scientific training and regularly work across a spectrum of technologies including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biotechnology, therapeutics, diagnostics, nanotechnology, organic and inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, materials science, agricultural chemicals, plant breeding, environmental protection systems, semiconductor processing, industrial and medical lasers, computer hardware and software, digital and analog electrical systems, water purification systems, evaporative cooling systems, skin care products, clothing, motor vehicle assemblies and systems, and general mechanical and electrical technologies.

US FULL SERVICE IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ROSENBAUM IP, P.C. BIOMEDICAL IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ROSENBAUM IP, P.C. BIOCHEMICAL IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ROSENBAUM IP, P.C. BIOTECHNOLOGICAL IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ROSENBAUM IP, P.C. GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DAVID G. ROSENBAUM, ROSENBAUM IP, P.C.

1480 Techny Road Nor thbrook, Illiniois 60062 Tel: 847-770-6000 Fax: 847-770-6006 info@RosenbaumIP.com www.RosenbaumIP.com

US SECONDARY INVESTMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR - SECOND ALPHA PARTNERS

Richard Brekka

Jim Sanger

Managing Par tner and Co-Founder Second Alpha Par tners 276 Fifth Avenue, Suite 901 New York, NY 10001, USA +1 (212) 446-1601 rbrekka@secondalpha.com

Managing Par tner and Co-Founder Second Alpha Par tners 245 First Street, Suite 1813 Cambridge, MA, USA +1 (617) 658-1091 jim@secondalpha.com

Second Alpha Partners is a specialized private equity firm focused on direct secondary investments. The firm crafts innovative capital solutions that allow founders, executives, angels, VCs and other institutional investors in private companies to achieve liquidity prior to company sales or IPOs. Second Alpha buys shares and convertible securities in mature venture-stage, growth-equity and middle-market companies on a secondary basis and also invests capital directly into growth companies. Second Alpha primarily targets North American companies in the software, media and telecommunications industries. As companies increasingly require greater maturity and scale to achieve optimal exits, founders, managers and investors struggle with extended holding periods for their shareholdings. Second Alpha provides full and partial solutions for the liquidity issues that many of these shareholders face.

Second Alpha thinks in terms of relationships not transactions. So Second Alpha is willing to do more than just write a check. The firm is able to leverage its team’s extensive experience in the venture industry to better position the companies in which it invests for long-term success. Second Alpha’s team has structured numerous types of secondary-linked, special situations and traditional equity investments in private companies, from the simplest to the most complex and exotic. Regardless of the specifics of a given situation, those who approach Second Alpha can expect a response that is knowledgeable, constructive, friendly and discrete. Second Alpha Partners has offices in New York, NY and Cambridge, MA. For more information visit SecondAlpha.com.

Steinman Rodgers LLP

U.S. (Washington, DC) – Boutique Law Firm of the Year U.S. (Washington, DC) – Regulatory Lawyer of the Year, Brooke D. Rodgers Fortune 250 Clients Big Firm Expertise Boutique Rates

We are the Anti-Corruption Boutique Law Firm Bill Steinman +1(202) 558-9358 • wsteinman@steinmanrodgers.com Brooke Rodgers +1(202) 558-9360 • brodgers@steinmanrodgers.com www.steinmanrodgers.com

US REGULATORY LAWYER OF THE YEAR, BROOKE D. RODGERS, STEINMAN & RODGERS LLP

Brooke D. Rodgers Steinman & Rodgers LLP 5630 Connecticut Avenue, NW Second Floor Washington, DC 20015 (202) 558-9360 (office) (202) 297-5930 (mobile) (202) 525-2906 (fax) brodgers@steinmanrodgers.com www.steinmanrodgers.com Brooke Rodgers is a founding member, majority owner, and Managing Partner of Steinman & Rodgers. With nearly a decade of experience, Ms. Rodgers is recognized as a leading expert on the FCPA and anti-corruption matters in the defense and aerospace industry. Clients seek her guidance to develop and implement effective compliance strategies in challenging jurisdictions and circumstances. Ms. Rodgers guides her clients through the delicate balance of legal requirements and business needs. She offers comprehensive, customized solutions to address risks by coordinating directly with clients’ legal teams, audit committees, boards of directors, executives, and other business stakeholders. She has extensive experience designing, implementing, and testing compliance programs in organizations of all sizes. Ms. Rodgers regularly assists with the establishment, maintenance, and upgrade of clients’ due diligence policies and procedures. She works extensively with our local counsel network on foreign

legal issues and developing strategies to overcome the cultural challenges inherent in transnational operations. Ms. Rodgers regularly conducts anti-corruption training for marketing personnel and overseas intermediaries. She has worked on secondment in several multinational corporations. This, as well as regular contact with both in-house counsel and business personnel, provides her with a unique perspective on compliance matters. She has eased clients through cumbersome adjustments in established procedures, developed staged implementation plans for resource sensitive compliance programs, and performed expedited reviews of relationships inherited in public acquisitions. In addition to her anti-corruption work, Ms. Rodgers writes contracts with intermediaries that account for foreign legal issues, designs lawful compensation structures in restrictive jurisdictions, settles disputes with intermediaries, and negotiates settlements with former contracting partners. Ms. Rodgers also has experience conducting internal reviews and investigations and settling voluntary disclosures.

USA LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (SMALL AND MIDSIZED), SEVERSON & WERSON INSURANCE DEFENSE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, SEVERSON & WERSON FINANCIAL SERVICES LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, SEVERSON & WERSON INSURANCE LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MICHAEL B. MURPHY, SEVERSON & WERSON

Michael B. Murphy, Member mbm@severson.com (415) 398-3344 Tel (415) 956-0439 Fax Severson & Werson One Embarcadero Center Suite 2600 San Francisco, CA 94111, USA

Michael B. Murphy and each of the attorneys at Severson & Werson are pleased and honored to have received this award. Everything we do in our global insurance practice –from the hand’s-on personal service and the results we achieve, to the recognition our clients and indeed the industry give us, is the result of a team-oriented & collaborative effort. Our Insurance Practice Group handles matters throughout the United States for our international and domestic insurer clients arising from situations occurring domestically and throughout the world. The Severson & Werson attorneys with whom our clients interface are the same professionals who do the actual work. This has proven to enhance the close relationship we have with our insurer clients and indeed their policyholders, who we routinely defend. Our approach has always been one of efficiency without sacrificing quality, hard work, round-the-clock availability and the highest of

ethics. Whether it be an insurer from the U.S., Lloyds of London, the greater London Market, the European Market, Bermuda/Offshore Markets, the PRC or the greater Asia-Pacific Insurance Market, we strive to present each client with the same quality and responsiveness, regardless of location or time zone. Our defense attorneys are seasoned trial attorneys who litigate in all state and Federal Courts in California. They represent not only insurers in coverage – related matters but also their insureds in straight forward as well as extremely complex claims, ranging from professional liability, environmental, construction, product liability to energy, employment and broad-based casualty. Again, this award reflects the hard work of the entire Insurance Practice Group and is greatly appreciated.

USA LEADING DIVERSITY L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR - SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP | 125 Broad Street New York, NY 10004-2498 T: (212) 558-4000 | F: (212) 558-3588 http://www.sullcrom.com

S&C has a long and proud history as a diversity leader and innovator in the legal community. We value the unique abilities and perspectives of every individual, and we support diversity and inclusion in its broadest sense, including race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability and religious affiliation. In seeking to foster a diverse and inclusive work environment, we put at the forefront maintaining an environment where each individual is valued for her or his unique perspective and insight. Our longstanding Diversity Committee is co-chaired by David Braff, a member of our Management Committee, and Tracy Richelle High, the Deputy Managing Partner of the Firm’s Litigation department, and is comprised of lawyers who hold positions of leadership and influence within the Firm. Members of the committee include the Firm’s senior chairman, members of the Firm’s Management Committee, practice group managing partners, hiring partners, assigning partners, chairs of the Firm’s associate affinity networks, and chairs of the Women’s Initiative Committee. The Diversity Committee – in conjunction with our Diversity Management Department – is charged with developing, implementing and coordinating the Firm’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. Our multi-faceted approach encompasses recruiting and retention, diversity education and training, substantive and social internal programming, community outreach through our pipeline programs, as well as patronage of numerous diversityrelated organizations. Through our initiatives, our goal is to create an

atmosphere of inclusion irrespective of perceived differences, and to train and develop our lawyers into trusted, effective and creative counselors who collaborate with each other, and our clients, to find sophisticated and creative solutions to our clients’ complex legal issues. Because the Firm understands that there is a direct and simple relationship between the diversity of our profession and the quality of service we offer, we also maintain a number of active lawyer networks that meet regularly to facilitate the professional development and advancement of their members, and to enhance the inclusive environment at the Firm overall: the Asian Associates Network, the LGBT Network, the Network of Black & Latino Lawyers and the Women’s Initiative Committee. While each is unique, the networks are united in one overarching goal: to increase diversity and to promote inclusion within the S&C community. They accomplish this goal by (i) offering a candid forum for members to discuss topics of interest; (ii) hosting panel discussions and speakers on a variety of educational topics to enrich the Firm’s professional development initiatives; (iii) providing mentorship opportunities; and (iv) actively participating in the law student recruiting process. We remain deeply committed to ensuring that diversity remains a critical focus for the Firm across all offices, and are honored to receive ACQ5’s recognition for our achievements for the third consecutive year.

USA I NVE S T M E N T MA N AG E M E NT F IRM O F TH E YEA R ( SM A LL) , SYNC HRON Y CAPITAL B O U T I QU E I N V E S T ME N T MA NAG EM ENT F IRM O F THE YEA R (SMALL), S Y N CHR ON Y CAPITAL AB S O LU T E R E T U R N DE R I VATIV E BA SED SO LUTIO NS PROV IDER OF THE YEAR, S YN CHRON Y CAPITAL GAM E C HA N G E R O F T HE YE A R ( INV E STM E NT M A NAGE M E NT) , ERIC D. LYON S , S YN CHRON Y CAPITAL GAM E C HA N G E R O F T HE YE A R ( INV E STM E NT M A NAGE M E NT) , PAUL D. LYON S , S YN CHRON Y CAPITAL

Synchrony Capital Email: elyons@synchronycapital.com We b A d d r e s s : w w w. s y n c h r o n y c a p i t a l . c o m Address: 5 Gildersleevewood Charlottesville, VA 2 2 9 0 3 U S Te l e p h o n e : 1 . 8 5 7 . 2 6 5 . 6 7 5 3 P a u l D . Ly o n s

E r i c D Ly o n s

Synchrony Capital was founded in December of 2012 by Eric and Paul Lyons. The two brothers offer synergistic skill sets which lead to the success of the fund. Eric, who has a background in mathematical finance, oversees all investments of the fund while Paul, who is a physician with two Ph.D.’s, serves as the C.E.O. The firm invests on behalf of its clients who range from high-net-worth individuals, parents and grandparents to doctors and teachers. Synchrony Capital is a multi-strategy investment management firm offering a boutique approach. The firm’s independence and specialization allow it to maintain maximum integrity and focus. Synchrony’s fiscal philosophy is based upon the synergistic backgrounds of the co-founders. They have merged quantitative and classical economic domain knowledge to novel mechanisms of predictive modeling and machine learning derived from biological sciences and computer engineering. This strategy, which merges classic economic domain knowledge with quantitative measures, creates a portfolio that maximizes returns within a given risk budget. The core achievement of the fund has been the development and validation of proprietary algorithms. The application of these algorithms has allowed the fund to achieve 48 percent annualized return over the last 12 months. Additionally, it has been able to maintain its commitment to innovation within

the investment management space by offering clients the benefits of a boutique firm. Synchrony Capital’s innovative strategies capture non-traditional opportunity sets to enhance returns. This is achieved by merging quantitative based solutions with traditional managed futures markets. This method systematically uncovers and exploits sources of alpha for the benefit of clients. The attractive nature of these two strategies is that they remain uncorrelated with one another. Furthermore, managed futures, on average, have a low correlation to traditional markets. Synchrony Capital believes the most distinct difference between the alternative investment space in which it operates and the more traditional managers is identifying opportunity sets. Because of these opportunities, Synchrony’s returns are far greater than those of funds employing traditional strategies. Synchrony Capital believes that asset size plays an important role in performance. Due to its size, Synchrony is uniquely positioned to invest in the alternative investment space. A final advantage that alternative investors like Synchrony have over traditional funds is their unconstrained nature. In the world of alternative investments, managers have the ability to pursue true alpha.

USA GIPS CONSULTING FIRM OF THE YEAR - THE SPAULDING GROUP GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT), DAVID SPAULDING - THE SPAULDING GROUP

The Spaulding Group 33 Clyde Road, Suite 103 Somerset, NJ 08873 www.SpauldingGrp.com www.GIPSVerifications.com Office: 732-873-5700 Cell: 732-816-6644 Fax: 732-873-3997

We’re very excited to have been chosen for this award for the second year in a row. GIPS® is a large part of our business and to be recognized like this is a great honor. Spaulding Verification Services is the GIPS verification arm of The Spaulding Group. This segment of our business has grown significantly. Roughly five years ago, we had less than 10 clients. Today, we are fortunate to work with nearly 200 firms ranging in size from less than $100 million to more than $800 billion USD in assets under management. This includes traditional asset managers, asset owners, hedge funds, private equity, and real estate managers. We are truly a global firm with clients throughout North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Our approach to verification is unique in a number of ways: our clients only work with senior level verifiers, verifications are conducted onsite, and we recommend annual verifications (many verifiers recommend quarterly, which only benefits the verifier). We also generally discourage firms from composite examinations; something many of our competitors encourage that we believe has little value for our clients. Our clients have access to monthly webinars and an exclusive, client only print-newsletter to help keep them informed and up-to-date on the Standards and performance in general. Clients also receive a unique proprietary GIPS Orientation Kit™, filled with tools and templates to make achieving and maintaining compliance as easy as possible.

Everything we do is about performance measurement. By being devoted to this segment of the market for 25 years, we understand the subject and what’s needed. In addition to verifications, we engage in consulting assignments on a regular basis. Our consulting practice includes two unique and proprietary services: Software Certification and Operations Reviews. We conduct two conference each year (Europe and North America), which have become the dominant performance measurement events in our industry. We host two interactive membership groups, the Performance Measurement Forum and the Asset Owners’ Performance Measurement Roundtable. We have published The Journal of Performance Measurement for over 18 years, and have published a number of books. We conduct training on performance measurement (both in-house and open enrolment) on a variety of performance and risk topics. We are also actively involved with research, conducting our own annual surveys as well as proprietary studies for clients. We are excited for what’s to come and the opportunity to serve more firms around the world.

MEXICO M & A L AW FI R M O F T HE YEA R - VA Z Q UE Z A LDA NA , H ERNA NDEZ GOMEZ & A S OCIADOS C O RP O RAT E L AW FI R M O F TH E YEA R - VA Z Q UE Z A LDA NA , H ERN AN DEZ GOMEZ & A S OCIADOS RE A L ES TAT E L AW FI R M O F TH E YEA R - VA Z Q UE Z A LDA NA , H ERN AN DEZ GOMEZ & A S OCIADOS

Mexico City Office Av. Presidente Mazar yk 111 piso1 Col. Chapultepec Morales México, Distrito Federal México 11560 T 52 (55) 3300-5801 F 52 (55) 3300-5919

VAZQUEZ ALDANA, HERNANDEZ GOMEZ & ASOCIADOS NOTARÍA Y CORREDURÍA Juan Ruiz de Alarcón 320 Col. Arcos Sur Guadalajara, Jalisco México 44100 T 52 (33) 38171731 ext. 229 F 52 (33) 38171732

Lic. Fernando Hernández Gómez fhernandez@vahg.mx

Fernando Hernandez is a partner at Vazquez Aldana, Hernandez Gomez &

The four central pillars of the reform are: (i) to reactivate the Mexican

Asociados (VAHG).

development banks; (ii) to improve the judicial framework allowing lenders to foreclose with faster and easier legal procedures; (iii) to increase competition

VAHG is the firm to go in western Mexico for corporate, M&A, banking &

in the financial sector by increasing the number of participants playing under

finance transactions, personal wealth Management, commercial and residential

higher standards and (iv) to strengthen the supervision and enforceability of

real estate practices, with more than 75 years of combined experience and a

the regulatory financial authorities.

large number of high-profile deals back the quality of the Firm. VAHG is proud to have a broad understanding of the opportunities, strengths and challenges

When doing business in Mexico, investors better serve their needs when they

of each matter presented to us. We approach transactional (M&A and

receive quality legal advice from professionals with a high degree of prepara-

Financing) deals with an aim to cover every legal and business angle for the

tion and knowledge of the legal and business environments. In VAHG, we will

benefit of our clients, and help our clients achieve their business goals with full

provide you with the tools to safely and effectively navigate through Mexico’s

legal protection and optimal risk mitigation.

legal system, and we are equipped to collaborate closely with private and governmental institutions alike. We will do all the legal work, you can focus on

MEXICO MINING L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR, VAZQUEZ, SIERRA & GARCIA, S.C CORPORATE L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR, VAZQUEZ, SIERRA & GARCIA, S.C

ALBERTO M VAZQUEZ Vazquez Sierra & Garcia SC Av. Paseo de las Palmas 755, Desp. 902 Col. Lomas de Chapultepec Mexico City 11000 Mexico Tel: +52 55 5540 3020 Fax: +52 55 5540 3435 e -mail: avazquez@vsglegal.mx Website: www.vsglegal.mx

VSG is a leading firm in mining-related issues, developing every one of the areas that conform this sector. VSG is established in Mexico City by professional lawyers completely devoted to their clients. The most important values for VSG are based on the professionalism, loyalty and trust towards their clients. One of VSG's major commitments is the development of a close relationship with its clients that comprise service, trust, friendship and professionalism, always with the intention of maintaining a long-term relationship, always offering personal and efficient attention. The team is committed, loyal and constantly developing. In VSG the team's commitment is with all the firm's clients, and the practitioners' collective aim is to repay the trust placed in VSG by way of a personalised service from all of the partners, as promptly and conscientiously as possible. With the aid of associate firms, VSG offers its clients support in other legal areas such as mercantile, environmental, tax and civil lawsuits. Mr Vazquez was born in Mexico City on 29 December 1971. With more than 20 years of experience, his practice is focused on corporate law, mining, migration, foreign investments and community relationships. Mr Vazquez has been permanently involved in the establishment of Mexican companies and corporate management of companies, as well as drafting agreements in

general and representing important corporate foreign groups with business in Mexico. He has carried on important negotiations to access superficial lands where the concessions are located. Mr Vazquez is a graduate of La Salle University, where he obtained his law degree in 1996 with the publication of his thesis Expropriation as a right derived from Mining Concessions. He is an active partner of the Mexican Mining, Metallurgy and Geology Engineer Association, AC and a member of work groups organised by the Mexican Mining Chamber (CAMIMEX) and the General Direction of Mining Promotion of the Ministry of Economy. He has been invited as speaker in local and foreign seminars related to mining law issues and has written several articles for magazines specialised in mining and environmental law. He is also the author of the Mexican chapter in The Mining Law Review and producer of the video Inside the Earth for Mining in Mexico.

US NEXT GENERATION ACCOUNTING FIRM OF THE YEAR, VERTICAL ADVISORS LLP GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INVESTMENT & WEALTH MANAGEMENT), PETER DEGREGORI, VERTICAL ADVISORS LLP

Ver tical Advisors LLP 1401 Dove Street Suite 630 Newpor t Beach, CA 92660 W: 949-777-3420 F: 949-258-5239 www.ver ticaladvisors.com

Business owners need more than the traditional accounting firm. So, what do they need?

cash flow management advice, retirement planning, estate planning, etal. And most of all a comprehensive approach to connect all of these items together.

They need a Next Generation Accounting Firm. What is a Next Generation Accounting Firm (NGAF)? A next generation accounting firm isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t your traditional accounting firm that is generally reactive. A NGAF focuses on being proactive, focuses on strategy and takes more of a consulting approach in which the client should see a financial benefit rather than just a product (tax returns or financial statements).

Privately held business owners are demanding more assistance with their business. They generally need a firm that can provide a wide range of services from the traditional services of bookkeeping / accounting clean up, virtual controller / CFO to high end tax strategies and critical business and financial consulting. They need federal and state tax strategies as they are expanding. They need international tax planning, they need insight about what other business owners are doing. They need leverage from a trusted business advisor.

Vertical Advisors LLP (VA) is a NGAF which services clients throughout the United State of America, and has seen a large shift in what business owners are demanding from their accounting firm. VA provides services exclusively to privately held companies and their owners. Business owners want their accounting firm to provide a proactive, strategic and consulting service. They need more than just tax returns and financial statements. They are looking for items such like, Federal and state income tax strategies, KPI and ratio analysis,

Vertical Advisors LLP is a NGAF and has been providing these services for over 20 years.

US BANKRUPTCY ATTORNEY OF THE YEAR, RICHARD H GOLUBOW - WINTHROP COUCHOT PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION

Winthrop Couchot Professional Corporation Richard H Golubow Founding Member Tel: +1 949 720 4135 rgolubow@winthropcouchot.com www.winthropcouchot.com

Richard H Golubow is a founding member and the managing shareholder of Winthrop Couchot Professional Corporation, a premier bankruptcy law firm established in 1995 and located in Newport Beach, California. Devoting his practice to the areas of financial restructuring, insolvency law, complex bankruptcy and business reorganisations, litigation, liquidations and acquisitions, Mr Golubow’s clients include debtors, creditors, creditor committees, bankruptcy trustees, assignees for the benefit of creditors, receivers and asset purchasers in a wide range of industries, including retail, manufacturing, distribution, importing, construction, entertainment, education, non-profit institutions, healthcare, hospitality, real estate, automotive, golf and country club, biotech, transportation, telecommunications and Internet businesses. He has achieved an ‘AV Preeminent’ (5 out of 5) Peer Rating, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer recognition, generated from evaluations by other members of the bar and the judiciary for legal ability and ethical standards. He is also rated "superb" (10 out of 10) by the leading independent attorney rating service, AVVO, and has been selected by his peers as a Super Lawyer, representing the top 5% of practising attorneys in Southern California. Mr Golubow is a member of the International Network of Boutique Law Firms (INBLF), an invitation only network of lawyers from single-discipline boutique law firms with the highest level of knowledge, experience, reputation and credentials comparable or superior to what can be found at the highest-ranking full-service law firms. Mr Golubow has lectured, written about, or been interviewed on varied insolvency related topics including recently, as a guest on Your Money Talks radio show, host Jerry Slusiewicz, a Bloomberg radio affiliated program, January 5, 2015 discussing corporate bankruptcy and financial restructur-

ing; as a moderator, on the topic of Comparative Analysis of Receiverships, Bankruptcies and Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors, California Receivers Forum Loyola VI Conference, January 23, 2015; as an author, Use of the Common Interest Doctrine in Bankruptcy Cases, Corporate LiveWire Bankruptcy & Restructuring Expert Guide, March/April 2015; as a guest on Commercial Real Estate Radio (creradio.com) discussing the topic of Commercial Real Estate Bankruptcy – What You Need to Know, on April 4, 2014 and discussing the topic of Investing in Distressed Real Property in Bankruptcy, on February 13, 2014; and as a moderator for ‘Debtor-Creditor Feud: The Good, the Bad and the Reality of Receiverships’ at the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association 24th Annual Convention in November 2012.Further, Mr Golubow served as an educational co-chair for the California Bankruptcy Forum’s 24th Annual Insolvency Conference in May 2012. He was also a panellist for Bankruptcy & Restructuring Annual Review 2015, Financier Worldwide Magazine, June 2015; Bankruptcy in the Americas, Roundtable, September 2014, produced by Financier Worldwide; ‘But I Thought We Were Safe: Are Priority Claims and Legacy Employee Liabilities at Risk in a 363 Sale?’ at the American Bankruptcy Institute's 25th Annual Winter Leadership Conference in December 2013; ‘War of the Roses, The Impact of Divorce Proceedings on Business and Personal Bankruptcy Cases’ at the California Bankruptcy Forum’s 25th Annual Insolvency Conference in May 2013; ‘Bankruptcy Reorganization Plan Strategies for Debtors, Lenders and Creditors Proposing or Opposing a Plan of Reorganization’, a webinar produced by Strafford Publications in September 2011; the US Bankruptcy Roundtable, October 2012 and October 2010, produced by Financier Worldwide; and for the US Automobile Sector Roundtable, February 2009, produced by Financier Worldwide. Prior to entering private practice, Mr Golubow served as judicial law clerk and judicial extern to the Honourable John J Wilson, United States Bankruptcy Judge in the Central District of California, Santa Ana Division.

BRAZIL PRIVATE CLIENT L AWYER OF THE YEAR, WILLIAM HEUSELER

Address: Av. Brig. Faria Lima, 3500. São Paulo- Brazil. SP 04538-132 Tel: 55 11 3631 2180

Head of the Wealth Planning Team at Itaú Private Bank William Heuseler is the head of the Wealth Planning division of Itaú Private Bank. Graduated in Law at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and specialized in Trust Law by Kaplan-Hawksmere School, in London. Participated of the LLM program in Banking, Corporate and Financial Law of Fordham Law School in New York, and is specialized in Deal Negotiation Law at Harvard Business and Law School. William has over 20 years of experience dealing with ultra-high net worth clientele, with the expertise on cross-border matters, tax and asset protection planning; family and corporate governance, among other Wealth Planning strategies. William is President of the Brazilian branch of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), and author of numerous articles on international wealth planning.

ASIA PACIFIC

Regional growth is expected to ease further to 6.7% in 2015 and remain flat thereafter. This reflects a continued slowdown in China that is offset by a pickup in the rest of the region. As a net hydrocarbon importer, the region is expected to benefit from low fuel prices. In 2015, headwinds from tighter fiscal policy (Malaysia, Vietnam) and macro-prudential regulation (China, Malaysia, and Thailand) are expected to be largely offset by gradual recovery of investment and manufacturing exports associated with a global recovery and continued low financing cost. Softer commodity prices have affected commodity-exporting countries like the Lao Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Democratic Republic and Indonesia. Risks to this outlook remain tilted to the downside. Policy makers, especially in economies with a high share of U.S. dollar-denominated debt, will find it increasingly challenging to balance the needs of supporting growth and preserving export competitiveness against maintaining financial stability amidst an appreciating U.S. dollar and prospects of rising U.S. interest rates. Indonesia and Malaysia face pressures from lower global prices of oil, gas, coal, palm oil, and rubber and softer external demand, particularly from China. Lower energy prices will dampen oil and gas production, but should support the large non-oil sectors in both economies. In southern regions of Asia growth is expected to firm to 7.1% in 2015 and 7.4% in 2016â&#x20AC;&#x201C;17 buoyed by a reinvigorated reform agenda in India and supported by strengthening demand in high-income countries. The decline in global oil prices has benefited the region, improving fiscal and current account balances, enabling subsidy reforms to proceed in India,

and facilitating an easing of monetary policy (India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). In India, gradual implementation of reforms has supported business and investor confidence and encouraged capital inflows. However, credit growth remains modest, reflecting weak bank balance sheets (mainly in public sector banks). This is holding back credit-financed investment. Growth in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region slowed, as expected, by 0.2 percentage points to 6.9% in 2014. Fiscal and macroprudential policy tightening in the major regional economies, political problems in Thailand, monetary tightening and electionrelated uncertainty in Indonesia, and budget execution bottlenecks in the Philippines (World Bank 2015a) contributed to weaker economic activity. Investment continued to ease from the credit-fueled high rates of the post-crisis years. The main offset to these negatives came from consumption, on the back of tight labor markets and accommodative monetary policies. The biggest beneficiaries from the commodity price slump are likely to be large energyimporting countries in Asia, most notably China and India. The recent fall in oil prices is expected to support consumption by raising real incomes, easing inflation, and by improving current account balances and reducing external vulnerabilities. In China, persistent deflation in producer prices suggests a build-up of overcapacity and loss of corporate pricing power, adding to balance sheet pressures of highly indebted corporates. A structural growth slowdown has been underway in many developing countries as the

growth in working age populations, productivity, and investment has eased. Partly as a result of reforms to raise productivity, South Asia, and East Asia and the Pacific should continue to grow quite rapidly, although at a somewhat slower rate than in previous years. Risks, both external and internal to the region, remain tilted to the downside, but less so than in January although the probability is low, the risk of a hard landing in China remains since the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economies are very open, they are vulnerable to trading partner slowdowns and large exchange rate shifts, including further U.S. dollar appreciation. In China, the key policy challenge is to put growth on a sustainable path, while improving financial stability. The authorities have initiated several programs to implement the comprehensive structural reform agenda announced in November 2013. The objective is to increase the role of markets and to facilitate resource reallocation to sectors with high returns. The key policy challenge is to shift growth towards more sustainable sources in the medium-term, while avoiding a sharp slowdown, or financial distress, in the short-term. A sharp decline in oil prices was associated mostly with weakening demand as a result of the 1997 Asian crisis; the continued expansion of OPEC production until mid-1998 might have played a role as well. The global recovery remained tepid for most of 1998, partly as a result of financial market stress in the United States and major emerging markets. Among oil-importing countries, the drop in oil prices could generate substantial fiscal savings,

particularly where fuel prices are subsidized. Not- withstanding significant cuts in 2014 and 2015, especially in East and South Asia, pre-tax subsidies, which allow energy consumers to pay below-cost prices, are high in several developing economies. This would help reverse some of the post-crisis spending increases made possible by rapid revenue growth. Weak global demand (including from China), U.S. dollar appreciation, and low oil prices have put pressure on non-oil commodity prices, in particular those for natural gas, fertilizers, and food. Natural gas. The prices in most contracts for liquefied natural gas deliveries to Asia are linked to oil prices, though with a considerable lag. As a result, liquefied natural gas prices have already declined substantially (in Japan, by more than 15% since June 2014) and are expected drop further. In Europe, a natural gas market is slowly emerging such that a smaller share of gas contracts is directly linked to oil prices. Portfolio flows to developing countries remained subdued in 2015, but low bond yields, and ample liquidity continued to encourage investor interest in bond issuance, particularly in China and other East Asian countries. Growth in upper-middle-income countries has accounted for almost half of global growth since 2005, but may slow because of demographic factors. Over the past three decades, these countries have benefited from a rising share of the working age population. This has yielded an important “demographic dividend” for growth. China’s demographic dividend has been

estimated to contribute one-quarter to the countries per capita GDP growth during 1982– 2000. The demographic dividend may have accounted for two-fifths of East Asia’s rapid growth during 1965–90 and for 1 percentage point of per capita GDP growth in Southeast Asia between 1975–90. Over the next few decades, however, the share of the working age population in middle-income countries is expected to decline and, with it, growth prospects, unless structural reforms. Recent developments in emerging and developing country labor markets show participation rates show a more complex pattern, generally declining during the global recession, and rising afterwards (with the exception of East Asia). In other developing regions, unemployment rates increased more moderately and participation rates remained near pre-crisis levels. China’s relatively strong growth during the peak of the Great Recession helped support developing country exports, particularly in East Asia. Informal employment can account for 70% of total employment in Asia and the Pacific.

J A PA N INTERNATIONAL IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ABE & PARTNERS DOMESTIC IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ABE & PARTNERS

Takanori ABE Attorney at Law, Admitted in Japan and New York Patent Attorney, Admitted in Japan Guest Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University ABE & PARTNERS Office: IMP Building, 1-3-7, Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-0001, JAPAN Phone: 81-6-6949-1496 Fax : 81-6-6949-1487 Email : abe@abe -law.com URL : www.abe -law.com

Abe Takanori founded ABE & PARTNERS in 2003 after working at Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP and Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP. His areas of specialisation include the fields of intellectual property, international business transactions, and commercial law, general civil law, and medical law. He is currently a Guest Professor of Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine and formerly a lecturer of The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine. He is an arbitrator in Japan and sit on various positions in Japanese medical/pharmaceutical societies. Mr. ABE works in wide areas of international and corporate matters with a focus on intellectual property law and international commerce. The patent litigations that he has participated in to date, covers the fields of pharmaceuticals, chemistry, electronics and machinery, which involve advanced technology such as biotechnology, semiconductors, etc., and which are cross-border matters. He has extensive experience on representing and advising multinational and domestic clients in pharmaceutical industry and IT industry and is currently involved in the drastic battle between brand pharmaceutical

companies and generic companies. He also has experience in trademark, copyright and unfair competition litigation. Recent domestic triumphs include representing Novartis and winning a patent cancellation lawsuit against JPO, representing Nichia Corporation and winning a Trial for Patent Invalidation between Nichia and Everlight Electronics, representing Schwarzkopf Henkel and resolved a patent infringement lawsuit between Schwarzkopf Henkel and Kao by settlement, and representing trade secret holder and resolved a trade secret infringement by settlement. Recent international achievements include assisting a Japanese corporation and resolved a U.S. patent litigation, German patent litigation and Chinese trial for patent invalidation between a Japanese corporation and Taiwanese corporation. Abe & Partners also represented Tiger Corporation and resolved a design patent infringement dispute between Tiger Corporation and Alfi by settlement. Mr Abe is a frequent speaker and author to various industrial media and forums. He is frequently interviewed by notable journals and magazines concerned with intellectual property law and business.

M A L AY S I A OVERALL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW BANKING & FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW ISLAMIC FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW PROJECT FINANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, MR. DEEPAK SADASIVAN, ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW

Fur ther information may be found at www.asl.com.my

ADNAN SUNDRA & LOW was originally established in August 1975 under the name of Mutalib Sundra & Low and has operated under its present name since June 1982. Our expertise spans multiple practice areas, and our core competencies include banking & finance, capital markets, civil aviation, corporate & commercial, dispute resolution, Islamic finance and real estate.

Following the above, our firm has a particularly strong track record in advising on finance and corporate matters and has consistently been ranked as a top-tier firm in these fields.

Deepak Sadasivan, our Managing Partner, is recommended as a leading lawyer in a number of legal publications, including: The Legal 500, Asialaw Leading Lawyers, IFLR 1000, Chambers and Partners in the areas of Banking & Finance and Islamic Finance in Malaysia, as well as Who's Who Legal for his expertise in Capital Markets - Islamic Finance.

ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2015 Banking and Financial Services Law Firm of the Year

Deepak’s experience includes banking work such as capital market financing, security documentation, straight financing, corporate work such as acquisitions, listings, joint ventures, restructuring and corporate and commercial litigation work. He is particularly experienced in structuring and documenting Islamic financing transactions which include advising on the world's first exchangeable Sukuk (and also the largest ever exchangeable issuance in Malaysia); advising on the first Islamic stapled securities transaction in Malaysia; advising on the first municipal bonds in Malaysia (being also the first bonds to employ a parallel Mudharabah Islamic structure) and advising on the template documentation for an Islamic Derivatives Master Agreement. Deepak is also extensively involved in project finance work and has advised on the financing of several significant infrastructure and energy projects in Malaysia, including the privatisation of water supply in Malaysia, coal fired power plants and the development of expressways in Malaysia. His early finance experience included acting for arrangers, lenders, underwriters and agents in relation to loan facilities taken by both the Government of Malaysia and corporations and advising on the recapitalisation of various Malaysian financial institutions during the 1997 – 1998 Asian financial crisis.

Some of our most recent accolades include :-

Finance Monthly Global Awards 2015 Islamic Finance Advisory Firm of the Year (Malaysia) Acquisition International 2015 Offshore Excellence Awards Best for Project Finance – Offshore Asia Pacific IFN Deals of the Year Awards 2014 Malaysia Deal of the Year IFLR Asia Awards 2014 National Law Firm of the Year (Malaysia). ALB South East Asia Law Awards 2014 Malaysia Deal Firm of the Year ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2014 Banking and Financial Services Law Firm of the Year Malaysia Deal Firm of the Year.

ASIA NICHE INSURANCE BROKER OF THE YEAR (SHIPPING & MARITIME), ANDREW LIU & CO LTD GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (SHIPPING & MARITIME), ANDREW LIU, ANDREW LIU & CO LTD

Andrew Liu & Co Ltd 25/F, For tis Bank Tower, No.77-79 Gloucester Road, Wanchai,HK Office Tel: +852 2521 0373 Email: marine@andrewliu.com.hk

ANDREW LIU & CO., LTD (ALCO) was established in Hong Kong in 1988 as one of the first marine insurance consultants assisting shipowners and charterers in China with their insurance and claims requirements. ALCO was the first insurance broker in Hong Kong to acquire the ISO 9002 certification with the goal to provide the best service. ALCO is a member of the Hong Kong Confederation of Insurance Brokers (CIB), whilst its holding company obtained the listing status at OTCBB market of the United States in 1999. With offices located in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Dalian and Fuzhou today, ALCO is now operating as one of the major insurance brokers specialising in Marine Hull, Protection & Indemnity, Charterers Liability and Cargo insurance in Asia.

Aside from the traditional broking services, ALCO has a specialised Claims and Legal Team, which is working 24 x 7 to serve its clients and vessels around the world. Over the years, ALCO has assisted in handling complex marine claims, handled arbitrations cases not supported by FDD insurers and desires to provide innovative legal solutions. What ALCO's insurance clients require and how ALCO can meet their needs is a goal which is constantly pursued by the company’s management. ALCO's philosophy is always to place themselves in the position of the client, so that whole team proactively thinks and cares for the client.

AUSTRALIA SHIPPING & MARITIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - AQUARIUS LAWYERS LEADING CLIENT CARE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - AQUARIUS LAWYERS GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (SHIPPING & MARITIME) - KATHERINE HAWES, AQUARIUS LAWYERS

AQUARIUS LAWYERS Address: Unit 14/ 11 Brookhollow Avenue, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153. Australia. Telephone: +61 (2) 9615 9635 +61 (2) 9615 9635 Email: info@aquariuslawyers.com.au www.aquariuslawyers.com.au

Based in Sydney, Australia, Katherine Hawes ( known as the Fish Lawyer) is a lawyer, educator and speaker who is passionate about the Marine and Aquaculture Industries. Katherine is the principal solicitor of Aquarius Lawyers. Aquarius Lawyers is a boutique law firm specialising in the marine and fisheries industry. The firm can provide advice and representation in all marine business, commercial fisheries, defence of fisheries prosecutions and international law.

Katherine has appeared before the full bench of the High Court and is often asked to be a guest lecturer at Australian universities on topics such as International Fisheries Law and Tourism Law. Due to her vast experience in legal issues which affect the marine environment she is a regular guest speaker at international conferences. Her expertise and knowledge is also regularly featured in a wide range of magazines.

With over 20 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; legal and business experience, Katherineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expertise lies in advising and representing organizations and businesses on issues pertaining to the marine environment. This includes aquaculture, marine and fisheries law, maritime security, commercial shipping, cruise Liners and marine resources management.

She is also an accomplished lecturer and trainer and regularly lectures at both The University of Western Sydney and Wollongong University. Her love of education led to the formation of her own training company, Aquarius Education, which offers a wide range of education programs including Maritime Law and training for agents in the Maritime Industry. Aquarius Lawyers understand that the legal system can be a maze but through their sound legal advice , they aim to find the best legal solution for you, often at a fixed ' no surprises' rate. Contact Details

Katherine is currently the legal counsel for the Association of International Seafood Professionals, and Treasurer and Secretary of the .World Aquaculture Society Asian Pacific Chapter Executive Committee (WAS APC). She is also involved in the development of Aquaculture without Frontiers charity.

INDIA LARGE TIER - IP DUE DILIGENCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - ARSS LEGAL, ADVOCATES & ATTORNEYS TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - ARSS LEGAL, ADVOCATES & ATTORNEYS

Mr. Amit Kumar Saraog i 63, Radha Bazar Street, 3rd Floor 17 & 18, Kolkata - 700 001 West Bengal, INDIA + 91 9831298888 + 91 33 22101824, 40051809 amitsaraogi@arsslegal.com

ARSS LEGAL, Advocates and Attorneys, established in year 2004 by a group of Advocates and professionals from various other fields like Accountancy and Company Secretary with a strength of only 6 professionals in the city of Kolkata. The team of professionals through their unrelenting quest for excellence has established their presence in the field of legal practices and presently has grown to 42 professionals working in the Firm with Four Partners and having presence in Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi. Our dedication to client interest means that we strive for legal excellence as well as an appreciation of the commercial environment. We combine a personal approach with high professional standards and aim to provide a comprehensive legal service to our clients. We provide a full range of legal services and handle all aspects of business and finance. The legal profession has a valuable and

constructive role to play not only in assisting in the economic development of the country but also in promoting international trade and commerce. We believe that the changes in the economic climate in the country have brought about a change in the traditional role of the lawyer. The development of the transnational law practitioner has occurred in the recent times in response to the activities and needs of the clients conducting business at an international level and thereby creating the need of specialized services, particularly in the areas of international trade and corporate legal practice. ARSS LEGAL team of Professionals offers practical solutions to their clients. Our aim is to offer valuable insights into the prevailing complex economic and commercial climate of the country so as to promote a better understanding of the business and legal environment and assist clients in making suitable decisions.

AUSTRALIA AB S OLU T E R E T U RN F UND M A NAG E R O F TH E Y E A R - AVEN IR C AP ITAL

Company : Avenir Capital Name: Adrian Warner, Founder and CIO Email: awarner@avenircapital.com.au Web Address: www.avenircapital.com.au Address: Level 11, 2 Bulletin Place, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2000 Telephone: +61 2 8031 7742

Avenir Capital is an investment firm specializing in fundamental, value oriented and special situation investments in global equity markets. We invest in special situations and quality companies undergoing change that we can buy at a 50% discount to a growing intrinsic value. Avenir is based in Sydney, Australia, which, given Australia’s international heritage and global outlook, allows us to be comfortable hunting out the best bargains globally in which to allocate our investor’s capital. Our private equity background provides a distinct investment approach. Firstly, all of our investments are underpinned by deep fundamental research at the company specific level to identify extreme mispricing opportunities where we can buy businesses for 50% or less of their underlying value. Second, we worry about the downside first and exercise discipline in avoiding investment ideas that involve unacceptably high risk of permanent capital loss. Third, we focus on absolute, not relative, returns and avoid index hugging. And finally, we invest with a longer time horizon than many investors allowing us to benefit from opportunities that others miss due to lack of patience.

quality companies when they are available at extreme discounts to their real value is a well-tested investment approach. Our private equity heritage is well-suited to this endeavour as we naturally think, act and invest like owners rather than short term traders. We strongly believe that an investment manager’s interests should be firmly aligned with their clients. To ensure alignment, we have the vast bulk of our investable assets invested in the fund alongside our investors. We believe our fee structure also promotes alignment. The company charges a fixed annual management fee of zero and only earn a performance fee when the fund delivers at least a 6% annual return to our investors. Time-arbitrage is one of the most powerful weapons we have in our armoury as it allows us to find great opportunity in situations in which others are not willing to invest as the payoff may not occur in the next one or two quarters. We can take advantage of these great opportunities only because our investors allow us the latitude do so.

After investors lost immense sums of money by allocating capital to complicated investment strategies in which no one really understood the risks embedded in those strategies, we increasingly see investors returning to the notion that the best long term investment strategies are underpinned by simple, unleveraged and research driven investments. Simply buying stakes in

AUSTRALIA LEADING FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (COMPETITION LAW) - RUTH C A HIGGINS, BANCO CHAMBERS

Level 9, Two Chifley Square, Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: 9376 0602 Fax: 9335 3542 Email: ruth.higgins@banco.net.au

Ruth Higgins appears in proceedings across Australia in competition, public, commercial, energy, media and corporate criminal law matters. She acts for energy companies (AGL, BP, Origin, Energy Australia), media companies, (Today FM, Seven), listed companies (Apple, Qantas, Tabcorp, CBA), and government instrumentalities, including the ACCC.

Authority arising out of the telephone call made by 2Day FM to the King Edward VII's Hospital Sister Agnes in London. She has also recently appeared for Tabcorp Holdings Limited in a multi-million dollar dispute with the State of Victoria, concerning the re-grant of wagering and gaming licences in Victoria.

Ruth won the Glasgow University medal in law, after which she completed a doctorate in legal philosophy at Balliol College, Oxford, lectured at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and was a visiting scholar at Columbia University. In competition law matters, she has recently year appeared for: Apple Inc in its antitrust and patent dispute with Samsung; AGL Energy Limited in its application for authorisation of the acquisition of the assets of Macquarie Generation; BP in proceedings concerning petrol pricing in Victoria; Cement Australia Limited, defending proceedings brought by the ACCC; the Australian Jockey Club in proceedings brought concerning the ineligibility for registration of thoroughbreds bred by artificial insemination in the Australian Stud Book, for the ACCC in proceedings concerning cartel conduct in the Australian laundry detergent market, and in product safety proceedings against Woolworths Limited. She is currently appearing for the Commonwealth in High Court proceedings concerning the permissibility of agreed penalties in civil pecuniary penalty proceedings. In public law matters, she has appeared, including in the High Court, for Today FM (Sydney) Pty Ltd in a dispute with the Australian Communications and Media

Her publications include: The Moral Limits of Law: Obedience, Respect, and Legitimacy (Oxford University Press, Oxford and New York, 2004); Rediscovering Rhetoric: Law, Language, and the Practice of Persuasion (Federation Press, 2008); Constituting Law: Legal Argument and Social Values (Federation Press, 2011) (each co-edited with JT Gleeson SC) and Historical Foundations of Australian Law Part I (Federation Press, 2013), co-editor with Justin T Gleeson SC and James Watson. Ruth has been included in Best Lawyers Australia since 2008 (currently, Litigation, ADR, and Bet-the-Company Litigation) and Chambers Global since 2011 (currently Bar, Dispute Resolution, Band 1). In 2013, she won the inaugural Sheahan Lock Partners Junior Barrister Award, Lawyers Weekly, Women in Law Awards, and has since won several awards through Lawyers Monthly UK, including awards for constitutional law in 2014, and for competition law and banking and finance law in 2015. Ruth is Assistant General Editor of the Australian Law Journal. In 2013, she was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law.

THE PHILIPPINES MO ST RE SP E CT E D L AW FI R M OF THE Y EA R, CRU Z M A RCELO A ND TENEF RA NC I A ( C MTL AW ) L I T I GAT I O N & D I SP UT E R E SO LUTION L AW FIRM OF THE YEA R, CRU Z M A RC E LO A ND TE NE F RA NC I A ( C MTL AW ) I P L AW F I R M O F T H E YE AR, CRU Z M A RCELO A ND TENEFRA NCIA (CM TL AW ) MI N I N G AND NAT URAL R E SO U RCES L AW FIRM OF THE Y EA R, CRU Z M A R C E LO A ND TE NE F RA NC I A ( C MTL AW ) C O RP O RAT E L AW FI R M O F T HE YEA R, CRU Z M A RCELO A ND TENEFRA NC I A ( C MTL AW ) GA ME C H AN G E R OF T H E YE AR (LITIGATION & DIS PU TE RES OLU TION), S IMEO N V. MARCELO, CRUZ MARCELO AND TENEFRANCIA ( CMTL AW)

6th, 7th, 8th & 10th Floors, CVCLAW Center 11th Avenue corner 39th Street, Bonifacio Triangle Bonifacio Global City, 1634 Metro Manila, Philippines

Fifteen partners (out of twenty-three), led by former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Avelino J. Cruz, Jr. and former Solicitor General/Ombudsman Simeon V. Marcelo, both name partners of their former law office, formed Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia (CMTLaw) to establish a legal professional partnership anchored on a commitment to build a lasting legal institution that will carry on the values of professionalism, meritocracy, innovation and mutual respect. Its leadership team is rich in public and private sector experience, including service in the Philippine president’s cabinet and ombudsman’s office, as well as in international organizations such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Consequently, our core partnership values translate into our governance principles and are both integral to ensuring that our lawyers are able to deliver the highest quality of legal service to help our clients attain business success, as well as contribute to nation building. CMTLaw has, through its members, more than three decades of engagement and expertise in Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Corporate & Special Projects, Mining & Natural Resources, Energy, Infrastructure Transportation & Public Utilities, Intellectual Property, and Taxation. By matching arduous training with expansive experience, CMTLaw is able to deliver tailored solutions, apart from attracting and retaining top legal talents, to our broad spectrum of clients that include high net worth individuals, start-up companies to established conglomerates, leading banking and financial institutions, multinational corporations, entire industries and even government institutions like the Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines). Its Litigation Department has the widely recognized outstanding ability to wage coordinated and multi-pronged litigation campaigns. (CMTLaw’s senior partners have gained the reputation in their younger days for having no reservations about engaging in “bareknuckled” litigation.) Its dispute resolution lawyers boast an unmatched record of success in critical, high-stakes, must-win commercial disputes, and even in pro-bono public interest cases (which are shunned by top-tier law offices). Likewise, the members of its Corporate Department have established their unparalleled proficiency in handling complex corporate and commercial transactions. Exemplified by its legal practice in public-and-private partnership and similar projects, the firm has set itself apart by its flexibility in providing counsel or advice to either the Government through consultancy or advisory arrangements or to prospective investors, lenders and contractors who take part in such nation-building projects. Notably, CMTLaw acted recently as counsel for BDO Unibank, Inc. in entering into a US$500 Million syndicated loan agreement with international banks and financing institutions, the largest that has ever been entered into by a Philippine bank to date. The firm also acted as counsel for Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. in its joint venture with CRH, for their recent acquisition of the Philippine business of Lafarge. It is worth noting that the firm has likewise acted as the private counsel of the Philippine Stock Exchange. Similarly, its Mining and Natural Resources/Energy Department partners are the recognized first-movers in the field and the department is acknowledged for its expertise in providing counsel to leading mining and exploration companies on a broad range of matters, including compliance with nationality and capitalization requirements, obtaining government approvals, review of applications for mineral agreements, and negotiating and drafting contracts pertinent to the resources industry. A multi-disciplinary approach, often involving collaboration with the firm’s other departments, allows the team to effectively service all its clients’ business needs. The group also possesses distinct competencies and resources that give it the ability to forge strategic partnerships with relevant agencies and organizations.

Further, CMTLaw’s Intellectual Property Department lawyers are leaders in their craft, and are long well-known for their skills to provide excellent and effective legal services covering the full spectrum of Intellectual Property practice, namely: Trademarks, Philippine Patent Prosecution, Prosecution of PCT Application, Copyright, Media Entertainment & Broadcasting, Intellectual Property Commercialization, Licensing and Franchising, Administrative IP Litigation, and IP Enforcement action. After a very distinguished career as a litigator for twenty (20) years, Simeon Marcelo joined the Office of the Solicitor General in February 2001, an independent agency whose head has the same rank as the Secretary of Justice. As Solicitor General, his exceptional focus on the neglected ill-gotten wealth cases against the Marcoses and their cronies resulted in the recovery of ill-gotten wealth amounting to at least P130 Billion, compared to the P26 Billion ill-gotten wealth recovered since February 1986. Having won all of his major cases, he is considered one of the most successful Solicitors General. Two years later, these accomplishments led to his appointment as the youngest head of the Office of the Ombudsman, the constitutionally-created independent anti-corruption body. Despite the severe lack of resources, he was able to pursue an effective crusade against corruption, earning praises from foreign and local media, including the Philippines’ normally critical newspapers. The Washington Post stated that he “restored credibility to that organization xxx, is taking on the most powerful vested and entrenched interests in a country that perennially ranks among the worlds’ most corrupt xxx”; “targeting the most corrupt agencies, daring to prosecute even members of the historically untouchable military.” (10 June 2005, at page A14) In January 2008, when Mr. Marcelo returned to private practice, he was described by two publications as “perhaps the country’s best litigator”. [The Philippine Starweek, p. 5; Metro Society, p. 168] From 19 September 2008 to 30 June 2014, Mr. Marcelo served as a member of the World Bank’s Independent Advisory Board (IAB), which provided advice on good governance and anti-corruption measures to the Bank’s President, Audit Committee and Department of Integrity. Mr. Marcelo served as the President from 2009-2010 of the Philippine Bar Association, the country’s oldest and largest voluntary organization of lawyers. The University of the Philippines Alumni Association, during its Centennial Year in 2013, conferred upon Mr. Marcelo the Distinguished Alumni Award in Public Service. Currently, he is involved as legal counsel in numerous high-profile cases in the regional trial courts, the intermediate appellate courts and the Supreme Court and as the Chairman of the Arbitral Tribunal handling an on-going significant arbitration proceedings. His practice areas cover: commercial litigation (particularly shareholders’ disputes) and alternative dispute resolution; tax litigation; telecommunications and information/communications technology; banking litigation; corporate recovery and insolvency. Because of his vast experience as head of the Philippines’ anti-corruption body, a principal adviser of the World Bank on good governance and his continuing active participation in the anti-corruption movement, he is the arbitrator/counsel of choice for arbitral disputes involving public/private corruption, corporate fraud and money laundering.

SINGAPORE B O U T I Q U E F A M I LY L A W F I R M O F T H E Y E A R - C H I A W O N G L L P

CHIA WONG LLP Wo n g K a i Yu n , C o - M a n a g i n g Pa r t n e r Contact: +65 6346 0002 Email address: wongk aiyun@chiawongllp.com We b a d d re s s : w w w. c h i awo n g l l p. co m

Registered Trust & Estate Practitioner

Associate Mediator, Singapore Mediation Centre

“I went to Ms Kai Yun Wong during an extremely stressful and emotional time and over the past year and a half, she has been outstanding in her ability to advise, take instructions from me, be sensitive at the same time, and has handled my case with the utmost professionalism. She has become more than just 'a lawyer' to me and is someone I would highly recommend and trust in any future endeavours.” Ms Juliet Stannard, British expat in Singapore ”I am extremely satisfied with the work and care that Ms Wong Kai Yun had provided me. I feel that Ms Wong did everything possible and have done her best for me. It would be my pleasure to give my highest recommendation to Ms Wong and CHIA WONG LLP.” Mr Wolfgang, German expat in Singapore “Through a difficult and stressful part of my life, I am thankful that I found M/s Chia Wong LLP. Ms Wong Kai Yun is a well established lawyer who is passionate, trustworthy and reliable. She gives me peace of mind and makes the whole legal process less stressful for me. I am truly grateful to Ms Wong for her emotional and moral support. I would highly recommend M/s Chia Wong LLP to anyone in need of legal services” Mrs Michelle Kobayashi, Singapore

Fellow, International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

”Choosing a good lawyer is paramount to the success of one's case. I chose Ms Wong for her critical strategic thinking in getting the best outcome for my case. Her invaluable experience, kind support and patience in explaining the intricacies and relevance of family law has enabled me to go through this difficult time with full confidence. I highly recommend Ms Wong and her team!” Ms Michelle Tan, Singapore “Foreign to Singapore's judicial system and faced with a very personal and sensitive matter, Ms Wong quickly built a high level of trust. Her professional and meticulous devotion to details exceeded expectations. I expected a very prolonged, tedious and costly case. Through Ms Wong's sharp negotiation skills, the painful process was dramatically shortened. Clearly an indication that she is focused on her client's interests. Working with Ms Wong was a worthwhile investment.” Mr K.W.,US expat in Singapore

TA I WA N

台北市中山北路三段號樓台北市中山北路三段 27 號 13 樓 13 th F l. , 2 7 Sec. 3, Chung Sa n N. Rd ., Taipei 104, Taiw an , R.O.C. Tel : 8 8 6 -2 -2 5 856688 Fax : 886-2- 25989900/ 25978989 e m a i l @ d e e p n f a r. c o m . t w w w w. d e e p n f a r. c o m . t w

Prosecution Infringement Litigation

As long as reasonable, we accept our service fees as competitive as you desire. As long as you desire quality works, you shall find no reasons not to use Deep & Far taking challenges for competence verification by receiving from the client, e.g.: 1) a pending or granted patent for comments about how it can improve the claims; 2) a pending patent specification without the claims for drafting a set of new claims for comparison with the original claims; or 3) an initial disclosure for preparing a claim set at the same time with the firm the client is currently using so that the client can compare and find out which firm can provide the better claims.

ASIA ENERGY / INFRASTRUCTURE PE MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR

CEO & Par tner David Russell EQUIS FUNDS GROUP 1 George Street, #14-04 Singapore 049145 Main: +65 6220 0040 Email: David.Russell@equisfg.com www.equisfg.com

Equis Funds Group (“Equis”) is honoured to be awarded “Asia - Energy/Infrastructure PE Management Firm of the Year” for a second consecutive year. Established in 2010, Equis is one of Asia’s largest independent power, energy and infrastructure private equity managers with nine offices across Asia and US$2.7 billion of FUM. Since successfully holding the final close of EAF I in December 2012, Equis has established: Soleq, one of South-East Asia’s largest solar generation utilities, with interests in Thailand, the Philippines and China; Nippon Renewable Energy, Japan’s largest foreign funded solar generation utility; Energon, one of Asia’s first pan-Asian solely focused wind generation utilities with interests in India and the Philippines Hydreq, one of Asia’s first pan-Asian solely focused hydro generation utilities with interests in India and the Philippines Bioeq, one of the first utilities to break ground on the first generation biofuel facilities in response to the Philippines new E10 mandate Asia Networks, Asia’s first neutral hosting telecommunications infrastructure service provider with interests across Asia

Oriental Gas, one of China’s leading gas transmission and distribution businesses, which is uniquely positioned to implement the Chinese Government’s 12th 5 year plan energy policy initiative from coal to gas InfraEdge, a controlled platform that invests in the construction and long term management of captive infrastructure associated with Community Townships with interests in India. Core to Equis’ business strategy and investment philosophy is that an Asia-based independent fund manager will generate unique and proprietary investment opportunities for investors in an aligned, value-enhancing manner. Equis has been able to successfully enter markets as a first-mover by isolating new government policy initiatives and macroeconomic investment themes with disciplined bottom-up sector analysis and populating those themes with local management expertise, and overseeing control ownership interests. Portfolio investment control ensures value is further created through active local asset management of the development and construction, as well as the operational and exit phases of portfolio investments. As a leading investor in Asian power, energy and infrastructure, Equis also plays an important role in nurturing long term relationships with key stakeholders and local communities. Equis is committed to the principals of sustainable development and has ensured that sustainability remains a cornerstone of our investment management program. Equis and its portfolio investments actively fund and develop three core CSR objectives, the development and improvement of local community infrastructure, health and education. For further information please visit: www.equisfg.com

AGRIFOODS

Energy

Cement

Agrifoods

Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n & Lo g i s t i c s

Mining

African Leader in Infrastructure & Industry

BANGLADESH GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DR. MOHAMMED HAIDER ALI MIAH - EXPORT IMPORT BANK OF BANGLADESH LIMITED BANK OF THE YEAR - EXPORT IMPORT BANK OF BANGLADESH LIMITED

)SLAMIC &INANCE !WARDS FROM 7ORLD &INANCE UK "):: !WARD FROM 7ORLD #ONFEDERATION OF "USINESSES 7/2,$#/" AND 6. Appreciation letter from Central Bank to achieve target of Agricultural & SME Investment. 7. ICMAB Best Corporate Award 2014, 8. ICMAB Best Corporate Award 2013, 9. ICMAB Best Corporate Award 2011, Apart from classic Islamic banking products and services, EXIM Bank has introduced a wide range of innovative products which include deposit products like EXIM Ruhama, EXIM Ziadah, Mudaraba Cash 7AQF $EPOSIT -UDARABA $ENMOHOR -ARRIAGE Savings Scheme; investment products like Musharaka Documentry Bills, Bai-as-Sarf, SME Investment, Micro-finance investment etc. The Bank has joined national clearing and payment system and made arrangement, in addition to its own network, with ATM network system of other banks of the country. As a model Bank we also have1. Online Banking & CDM 2. SMS Banking 3. EXIM Islamic Visa Card 4. EXIM Debit Card 5. EXIM Hajj Card 6. EXIM Travel Card 7. EXIM Remittance Card 8. EXIM Gift Card %8)- 0REPAID #ARD 10. EXIM Cash Card 0HONE "ANKING 1 #ASH % #OMMERCE 13. E Corner 14. Electronic Clearing House 15. Quick half 16. Internet Banking 17. Green Banking 18. Mobile Banking

Corporate Information Branch Offices : 87 Long Term Credit Rating : â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A+â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Adequate Safety) Short Term Credit Rating : â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ST-2â&#x20AC;&#x2122; (High Grade) Credit Rating Agency : Credit Rating Information and Services Limited (CRISL) Dr. Mohammed Haider Ali Miah Managing Director & CEO Export Import Bank of Bangladesh Limited (EAD /FFICE h3YMPHONYv 0LOT 3% & 2OAD 142 Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan, Dhaka. E-mail: haider@eximbankbd.com 7EB WWW DR HAIDER INFO

BANGLADESH GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DR. MOHAMMED HAIDER ALI MIAH - EXPORT IMPORT BANK OF BANGLADESH LIMITED BANK OF THE YEAR - EXPORT IMPORT BANK OF BANGLADESH LIMITED

Export Import Bank of Bangladesh Limited was incorporated in Bangladesh on 02 June 1999 as Banking Company under the Companies Act 1994 and commenced its business operation on 03 August 1999. The Bank converted its operation from conventional banking to Shariah based Islamic Banking System from 01 July 2004 after obtaining approval from Bangladesh Bank. EXIM Bank is the first Bangladeshi Bank to transform its operation from conventional banking to Shariah based Islamic Banking System. The Bank has made significant contribution to the national economy by its wide range of services, particularly by supporting export oriented industries. The Bank carries out its banking activities through 87 (eighty seven) Branches across the country. It has 3 (five) subsidiary companies: 2 (two) exchange houses and 1 (one) merchant bank. The exchange houses are located at UK and Canada. Bank also has two Offshore Banking Units (OBU) located at Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh. The gist of our vision is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Together Towards Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Export Import Bank of Bangladesh Limited believes in togetherness with its customers, in its march on the road to growth and progress with service. To achieve the desired goal, there will be pursuit of excellence at all stages with climate of continuous improvement, because, in EXIM Bank, we believe, the line of excellence is never ending. Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategic plans and networking will strengthen its competitive edge over others in rapidly changing competitive environment. Its personalized quality services to the customers with trend of constant improvement will be the cornerstone to achieve our operational success. The bank has chalked out the following corporate objectives in order to ensure smooth achievement of its goals:

s 4O BE THE MOST CARING AND CUSTOMER FRIENDLY AND service oriented bank. s 4O CREATE A TECHNOLOGY BASED MOST EFFICIENT banking environment for its customers. s 4O ENSURE ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY AT ALL LEVELS s To ensure sustainable growth and establish full value to the honorable stakeholders and s !BOVE ALL TO ADD EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE national economy. Eventually the bank also emphasizes on: s 0ROVIDE HIGH QUALITY FINANCIAL SERVICES IN EXPORT and import trade. s 0ROVIDING EFFICIENT CUSTOMER SERVICE s -AINTAINING CORPORATE AND BUSINESS ETHICS s "EING TRUSTED REPOSITORY OF CUSTOMERS MONEY AND their financial adviser. s -AKING ITS PRODUCTS SUPERIOR AND REWARDING TO THE customers. s $ISPLAY TEAM SPIRIT AND PROFESSIONALISM s 3OUND #APITAL "ASE s %NHANCEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS WEALTH s &ULFILLING ITS SOCIAL COMMITMENTS BY EXPANDING ITS charitable and humanitarian activities. EXIM Bank has been recognized and rewarded for its contribution in the economy and excellence in banking. The list of award includes: )NTERNATIONAL $IAMOND 0RIZE FOR %XCELLENCE IN Quality from European Society for Quality Research (ESQR), Brussel, Belgium. 2. Europe Business Assembly, UK Awarded with 'European Quality' for achieving high quality in accordance with European and international standards. 3. European Society for Quality Research, Brussel, Belgium awarded with "Best Quality Leadership Award 2014"

VIETNAM TA X ACCOUNTANCY FI R M O F T H E Y E A R - G I A C AT C ONSULT ING A ND A UD IT ING CO MPA NY LE ADING IN DEPEN DEN T A DVI SO R Y O F T H E YE A R - G I A CAT CO N S U LT I N G A N D A U D I T I N G CO MPA N Y

NGUYEN PHAN XUAN THUY, FCCA, MBA, CPA, Tax Practitioner Managing Director Tel: +84 903959621 thuy_nguyen@giacat.com.vn www.giacat.com.vn

Gia Cat Consulting and Auditing Company is a full service accountancy and consultancy firm. For many years, Gia Cat has been one of the Top Ten Accountancy Firm in Vietnam in term of client base (including of Big Four Firms). With more than 120 professional staffs, they pride themselves on their technical competence, strong focus on ethics and uncompromising confidentiality. Their team of experienced professional consultants are leaders in their respective fields, with a wide range of accolades, awards and internationally recognised certificates. Frequent changes to Vietnam tax and business regulation has been a big problem for enterprises. Foreign companies can rely on Gia Cat’s experience and expertise to guide them through the complexities of complying with domestic regulations. Besides, there is a big gap between International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Vietnamese Accounting Standards (VAS). As a professional firm, Gia Cat keeps up-to-date with new accounting treatments, thus ensuring that its clients are adequately informed on a timely basis. For the last fifteen years, Gia Cat has provided accountancy, tax, audit and advisory service for more than 4.000 companies. Their professional knowledge,

combined with their local insight of Vietnam and their experience of working with big client base makes them highly reliable and their information is always the most up to date, to help their client make informed decisions. They also work alongside with a number of trusted collaborators and industry experts to ensure that they deliver the very best results to their clients. Mr Nguyen Phan Xuan Thuy, the co-founder of Gia Cat with many years of professional and business development has been building a strong team around him, networking of business community and government agencies. Mr Nguyen is also the co-founder and chairman of TS24 Corporation. TS24 is the country’s pioneer in providing information technology connecting business and government. TS24 products such as Tax Online declaration, Custom Online Declaration (iHaiquan), Social Insurance Online (iBHXH) has been used by more than 40,000 companies in Vietnam. Gia Cat’s quality service has won the recognition by clients and the legal society. Gia Cat has been recognized as winner of Global Awards and Legal Awards from ACQ, Corporate INTL, Finance Monthly, Corporate LiveWire… As an active member of Allitott Group, Gia Cat can support its clients across the globe. Alliott Group is a world wide Alliance of independent accounting, law and consulting firms with more than 180 member firms in some 80 countries.

SINGAPORE L AW YER OF THE Y EAR, GLORIA JAMES- CIVETTA - GLORIA J A ME S- C IVE T TA & C O

Gloria James 25 Nor th Bridge Road #03-02 EFG Bank Building. Singapore 179104. Tel: +65-6337-0469 Fax: +65-6337-0463 Email: consult@gjclaw.com.sg www.agjclaw.com.sg www.singaporedivorcelawyer.com.s www.singaporecriminallawyer.com

Gloria James-Civetta & Co (GJC Law) is an established Singapore law firm. Managed by Gloria James and Gustavo Civetta, GJC Law has affiliate offices in London, Malaga, Madrid, Rotterdam and India. The firm’s lawyers have legal expertise in the Asia Pacific, UK and European markets, including local and expat cross-border divorces, family law matters, estate law, corporate law, employment law, civil and commercial law, criminal law (white and blue collar crimes) and litigation and solicitor’s work matters. Gloria is a Harvard Law School trained Mediator and Associate Mediator at the State Courts and Singapore Mediation Centre. She is also a qualified Collaborative Family Practice Lawyer. GJC Law is your lawyer, mediator, trusted advisor and caring professional for all your legal needs. While the law may seem complex to you, GJC’s philosophy is simple: to provide a personal legal service and peace of mind for you.

GJC Law is a firm where experience and results matter. Our experience provides the results that our clients expect. At GJC Law we ensure client care and sound advice, providing ample information to clients and including them in every stage of the legal process. As skilled mediators we consistently carry out successful negotiations on behalf of our clients. Our international connections and strong interpersonal approach provides client with the confidence and assurance they need that their case is in safe hands. We are a growing firm and our reputation far and wide speaks for itself. Clients of all backgrounds know their needs are taken care of – they can trust in our experience.

HONG KONG IMMIGRATION FIRM OF THE YEAR, JOHN HU MIGRATION CONSULTING

John Hu Migration Consulting Hong Kong: Flat D, 3/F Lucky Plaza, 315 Lockhar t Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong Tel: (+852) 3568 1436 China: Flat 2707, Golden Central Tower, No. 3037 Jintian Rd, Futian District, Shenzhen, P.R.C. Tel: 400 618 7220 Website: www.yimin-visa.com Email: johnhu@johnhu.com.hk

At John Hu Migration Consulting, we do not simply provide our professional immigration consulting and visa processing services — we create opportunities for our clients who emigrate overseas for better lives or education for children. From professionals, entrepreneurs to investors, we provide our professional immigration services to meet their individual immigration needs, both in Hong Kong and China. “It’s passion. It’s different!” is our motto and value. Our goals are to set for service excellence and innovation in the immigration field. To achieve our goals, we always strive to deliver the best customer values and enjoyable customer experience to our clients, helping them to make their dreams come true. Our business philosophy is to provide you with the respect you deserve and the immigration advice that you require. Our past years of successful experience has taught us that each of our clients expects a high level of service and expertise from your immigration representative. As one of the top immigration firms in Hong Kong, we help businesses and individuals with the full range of immigration matters and develop immigration strategies that achieve their goals. We are committed to deliver our best immigration services with our exceptional professional immigration knowledge, cultured agility, innovative tools and integrity – working with you one-to-one to create personalized immigration solution which you are reply on.

John Hu, the founder of John Hu Migration Consulting, is more than an Australia and New Zealand registered immigration consultant. Graduated with his Master in Marketing awarded by the University of South Australia, John has worked for many multinational firms and statutory body as a business and marketing consultant. Equipped with his distinctive and diversified industry knowledge and marketing expertise, he has helped many of his clients develop immigration and business strategies to meet their personal goals. Our web-based technology gives you access to cases and effortless status tracking anytime, anywhere. We are totally committed to preserving our best work practices and highest integrity to serve our clients. You can rely on our unmatched immigration knowledge and guidance from our immigration professionals who listen and understand your personal needs. Working with John Hu Migration Consulting means access to the most highly respected leaders in the immigration industry today. With our offices in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen China, John Hu Migration Consulting provide you with our top immigration services to Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and other destination countries, processing different immigration visa including investor, entrepreneur, skilled, family visas and work permits. We are proud to be recognized for our dedicated and continuous efforts by the ACQ Global Awards as the Hong Kong Immigration Firm of the Year 2015.

A S PA C FULL SERVICE FORENSIC ADVISORY OF THE YEAR FOR A CONSECUTIVE YEAR – KPMG GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (RISK) - GRANT JAMIESON, KPMG

KPMG 8th Floor, Princes Building, 10 Chater Road Central, Hong Kong Tel 852 2140 2804 Fax 852 2869 7357 Mob 852 9267 9055 grant.jamieson@kpmg.com

We operate in 155 countries and have 162,000 people working around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. Our member firms in Asia Pacific have a track record spanning over six decades, working with leading global and regionally-based organisations. In increasingly complex markets, we are committed to turning risk into advantage for our clients and their stakeholders through independent, credible and practical advice. KPMG's network of over 3,000 Forensic professionals work in 39 accredited practices within KPMG member firms around the world. In Asia Pacific, this includes large established practices in Australia, China, Japan and Singapore, supported by fully accredited Forensic practices in Malaysia, Thailand, Korea and New Zealand. The network brings a consistent global approach, combined with a tailored local focus, to sensitive and complicated cross-border engagements. We offer robust, practical advice, helping our firms' clients deal with:

s s s s s s s

FRAUD MISCONDUCT AND CORRUPTION INVESTIGATIONS TRACING FUNDS ASSETS COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS COMMERCIAL DISPUTES REGULATORY COMPLIANCE MANAGING RISK ON BUYING OR SELLING A BUSINESS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND CONTRACT GOVERNANCE PREVENTING AND DETECTING FRAUD MISCONDUCT OR FINANCIAL CRIME

We can also deploy technology tools to help clients deal effectively with large amounts of data and documentation, to manage and disclose important material or high light fraud, weaknesses and business opportunities from within corporate data. GRANT JAMIESON PARTNER, HEAD OF FORENSIC ASIA PACIFIC, HEAD OF RISK CONSULTING, CHINA

CHINA SME - PATENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, LEE AND LI LEAVEN IPR AGENCY LTD

Lee and Li - Leaven IPR Agency Ltd. Address: Unit 2202, Tower A, Marriott Center, No.7, Jian Guo Men South Avenue, Beijing 100005, PRC Telephone：(86)10 85187141 Fax: (86)10 85187145

Lee and Li - Leaven IPR Agency Ltd. (“Leaven”), established in October 2003, is an intellectual property firm designated by the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (SIPO) and the Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (CTMO). The company’s main asset is its ability to provide complete, efficient, and quality intellectual property services throughout the entire Greater China Area. Leaven comprises a number of senior patent attorneys and trademark attorneys, as well as lawyers. Many of these employees were formerly patent agents, trademark agents, IP rights managers, or patent examiners at China’s main foreign intellectual property rights institutions, IP departments of large corporations, and the examination department of SIPO. They are familiar with handling trademarks, copyright cases, patents, drafting patents, IP management, IP counseling, and patent examination procedures. Our patent attorneys are composed of specialize in a broad range of fields including electronic communications, computers, integrated circuits, automation and control, aeronautical engineering, nautical engineering, mechanics, chemistry, biology, pharmaceuticals, and other technical fields.

In light of the same service concept and foresight regarding economic development in the Greater China area, Leaven has formed a close cooperative relationship with Lee and Li, Attorneys-at-Law, the biggest law firm in Taiwan. Lee and Li and Leaven entered into a trademark license agreement to authorize Leaven to use its English mark and logo. Leaven and Lee and Li, Attorneys-at-Law closely cooperate and share resources to provide multi-international enterprises and other clients in the Greater China area with comprehensive legal services relating to patent prosecutions, trademark prosecutions, IP management and protection, IP actions (including patent maintenance, infringement lawsuit, patent requests, etc.) as well as other IP areas. Leaven has been developing very quickly since its establishment and our future prospects haves caught the attention of the IP field. Furthermore, our rigorous working style and excellent quality of service has been highly praised by the IP field. We believe that the growth of the IP industry in the Greater China area will provide Leaven with a very good opportunity for development.

SOUTH KOREA GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (LITIGATION AND ARBITRATION), LANCE LEE, LEE INTERNATIONAL IP & LAW GROUP

Lance Lee Par tner / Head of Litigation & Arbitration Lee International IP & Law Group Poongsan Bldg., 23 Chungjeongro Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-837 Korea Firm Number:

Direct Number: 82-2-2262-6037 82-2-2279-3631 Fax 82-2-2279-5020 Email: lblee@leeinternational.com

Firm Website: www.leeinternational.com

Lee International IP & Law Group is a premier full service law firm, composed of a diverse group of passionate and dedicated professionals. Lee International’s multilingual members understand the specialized viewpoints of each of its clients, and finds solutions that are tailored to their specific needs. Founded in 1961, Lee International was first established as a pioneering patent law firm, and has been widely-recognized as a leading intellectual property firm ever since. Since then, Lee International has become a premier general practice law firm, and is consistently recognized as one of Korea’s most prestigious law firms for its unparalleled excellence. Lance Lee is Head of the Litigation and Arbitration Department at Lee International. He is a widely-recognized leading expert in litigation and arbitration, and the variety and depth of his prior experiences have given Mr. Lee a unique perspective. In addition to a decade of work in cross-border litigation and international arbitration at the global law firm of Kim & Chang, Lance Lee also served as Group General Counsel for the STX Shipbuilding Group, where he handled both the legal and commercial aspects of the company’s litigations and arbitrations. He also co-founded and co-chaired the AMCHAM Korea Government & International Affairs Committee, where he helped promote commercially sound solutions in projects between governments and companies so as to prevent potential disputes early on.

Lance Lee’s leading efforts in the industry are redefining the way in which commercial disputes are viewed and handled by practitioners and companies across continents. His vision for commercial disputes are to provide companies finding themselves in a dispute with an innovative model for positive commercial growth. “In the past, the handling of litigation was often been perceived as a separate function of a company, outside of the traditional value chain. However, in today’s world, there is a win-win solution, and companies can concurrently engage in positive commercial growth within the process of a commercial dispute,” says Lee. With the development of forensic technology and sophisticated search engines, commercially relevant facts can be identified and discovered through the process of litigation, and the heightened range of decision-making in today’s commercial disputes has major potential to impact a company’s future growth. The key will be to assess early on the areas of positive commercial growth while pursuing a winning result, which includes identifying early on indispensable facts and rulings which are likely to have an impact. “Effectively combining organizational excellence in litigation with positive commercial growth will be the game changer in the years to come,” says Lee. Lance Lee envisions that the ultimate goal will be to promote a more positive, healthier society where companies and individuals can thrive within the process of an ongoing dispute.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;where preparation meets opportunityâ&#x20AC;?

Soft Commodities Fund 79.94% returns since inception in 2008 with an annualised return of 8.04% p.a. The Merricks Capital Soft Commodities Fund seeks to take advantage of situations where specific supply and demand imbalances create both long and short opportunities in soft, agricultural & livestock commodity markets Visit www.merrickscapital.com for more information

SINGAPORE SINGAPORE IPO L AW F I RM O F T H E Y E A R, O PA L L AW Y E R S L L C COR P O RAT E AC T I O N S L AW FI R M O F T H E Y EA R, OPA L L AWY ER S L L C

AUSTRALIA COM PA N Y O F T HE Y E A R ( M A NUFAC TUR I NG ) - PAC T GR OUP

www.pactgroup.com.au Contact: Siobhan McCror y, General Manager â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sales, Marketing & Innovation E: siobhan.mccror y@inpact.com.au T: +61 3 9230 5323

AT A GLANCE s MANUFACTURING SITES ACROSS COUNTRIES s /PERATING IN MARKET SECTORS s ,ARGE AND DIVERSE BASE OF AROUND CUSTOMERS s PRODUCT VARIANTS s /VER EMPLOYEES s 0ROVEN PRODUCT AND PROCESS INNOVATOR 0ACT 'ROUP (OLDINGS 0ACT IS A LEADING MANUFACTURER OF RIGID PLASTICS AND STEEL PACKAGING SOLUTIONS AND OTHER RELATED PRODUCTS (EADQUARTERED IN -ELBOURNE !USTRALIA 0ACT HAS MANUFACTURING SITES ACROSS !USTRALIA .EW :EALAND AND !SIA MANUFACTURING OVER PRODUCT VARIANTS AND PROVIDING SERVICES ACROSS A RANGE OF CATEGORIES INCLUDING Food & Beverage 0ACT HAS LONG HISTORY IN DELIVERING TRUSTED SUSTAINABLE AND INNOVATIVE PACKAGING FOR THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE SECTOR 0ACKAGING SOLUTIONS CATER FOR FRESH FOOD CHILLED MEAT FROZEN FOOD READY MEALS BAKED GOODS DAIRY PRODUCTS JUICE AND BOTTLED WATER AMONG OTHERS Personal Care 0ACT PROVIDES PACKAGING FOR ORAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS SKIN CREAMS HAIR PRODUCTS AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS 0ACT PRODUCTS DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES WITH THE LATEST DECORATION PATENTED DESIGNS AND WORLD LEADING MEDICAL DISPENSING SYSTEMS Household Consumer 9OU LL FIND 0ACT S HOUSEHOLD CONSUMER PRODUCTS PACKAGING SOLD IN SUPERMARKETS PHARMACIES HEALTH AND BEAUTY SHOPS AND YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE 0ACT PROVIDES PACKAGING FOR MANY POPULAR HOUSEHOLD CONSUMER PRODUCTS FROM THE PERSONAL CARE AND HEALTH CATEGORIES TO THE CLEANING AND WASHING CATEGORIES

Industrial & Chemical 4HE PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS ARE VARIED AND DEMAND DURABILITY RELIABILITY SAFETY AND EASY TRANSIT AND STORAGE 0ACT PROVIDES PACKAGING SOLUTIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS SURFACE COATINGS LUBRICANTS AND OTHER PETROLEUM PRODUCTS RANGING FROM LARGE BULK SIZES TO VERY SMALL HANDHELD PACKAGING Materials Handling & Infrastructure -ATERIALS AND HANDLING SOLUTIONS ARE FOCUSED ON THE TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF PRODUCTS USING PALLETS CRATES AND OTHER CONTAINERS 4HROUGH THIS SERVICE 0ACT ASSISTS CUSTOMERS TO REDUCE SUPPLY CHAIN COSTS THROUGH IMPROVED STORAGE EFFICIENCY HANDLING SAVINGS AND FREIGHT COST REDUCTION )NFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS ARE FOCUSED ON THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS GAS AND ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES AS WELL AS MAJOR ROAD AND RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS PROVIDING PRODUCTS INCLUDING COMMUNICATION PITS HAZARD PREVENTION PRODUCTS NOISE WALLS AND INDUSTRIAL TANKS 0ACT IS CONSTANTLY ASSESSING NEW INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND EXPAND THE OFFERING TO CUSTOMERS 3ECTOR KNOW HOW WELL INVESTED PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AND GLOBAL LICENSES ENABLES THE CONTINUED DELIVERY OF ADVANCED DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY 0ACT HAS ALSO ESTABLISHED A DEDICATED INNOVATION DIVISION )NPACT )NNOVATION )NPACT A STANDALONE BUSINESS WITHIN THE GROUP TO ASSIST CUSTOMERS TO WIN IN THEIR CATEGORIES )NPACT S CROSS FUNCTIONAL TEAM INCLUDES INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS AND ENGINEERS INVENTORS MARKETING EXPERTS

AND SPECIALISTS FOCUSING ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS )NPACT WORKS WITH SOME OF THE WORLD S BIGGEST BRANDS TO ENGINEER LEADING EDGE PACKAGING SOLUTIONS THAT DRIVE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE 0ACT S VISION IS @TO IMPROVE LIVES EVERY DAY THROUGH SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING SOLUTIONS

VIETNAM EMERGING MARKETS FUND OF THE YEAR - PHOENIX CAPITAL

Peter Pham Managing Director Phoenix Capital peterpham@phx-cap.com www.phx-cap.com +1 832 898 4620 +84 938 858 898

Phoenix Capital is a Cayman Islands exempted company that offers investment and financial advisory services. Founded by a group of investment managers, analysts and traders, our goal is to become the premier fund-restructuring specialist, providing access to the most promising companies around the globe in cooperation with asset managers totaling more than $800 million in combined AUM. Phoenix Capital was born from the simple idea that so much of what passes for analysis in markets is inaccurate. Both traditional technical and fundamental analysis of stocks and companies are flawed, as are the dominant investment models. Cutting out noise and bad information yields clear, concise and actionable investment analysis. By incorporating a focus on business fundamentals in conjunction with a quantitative trading system that yields clearly defined risk potentials, our business model creates a powerful approach to asset management. We have the flexibility and expertise to pick both the right companies to invest in and the right approach in trading and execution. Our approach considers the whole market utilizing a bottom up valuation model which assesses a company's chance of success based on its business model and its interactions with its target market. We employ a unique perspective on valuation and growth potential which yields an advantage in uncovering the best investment opportunities. We combine this with a proprietary trading system that produces consistently high alpha returns via a contrarian macro-economic perspective. Examples of our unique approach are frequently discussed by our founder, Peter Pham, in his

book “The Big Trade: Simple Strategies for Maximum Market Returns” and podcast, “The Big Trade Series”. We aim to achieve long term capital growth through a mix of strategies focused around taking active investment roles in under-capitalized firms. This approach fills the gulf between traditional commercial lending and the needs of Asian-oriented companies. Phoenix Capital's team will apply our proprietary valuation tools to unearth uncommon investment opportunities in conjunction with actively managed liquid portfolio assets to provide growth for both our shareholders and investment partners. Phoenix's investor relations unit will use its media connections to not only boost your company's investor profile it will also help clients gain access to capital, increase share liquidity with the goal of reaching fair valuation for its shareholders. In addition our team is adept at applying our approach to our client's portfolio needs, crafting uniquely tailored mixes of investments. Currently, we are in the process of launching several indices and ETF products that will look to provide access to emerging markets via a sophisticated, refined approach. Phoenix Capital is also a partner of a United States based holding company, which aims to bring value and opportunities to small businesses and overlooked communities within the United States and beyond.

SINGAPORE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (CIVIL & FAMILY LAW) - LIM CHONG BOON, PKWA LAW PRACTICE LLC FAMILY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - PKWA LAW PRACTICE LLC

Lim Chong Boon DID +65 6854 3109 / +65 6854 3100 / +65 6854 5336 Email: chongboon@pkwalaw.com Divorce website: http://www.sgdivorcelawyer.sg

Chong Boon started his practice at Allen & Gledhill, where he had the privilege of working directly under some of Singapore's best lawyers. He now has more than 25 years of experience in the Singapore courts. Chong Boon's areas of practice include family and divorce law, probate, commercial litigation, company law, construction litigation, corporate debt recovery, directors and shareholders' disputes, employment law, intellectual property, immigration matters, insolvency, landlord and tenant disputes, and property disputes. He has been involved in several high profile cases involving very substantial claims. Chong Boon is a recommended family and divorce lawyer. He is the Head of our Family Law Department, one of the largest family law practice in Singapore. He and his team of divorce lawyers have received several accolades and awards, namely:

tory injunctions against occupiers for causing nuisance and breach of contract. s ACTING For a government statutory board in property disputes and to obtain possession of property from errant tenants. s ACTING FOR ALL DEFENDANTS TO SUCCESSFULLY DEFEND A 53 MILLION multi cause of action claim for breach of contract, breach of agency AND CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD 4HE MATTER REACHED THE #OURT OF !PPEAL which upheld Chong Boon's arguments. s SUCCEssfully acting for one of the largest property agency companies in Singapore in an action against some of its former employees and agents for poaching its staff and for breach of contract. s DEFENDING FORMER STUDENTS IN A DEFAMATION SUIT BROUGHT BY A WELL known options trading trainer. s acting fOR A 53 LISTED -.# IN LITIGATION OVER THE CONSTRUCTION OF A wafer fab plant in Singapore.

s !#1 ,AW !WARDS Â&#x2C6; ,IM #HONG "OON AND 0+7! ,AW ARE HIGHLY Recommended in "Family Law." s $OYLES 'UIDE &OR 3INGAPORE &AMILY $IVORCE ,AW Â&#x2C6; 0+7! ,AW is a "Recommended" divorce law firm. Recently, our team successfully argued and won an important and landmark case at the Court of Appeal which reaffirmed and established THE NEW 3INGAPORE LAW ON DIVISION OF MATRIMONIAL ASSETS ; = 3'#! 52.

s Acting for ONE OF THE "IG 4HREE LOCAL BANKS IN THE RECOVERY OF CREDIT card and housing loans.

Chong Boon is recommended by various law guides as someone who "is valued by clients in civil and family law matters for his knowledge and experience in the law" and for being "practical and street wise". In the area of divorce law, he is recognised as "a good listener", able to "cut through the issues quickly". He is known "to favour mediation over litigation in divorce matters, but will litigate aggressively in court".

s Advising one of the world's largest and most prestigious hotel OPERATORS IN A CLAIM ESTIMATED AT MILLION ARISING OUT OF A STAR hotel.

Chong Boon is regularly invited by some of Singapore's biggest companies to give talks and seminars on family law, probate and wills. For a list of the latest seminars and talks he has conducted, please click here.

Divorces s 3UCCESSFULLY REPRESENTED THE MOTHER IN A BITTER CUSTODY BATTLE OVER HER CHILDREN 4HE (IGH #OURT AWARDED OUR CLIENT CARE AND CONTROL AND ORDERED THE FATHER TO HAND OVER THE CHILDREN WITHIN DAYS OR FACE CONTEMPT ACTION 4HE CASE TOOK YEARS AND INVOLVED OVER PAGES of court documents.

Chong Boon frequently appears in the High Court, the State Court and the Family Court. Some of his reported cases include Fornet Enterprise #O ,TD VS (OWELL 5NIVERSAL 0TE ,TD OTHERS ; = 3,2 ; = 3'(# AND /#- /PPORTUNITIES &UND )) ,0 AND OTHERS VS 04 )NDAH +IAT 0ULP AND 0APER #ORPORATION ; = 3'(# 3OME OF THE CASES HE HAS HANDLED IN 0+7! ,AW INCLUDE Commercial & Civil Cases s ACTING IN A PROTRACTED AND HIGHLY COMPLEX LITIGATION IN THE Singapore High Court of one of the largest corporate bond defaults in EMERGING MARKETS HISTORY 4HE CLAIM WAS WORTH 53 MILLION AND involved legal experts from the US and Indonesia, and decisions involving the Supreme Court of the State of New York and the Supreme Court of Indonesia. s ADVISING THE LEADING GLOBAL OPERATOR OF WATER SERVICES IN EMPLOYMENT MATTERS AND GENERAL CORPORATE ADVICE FOR ITS !SIA 0ACIFIC OFFICE s ACTING FOR A GOVERNMENT STATUTORY BOARD TO OBTAIN URGENT INTERLOCU

s acting for the Nominee in the successful seeking of bankruptcy protection under the Bankruptcy Act for two directors of a Singapore LISTED COMPANY 4HIS ALLOWED THE DIRECTORS TO RESOLVE AND RESTRUCTURE THEIR PERSONAL LIABILITIES OF ABOUT MILLION ARISING OUT OF CORPORATE guarantees they had executed in connection with the debts of the company.

s Acting in the Singapore High Court in litigation with an international construction and engineering company over the construction of a plant IN !STANA 4HE CASE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST IN 3INGAPORE TO INVOLVE electronic discovery of documents stored in servers.

s REPresented a prominent and wealthy Singapore businessman in his divorce proceedings and ancillary issues. s ACted for a prominent senior Singapore lawyer in a highly conten tious divorce matter, division of assets and custody of the children. s REpresented the #%/ OF A LISTED COMPANY IN HIS DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS and ancillaries. s ACTed for a wife TO RECOVER HALF OF THE EX HUSBANDgS LOTTERY WIN s REPREsented estaBLISHED CLIENTS IN PRE NUPTIAL AGREEMENTS )NTELLECTUAL 0ROPERTY s REPRESENTING CLIENTS IN REGISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF TRADEMARKS 7ILLS AND 0ROBATE s REPRESENTING CLIENTS IN 0ROBATE MATTERS INCLUDING OBTAINING 'RANT OF 0ROBATE AND ,ETTERS OF !DMINISTRATION

INDIA BANK OF THE YEAR (WEALTH MANAGEMENT) OF THE YEAR - STANDARD CHARTERED

Standard Char tered Bank Vishal Kapoor, Regional Head, Wealth Management, South Asia vishal.kapoor@sc.com www.sc.com/in 3A Crescenzo, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex Bandra East, Mumbai-400051 India

Standard Chartered Bank is India's largest international bank (in terms of branch network) with 100 branches in 43 cities, a combined customer base of around two million retail customers and around 2,500 corporate and institutional relationships. Standard Chartered banks the people and companies driving Investment, trade and the creation of Wealth across our markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Key client segments include Corporate & Institutional Clients, Commercial & Private Banking Clients as well as Retail Clients. The various product groups offered include Corporate Finance, Financial Markets, Transaction Banking, Wealth Management as well as Retail Products. In India, we have enjoyed a heritage of over 150 years, during which we have aimed to lead the way by keeping a focus on building deep, long-standing relationships with our clients. We have built our business by building relationships. So our strategy is simple: focus on what’s important for our client. Wealth Management Standard Chartered offers comprehensive wealth management services with a focus on delivering high quality solutions across segments. We offer a full range of capabilities and solutions to support our clients’ specific needs, backed by a stringent due-diligence process for selecting the best products. We are deeply committed to our clients and we support them through relationship managers along with a

dedicated team of specialists consisting of the wealth specialists, insurance specialists and treasury officers. We believe in the premise that with wealth comes responsibility and that is a responsibility shared between the Bank’ staff and its clients We use our global capabilities and deep local knowledge in India to provide a wide-range of products and services to meet the needs of our individual and business clients. With a network that spans over 70 countries, we can leverage our global expertise to help clients invest in suitable investment products catering to their unique needs. We have a highly experienced investment council that follow a structured and robust investment process to assess investment environment and outlook and provide investment strategies & product recommendations across asset classes. Further, our client centric investment proposition focuses on expanding our offering to meet the evolving requirements of our clients. Our clients can leverage our sophisticated portfolio reporting platform to get updated comprehensive reports of their investments. We provide our clients an access to regular publications like Market commentary, Market view and investment strategies to help them stay updated with market and product performance. For more information, visit https://www.sc.com/in/

NEW ZEALAND N ICH E S O FT WA RE P R OV I D E R O F TH E Y E A R ( S E R VIC E MAN AGEMEN T ), SUPAT OOLS

Chris Walker SupaTools Limited m. +64 21 75 4446 t. +64 9 361 1434 f. +64 9 361 1434 e. chris@supatools.com w. http://www.supatools.com skype: supatools

SupaTOOLS is a web-based software solution that supports Service Management processes based on the ITIL standard. We are a privately owned company based in Auckland, New Zealand, and began development on SupaTOOLS back in 2006 under the name â&#x20AC;&#x153;easyCMDBâ&#x20AC;?. Since then our software rapidly grew beyond a Configuration Management Database, so we decided to rebrand and now support many ITIL processes including: s s s s s s s s s s

#ONFIGURATION -ANAGEMENT #HANGE -ANAGEMENT )NCIDENT -ANAGEMENT 0ROBLEM -ANAGEMENT 2EQUEST &ULFILMENT 2ELEASE -ANAGEMENT 3ERVICE 0ORTFOLIO -ANAGEMENT 3ERVICE ,EVEL -ANAGEMENT $OCUMENT -ANAGEMENT )NVENTORY 3TOCK #ONTROL

We consider ourselves a niche player in the market, and now have a broad mix of small, medium and enterprise customers world-wide. Our software is modular and can be used in a variety of ways, allowing the customer to build functionality over time. Despite our small size we are regularly compared with our big competitors, and have proven that our software stacks up very well.

Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a 50 employee company wanting a CMDB, or a 100,000 employee enterprise wanting a mission-critical Service Desk solution, we have something for everyone. One of our main points of difference is the flexibility and customization capability we provide our customers. In most cases, this allows our customer to implement the software themselves with very little help, and to make customizations without the need of a programmer or professional services. W ith support for Linux or W indows environments either deployed SaaS or internally, our customers have the flexibility to implement the software how it suits them. One popular approach is to start with a SaaS cloud solution where we can provide 1:1 assistance remotely, and then move the software internally when the customer is ready. Many of our customers are in the Northern Hemisphere, and while that may seem an issue at first, the time zone means we can answer and resolve any issues overnight. We also have a growing list of partners who can assist in their local time zone. /UR SOFTWARE IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING &OR EXAMPLE WE RECENTLY EXTENDED THE 3ERVICE $ESK TO mobile users with the release of our SupaDESK Mobile App. This enables iOS and Android users to manage tickets from anywhere. We listen closely to all our customers and incorporate many ideas into future releases. We are now being rewarded for software excellence which is fantastic, and seeing an increase in word-of-mouth referrals from existing customers and associates. We get a lot of enjoyment from delivering innovative software that people understand, and providing personal service to our customers.

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ASIA FUND OF THE YEAR - TARASCON ASIA ABSOLUTE FUND, TARASCON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT (HONG KONG) LIMITED LEADING FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR - JONATHAN IU, TARASCON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT (HONG KONG) LIMITED

JONATHAN IU JONATHAN.IU@TARASCONCAPITAL.COM TARASCON CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LEVEL 15 NEXXUS BUILDING 41 CONNAUGHT ROAD CENTRAL HONG KONG (852)37579423 WWW.TARASCONCAPITAL.COM

Tarascon Asia Absolute Fund was setup in 2007 by Jonathan Iu, formerly a top rated analyst and fund manager. The portfolio’s high conviction strategy has paid off with the fund up 23% in 2014 and the annualized return since inception has been 14%. The portfolio has benefited from its high concentration in a few highly researched securities. Although there at times there has been some volatility, investors have been rewarded handsomely with some spectacular gains, for instance in 2013 the fund posted a record 250% return. Iu owes much of his success to his 20 years’ experience in trading Asian stocks. He understands the nuances in the market and possesses lightening reactions to any opportunities that arise. This extensive experience has also helped him make money during bear markets. In the financial crisis of 2008, the fund returned 7% when the global markets were in meltdown. Much of this positive performance was due to fund going net short just as Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy. In fact stock market meltdowns are no stranger to Iu.

When we spoke to him he told ACQ, he has been trading stocks as early as when he was 17 and the day he bought his first shares was in October 1987 on the day of the stock market crash. He was also an internet analyst during the first internet boom in 1999 and witnessed the bubble bursting in 2000. Despite his trading approach Iu explained to us his core investment philosophy is primarily value based. He attended Columbia Business School and specialized in Value Investing at the renowned Heilbruun Center for Graham and Dodd Investing where Warren Buffett was also a student. He told us that the biggest gains in stocks are from earnings surprises i.e. companies that go from losses to profit and from small profits to large profits. If you can recognize this before the stock moves then the returns will be huge. One of these examples is one of Tarascon Asia Absolute Fund’s core holdings ,a Chinese lottery company that turned a profit in 2014. Iu told us this position returned over 3000% since his initial cost. However he told us that picking the right stock is only half of the story, you must have a large position and hold the stock long enough for it to pay off. This has certainly been true for the Fund in 2015 as well as it has returned 27% year to date. At this rate we look forward to naming Tarascon for another award in 2015.

INDIA IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR 2014/15, MR.MANOJ PALWE, TAURUS INFOTEK

Manoj Palwe. President Taurus Infotek. 16/1, Siddhar th Chambers, Behind Ranka Jewellers, Off Kar ve Road, Pune -411004. Maharashtra, India. Phone: 91-20-25438284, 25423220 / 9822033225 Website: www.dreamvisas.com Email: manomegh2002@yahoo.com, dreamvisas@yahoo.com, taurusinfo@yahoo.com Join me at: http://in.linkedin.com/in/manoj123456 My Skype Id : manojpalwe

The decision to move to a completely new country is a very BIG in one’s life. You could be planning to move overseas for reasons, like earning good money, have better lifestyle and have a secured future for your children, but it is a fact that it could have sweeping consequences, and impact your family’s and own life in a really significant way. Given the importance of decision to migrate, you would surely not want to leave anything in the hands of the uncertain fate, and would prefer to ensure that your immigration process is with the experts having a very good track record. To ensure that you visa and immigration process remains trouble-free, and you enhance chances of you gaining a visa for your preferred visa category, you would surely not mind using the services of the visa professionals, who have the relevant domain experience, and also the necessary expertise to guide and help you properly. Without a doubt, you would not like your immigration case to be mishandled by a rookie, who, in fact, may have no business to remain in the business of proffering immigration and visa consultancy services, but who could be in the business to, perhaps, just fleece gullible aspirants like you. What you would really appreciate is qualified and first-rate assistance and supervision from the ‘real’ permit and immigration veterans; professionals who really know what they are doing, and who specialize in the specific immigration hotspot(s). You would require and also be happy with the professional services proffered by trusted and respected immigration advisors. Perhaps, you know that when migrating, at stake is everything – not only your own hard earned money and precious time but in effect your life’s aspirations. You require the assistance and counsel proffered by ‘proven’ visa bureaus, such as Taurus Infotek. Our immigration experts have made personal visits to most of the immigration destinations that we cover even while they have done a painstaking study on them on immigration viewpoints. Here under is given just some of our strengths which clearly prove why you are advised to seek, gain from Taurus consultants: Brought into existence way back during 2000, TAURUS, nowadays, is renowned as a top pioneer in the domain of Immigration & Visa consultancy—all across the world. Manoj Palwe, President of TAURUS is one of the most respected and knowledgeable consultant in the immigration business. His reputation is unparalleled and all consider him a guide and a man of wisdom – be it industry stakeholders or clients. TAURUS offers excellent consultancy services for worldwide immigration choices for ambitious and forward-looking skilled experts, self-employed, businessmen, investors, and entrepreneurs. Taurus extends its ‘proven’ immigration services to the everyday immigration hotspots--such as the UK, Australia, and Canada Unlike most of the so-called visa and immigration consultancies, TAURUS is not just a "documentation specialist" visa bureau. It actually provides services of authorized representatives – say for Canada.

TAURUS has only-one-of-its-kind proficiency in managing visa-petitions for those submitting petitions, through the Quebec Skilled Stream for Canada immigration. TAURUS possesses the needed knowledge even while it provides superb services for the various immigration schemes to businessmen & investors. The same includes Immigrant Investor Program to Canada; Provincial & State Immigration Programs for Canada & Australia, Temporary Residence Visa for Lithuania, Hong Kong Capital Entrant Scheme Singapore Entrepreneur pass (Entrepass) A remarkable number of the TAURUS immigration consultants are systematically trained & well experienced and armed with several years of applicable experience. They will watchfully evaluate your personal & family profile, before they advise which international option would be the most perfect for you & your family-members. With country-specific documentation specialists, our clients get superior country & case-specific guidance. Each professional, working under the umbrella of Taurus, well knows what and how he has to advise and help the candidates even while he has a background of several years of precious and relevant experience in the handling of the immigration and visa cases involving his country of specialty. Our documentation professionals get ready and file individual submissions with a unique cover letter even as it throws light on the different laws under which the visa candidate may be accepted by, say, the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). TAURUS offers optional services of knowledgeable & trained international associates as per as the particular legislative requirements of the concerned country, and, in the process, does outstanding value addition to the client visa-submissions, follow-up-and wherever the need arises-appeals to the different concerned immigration bodies& authorities, like; for example, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIAC) for Australia. Last-but definitely not the least-the visa & consulting charges by TAURUS immigration are extremely rational and quite reasonably priced in comparison with others. In addition, our complete transparency in this regard denotes that you gain the best achievable deal with no hidden expenses. Are you still at the defining moment and wondering what to do, and how to proceed ahead? Relax, just mail your fully updated CV/resume to dreamvisas@yahoo.com and we will reply quickly with an absolutely free assessment of your qualifications, for the particular visa category under which you may have submitted your petition. it reflects our commitment for you - our client: We... ... LISTEN to your individual situation and needs ... LOOK into your possibilities and options ... give you a Choice of the different ways to go ... assist you to prepare and leap upcoming hurdles ... Always with you on your journey and will support you wherever we can ... simply for one reason: Because we care!

INDIA NEW LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, VERITAS LEGAL LEADING LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ABHIJIT JOSHI, VERITAS LEGAL

Abhijit Joshi Founding Par tner Veritas Legal Forbes Building, 3rd Floor Charanjit Rai Marg, For t, Mumbai – 400 001, India +91 22 4368 6701 +91 22 4368 6700 abhijit.joshi@veritaslegal.in www.veritaslegal.in

Abhijit Joshi, Founding Partner of Veritas Legal (ex-CEO of AZB & Partners) and a qualified Solicitor in India and England, is one of the India’s leading Corporate and M&A lawyers. Over a span of 20 years, he has been involved in noteworthy transactions involving both Indian and multinational companies. Veritas Legal has been in operation for nine months and has completed approximately 20 transactions in the field of M&A and private equity. These include transactions for Recipharm in the acquisition of Nitin Lifesciences which is the second largest deal in India in the injectable space and the Evonik acquisition of Monarch Catalyst. The firm is involved in significant litigations with approximately 100 filings in various judicial forums across the country. From having started with just two members, the firm has grown in strength to over 30 people with 22 lawyers. The firm’s vision for the future remains bright and with the growing economy, it hopes to consolidate their areas of expertise and improve service standards. The firm is representing various leading private equity firms

Some of the recent M&A transactions Veritas has advised on are: - Daimler AG with BMW & Audi (Indian leg) in the acquisition of the GPS and mapping division of Nokia -Pfizer Ltd in with its Business Transfer Agreement (BTA) for the transfer of its Thane plant as a going concern to Vidhi Research & Development -Huhtamaki Group in the merger of Webtech Labels Pvt. Ltd into Huhtamaki PPL Ltd -Tata Global Beverages Ltd & Mount Everest Mineral Water Ltd in the merger of MEMW with TGBL Abhijit has been ranked in the forthcoming Chambers Asia 2016 guide and is the recipient of accolades including leading lawyer of the year in India in the International Who’s Who Legal for 2013 & 2014 and as the M&A lawyer of the year in India for 2014 by Finance Monthly.

AUSTRALIA TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, VICCA CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

Level 16, 127 Creek Street, Brisbane Qld 4000, Australia GPO Box 3015, Brisbane Qld 4001, Australia Phone: +61 7 3221 9444 Facsimile: +61 7 3221 9944 www.viccaca.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vicca-Chartered-Accountants/208945532462066 https://twitter.com/NoesDailyTaxTip Noé Vicca Chartered Tax Adviser and Chartered Accountant noe@viccaca.com +61 412 642 017 https://au.linkedin.com/pub/noe-vicca/33/57b/149

Noé Vicca Chartered Tax Adviser and Chartered Accountant Vicca Chartered Accountants is a professional services solution based tax, accounting and business advisory practice servicing high net wealth individuals and medium to large family groups. Vicca Chartered Accountants has gained a reputation in the industry for providing innovative business services, advice and solutions to clients both in Australia and overseas. No two businesses are alike and historically established business structures reflect the mired of legal and commercial reasons that justified their existence at the time of their establishment. However Laws change as do shareholder and investor requirements. Hence why Vicca Chartered Accountants are conscious that all our approaches be adaptive to the changing landscape of the business and taxation world. With any business or corporate restructure we assess and balance the client’s needs, both for today and in the future, against the effectiveness of their current business structure and consideration for our domestic taxation laws. It is this commercially common sense approach to problem solving that sets us and our clients apart and strikes a balance that allows businesses to prosper and grow.

Tax Audit risk is an ever growing concern to all business proprietors, whether it be domestic or cross border transactions. Vicca Chartered Accountants are proactive in identifying and resolving contentious questions as to the application of taxation law and take appropriate steps to minimise client risks. Undertaking this pre-emptive approach allows the taxpayer client to properly understand and assess risk and in-turn make the correct decision for their business. With the advent of Globalisation, moving a business oﬀshore as part of an expansionary strategy is, for many, a necessity in order to operate in our global economy. Our years of experience in Asia, America and Europe, coupled with our professional relationships and our membership to the ‘Association of International Tax Consultants’ (AITC) allows Vicca Chartered Accountants to advise clients on matters of corporate structuring, Law and Taxation well before a client embarks overseas. Vicca Chartered Accountants are experienced business advisers and investigative accountants with a breadth of knowledge in taxation, corporate and business law that allows us to deliver cost eﬀective outcomes for our clients.

Vicca Chartered Accountants: Professional, Practical, Commercial. Experience the Diﬀerence TM

CHINA SHIPPING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - WANG JING & CO

Guangzhou Office 11/F., Block D, GT Land Plaza, 8 Zhu Jiang West Road, Zhujiang New Town, Guangzhou 510623, P. R. China Tel: +86 20 8393 0333 Fax:+86 20 3808 2990 Email: info@wjnco.com

WANG JING & CO. was founded in 1994 by managing partner Mr. Wang Jing, a shipping and insurance law practitioner since the 1980s and widely recognized as a leading expert in the field. Head quartered in Guangzhou, WANG JING & CO, has established offices in nine cities around China, where the 23 Partners, 110 lawyers, senior consultants, paralegals, translators, assistants and secretaries work together to provide Clients with the highest level of legal services. The Shipping group of WANG JING & CO, has represented national and international ship owners, operators, brokers, charterers, underwriters, P&I clubs, trading companies, shipping agents, port operators and logistics companies in over 750 shipping cases during 2014.

Shanghai Office Rm. 2807-12, 28/F., Bank of China Tower, 200 Yincheng Road Central, Pudong, Shanghai, P. R. China Tel: +86 21 5887 8000 Fax:+86 21 5882 2460 Email: shanghai@wjnco.com

Our team has accumulated abundant practical experience, in designing best solution and provides efficient assistance on construction lease and lease of port, ship, maritime engineering, collision, oil pollution, fire and explosion, salvage and wreck salvage. The group also enjoys an excellent reputation in completing negotiations, preparing documents and resolving disputes related to the finance of ship building and purchasing deals. In 2014, the Shipping cases represent the 50% of total firm case work with a value of Shipping claims, damages & Insurance over 4 billion USD.

europe

held back investment. Increases in tax and regulatory burdens, aggravated by favouritism toward entrenched interests, have undercut America’s historically dynamic entrepreneurial growth. Overall, policy in the United States is expected to remain accommodative. The fiscal stance should be broadly neutral, although unresolved discussions about legal caps on government borrowing and tax and entitlement reform are potential disruptions. As the economy closes in towards the employment and inflation objectives of the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate later in 2015, a very gradual monetary tightening cycle is expected to begin. Long-term interest rates, however, would remain low. Falling oil prices and a strengthening U.S. dollar have pushed headline inflation temporarily below zero in the first quarter of 2015. Core inflation is projected to stay below the Fed’s 2% target until the end of the year, but gradually increase towards it during 2016. The current account deficit is expected to widen modestly as the real dollar appreciation increasingly encourages imports and discourages exports. CENTRAL AMERICA [Over the last decade, following a long period of political turmoil and civil conflict, most Central American countries achieved moderate economic growth, although with wide variations among them. Average yearly growth between 2000 and 2011 ranged from 6.4% in Panama, which was the best performer, to 1.9% in El Salvador.] The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to begin to gradually raise policy interest rates in the near term. Given that it has been anticipated for some time and will take place against the backdrop of an ongoing U.S. recovery and highly accommodative monetary policy by other major central banks, the launch of a series of U.S. rate increases (“liftoff”) is likely to proceed smoothly. The risk remains, however, that the liftoff or subsequent rate increases could lead to abrupt changes in market expectations regarding monetary conditions that could, in turn, prompt a spike in U.S. long-term interest rates, volatility in global financial markets, and a sharp increase in borrowing cost for emerging markets—similar to the

way initial discussions of U.S. monetary policy normalisation triggered the “taper tantrum” of May-June 2013. If, in response to the liftoff, U.S. long-term bond yields were to jump 100 basis points (as they did during the taper tantrum), capital inflows to emerging markets could decline by 0.8–1.8 percentage points of GDP. The change in external conditions driven by the liftoff or subsequent rate increases could potentially combine with domestic factors to spark a sudden stop in capital inflows in some emerging markets, especially those where vulnerabilities have increased, where there has been uncertainty about policy direction, or where growth prospects have deteriorated significantly. In anticipation of such a risk, emerging markets should prioritise monetary, financial, and fiscal policies that reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen credibility, and structural reform agendas that improve growth prospects. The widely expected tightening of monetary conditions in the United States, along with monetary expansion by other major central banks, has contributed to broad-based appreciation in the U.S. dollar and is exerting downward pressure on capital flows to developing countries. Many developingcountry currencies have weakened against the U.S. dollar, particularly those of countries with weak growth prospects or elevated vulnerabilities. Past episodes of first rate increases in a U.S. monetary policy tightening cycle were often accompanied by a flattening U.S. yield curve, and currency depreciations and/ or monetary policy rate increases in emerging markets. The close correlation with emerging market borrowing costs suggests that lift-off in 2015 may increase global financing costs, especially for vulnerable countries. Sovereign bond yields have mostly remained low, but corporate bond yields have risen sharply and portfolio flows have remained subdued. Post-crisis bond inflows have raised corporate foreign currency debt, which is predominantly denominated in U.S. dollar. Some sovereigns that have recently accessed international capital markets are likely to see sharp debt payment spikes. Euro-denominated bond

issuances have picked-up since the start of quantitative easing in the Euro Area. As bank balance sheets heal, regions that are more dependent on bank flows than bond flows may benefit. Currency depreciations against the U.S. dollar have raised concerns about U.S. dollar exposures in sovereign and corporate balance sheets in some countries, especially those with rapid post-crisis credit growth. Since trade exposures tend to be diversified, depreciations have been considerably more modest, if not negligible, in trade-weighted terms for most developing countries and may not deliver significant competitiveness gains. With the gradual tightening in U.S. monetary policy likely to start later in 2015, capital flows are expected to ease and overall financial conditions for developing countries to tighten modestly. As the Fed readies for its first policy rate hike after almost a decade, financial conditions are on the cusp of becoming more challenging for emerging market countries. Most likely, the liftoff will proceed smoothly given that the U.S. recovery appears well entrenched and financial markets are being bolstered by highly accommodative monetary policies in other major advanced countries. If the liftoff takes place in line with market expectations, U.S. long-term yields will likely remain well contained, the term premium will remain narrow, and movements in capital flows to emerging countries will be modest. However, as evidenced during the taper tantrum episode, there is a risk that if market expectations adjust in a disorderly fashion, financial market volatility could spill over to emerging markets. Specifically, low U.S. term premium, diverging views between markets and Fed policy makers about the future path of interest rates, and changing conditions in market liquidity all heighten risks to U.S. financial markets. If the risks around the liftoff and subsequent tightening steps materialise, U.S. interest rates could increase sharply. This could in turn lead to greater financial market volatility and could significantly reduce capital flows to emerging market countries.

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN Facing lower prices for oil and other commodities, challenging domestic business climates and widespread droughts, growth in Latin America and the Caribbean slowed to 0.9% in 2014 from 2.7% in 2013, with divergence among sub-regions. South America, deeply affected by the oil price decline, was also impacted by domestic macroeconomic challenges among its largest economies. In contrast, developing Central and North America, along with the Caribbean, benefited from the strengthening United States, and saw an acceleration of activity. The ongoing recovery among advanced countries is expected to support external demand in the medium-term, lifting growth to an average of 1.7% in 2015â&#x20AC;&#x201C;17. Deeper and more protracted declines in commodity prices, or a slower-than-expected recovery of the Euro Area, represent major downside risks. Despite a strengthening recovery in the advanced economies, growth in the LAC region is expected weakens further to 0.4% in 2015. Low commodity prices, tepid investment growth in challenging business environments, and fiscal consolidation are the main negative factors. As economic activity in the United States, the Euro Area, and Japan picks up, commodity prices gradually strengthens, and investor sentiment improves on better policies, growth is expected to rebound to 2.0% in 2016, and to 2.8% in 2017 (Figure 2.28). However, there is a divergence among the sub-regions, with prospects for Central and North America and the Caribbean being relatively brighter than in South America. The balance of risks in LAC leans heavily towards the downside. The downside risks, which are both external and internal to the region, include insufficient macroeconomic adjustment among the largest economies, Financial Volatility, lower commodity prices, slower-than-expected recovery in the Euro Area and the hard landing in China.

UK LEADING FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (ART LAW) - JESSICA FRANSES, 36 BEDFORD ROW

Chambers of Richard Wilson QC and William Harbage QC, 36 Bedford Row Chambers, 36 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4JH. www.36bedfordrow.co.uk Chris Lane – Civil Practice Manager, chris@36bedfordrow.co.uk, 0207 421 8000 Jessica Franses – jfranses@36bedfordrow.co.uk

Jessica Franses is a commercial lawyer. She advises and assists art collectors, art dealers, agents, international lawyers and professional advisers (such as asset and wealth management advisers, family offices and investment advisers) with high value sales. Her work involves contract drafting (from sales contracts, buyers’ or sellers’ agent agreements to exhibition loan agreements), advising and negotiating transactions between private individuals, galleries or private treaty sales with the auction houses, advice on provenance, due diligence and litigation advice. Jessica in particular deals with private collections in the UK and internationally and assists several top art dealers and advisers. Jessica as a sector based lawyer has had wide exposure and experience with the main issues that concern Fine Art: from problems with provenance and due diligence, problems at auction, title issues, cultural heritage issues, restitution issues, national treasure laws, export and import licence issues, negligence, misrepresentation or negligent misstatement by experts, dealers and auctioneers, fraud and fakes, wills, trusts and tax issues. On the contemporary art side – she reviews artists-agents contracts, drafts and reviews artists’ commission agreements, assists artists and contemporary galleries with IP, copyright issues, Artists Resale Rights, publishing and licensing agreements for artwork prints or reproductions and showcasing artwork on websites.

Jessica brings to commercial transactions 14 years of litigation and negotiation experience and over 20 years experience of the Art Market. She comes from a long family line of top art dealers, has worked at gallery exhibitions and major Art fairs since her youth. She was CEO for two years at a small arts publishing company called Hali Publications Ltd and since 2013 Jessica has been running her own art consultancy business called Vitruvian Arts Consultancy Ltd. She works with a small specialist Art Law Team and brings in other relevant experts or professional advisors, such as tax law specialists, accountants, valuers, appraisers, art dealers, art historians, forensic scientists and shippers to ensure her clients receive specialist advice. Please see her Chambers website page for examples of legal work http://www.36bedfordrow.co.uk/people/62 . Jessica has won the following awards: Acquisition International M & A - Client Choice Award for Best Public Access Barrister & Award for Excellence in Art Law 2015; Global Law Experts Annual Award for Art Law - Service Provider of the Year in England – 2015; Lawyer Monthly’s Women in Law Awards in 2015 for Art Law and the Lawyer Monthly’s 2014 Award for Art Litigation Barrister of the Year. She is the recommended expert for Art Law in England by Global Law Experts and so is her Chambers. Jessica’s art law blog is www.jessicafranses.com. She is a member of the Professional Advisors to the International Art Market PAIAM and a member of Art Resolve, UK Arts Mediation Group.

UK LEADING IP BARRISTER OF THE YEAR, ARFAN KHAN, 4-5 GRAY'S INN SQUARE LEADING CHANCERY BARRISTER OF THE YEAR, ARFAN KHAN, 4-5 GRAY'S INN SQUARE

Fur ther information about Ar fan Khan and his work can be found on the following website www.ar fankhan.co.uk.

Khan’s traditional Chancery and Commercial work includes, property and trusts litigation, shareholder and director disputes, corporate and individual insolvency as well as multi million pound banking litigation. The Awards constitute the culmination of what has been an outstanding year of work for Khan. He successfully resisted an application for judgment in the sum of £2.5 million in the Chancery Division. He also obtained leave to appeal in two Court of Appeal cases. One involved an appeal from the Chancery Division, which raised difficult allegations of apparent bias. The other, an appeal from the Employment Appeal tribunal, which raised serious allegations of procedural irregularity. Khan has appeared in significant Chancery cases, including Day v Haine and Nortel v Unite the Union, which established the nature and scope of provable debts in a company liquidation and administration. He was also instructed in a complex alleged infringement action concerning a multi-million pound claim involving a very popular comic book super hero character. His other intellectual property work includes instructions on patents covering the use of polynucleotide arrays, the enabling technology in genetic analysis. In addition to an ongoing complex appeal involving breach of confidence claims, he has successfully appeared in numerous other cases in the Court of Appeal. In 2015 alone, Khan has appeared, as a leader, and sole Counsel, in well over a dozen cases of significance, many of which are landmark cases. In 2015, Acquisition International conducted an extensive survey for the Ones to Watch “around the globe” that are “providing peerless service and achieving stunning results, both for themselves and their clients”. Khan was named as “One to Watch in Intellectual Property, Chancery and Commercial law”. Khan is also listed in the Asian Whose Who International, an official UK directory, listing the “most prominent and brightest Asian talents” across a host of professions.

And rightly so, given that Khan as leading Counsel, successfully presented the argument in the Court of Appeal, that the State Immunity Act 1974 should be set aside and declared incompatible with EU law. Pending an appeal to the Supreme Court, that, is now the law. He is now instructed as leading Counsel, on appeal to the Supreme Court. Khan was instructed by the Government of Equatorial Guinea in a claim for professional negligence against a bank. He was Counsel in numerous multi-million pound banking cases, including the Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland litigation in the Court of Appeal concerning loans in excess of £30 million. He successfully defended a civil fraud claim, against a former executive of the Bank of Ireland, and employee of the Royal Bank of Scotland. Khan’s areas of expertise include: Chancery/Commercial Civil Fraud Company EU Law Human Rights Judicial Review Insolvency Intellectual Property Property Public International Law Tax / VAT Trusts Khan said of his win, “My focus is always to achieve the best outcomes for my clients and I am most delighted to have been shortlisted and subsequently announced as the winner of these prestigious awards.”

CZECH REPUBLIC INSOLVENCY ADMINISTRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - ADMINISTRACE INSOLVENCI CITY TOWER

Oldrich Rehacek, Ph.D. managing par tner E: masek@administraceinsolvenci.cz Administrace insolvencí CIT Y TOWER, v.o.s. CIT Y TOWER, Hvězdova 1716/2b, 140 00 Praha 4 T: +420 222 755 661 W: www.administraceinsolvenci.cz

In 2013, the CITY TOWER Insolvency Administration, a general partnership of insolvency practitioners (Czech name: Administrace insolvencí CITY TOWER), was spun off by CÍSAŘ, ČEŠKA, SMUTNÝ to continue the firm’s five years of successful insolvency practice. The core of the partnership is comprised of three licensed insolvency practitioners: Jaromír Císař, Oldřich Řeháček, and Petr Michal. With almost 2,700 insolvency cases tackled and resolved, our insolvency practice is the largest in the Czech Republic. Nevertheless, we are aware in our operations that size in itself is not a hallmark of quality. We therefore strive to help cultivate the way in which insolvency practitioners perform their role in the Czech Republic. Our partnership’s guiding principles include efforts to make insolvency proceedings as transparent as possible and to maximise the yield for creditors, combined with, equally importantly, a humane approach to debtors and their needs.

Our partnership’s range of operations and expertise includes all forms of insolvency management provided for in Czech insolvency law, including major reorganisations. Our practice is large enough to have highly specialised experts for every part of the insolvency process, and it is therefore capable of flexible and accurate responses to the needs of each individual insolvency case that it accepts. In terms of its organisation and operation, our practice represents a new model for performing the role of insolvency practitioner, a model that has not yet been viable in the Czech insolvency environment. Our entire staff have the utmost confidence that this model, i.e. the existence of large and highly professionalised entities, constitutes a shift towards the Western principles that underlie insolvency practitioners’ services, and that our model marks the beginning of a gradual and comprehensive cultivation of the Czech insolvency environment.

UK ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE FIRM OF THE YEAR - AECOM

Nicholas Howard M&A Practice Leader, UK www.aecom.com +44 (0) 161 237 6050 nick.howard@aecom.com

AECOM and URS have joined resources and now operate as a single company like no other. AECOM’s Transactions and Compliance team has over 25 years’ experience providing environmental, health and safety, sustainability, social, technical and operational due diligence support services worldwide, from small-to-mid market deals to multibillion Euro acquisitions. The team includes experts with chemical, oil & gas, manufacturing, food and drink and real estate industry experience. This in-depth knowledge provides clients with the reassurance that technical issues, as well as potential risks and liabilities, have been identified and assessed prior to deal closure. Following transactions, the team helps clients integrate newly acquired businesses into their existing operations and manage residual liabilities associated with divested or acquired businesses and assets. Since 2010 AECOM has provided due diligence advice on at least £30 billionworth of deals. Working for clients across the full range of industrial, commercial and financial sectors, we are recognised for our breadth and depth of technical knowledge, our pragmatic, business-focused approach and for our rapid turnaround of individual assets and global portfolios during the due diligence programme.

Building on our extensive experience of providing due diligence services through the UK, Western Europe, North America and China, AECOM provides strong due diligence support for clients investing in the growth economies of Eastern Europe, Turkey, South America, Africa and India. As an example, during a recent due diligence project in Africa, we identified that the target facility’s wastewater treatment plant was chronically unable to comply with the legal discharge limits, requiring a multi-million dollar investment in a new plant. Working for the potential purchaser, AECOM’s wastewater engineers critically reviewed the vendor’s proposed replacement treatment plant technology to assess whether this would achieve the desired results, be sufficient to cope with likely future production increases and be both CapEx/Opex cost effective. AECOM provided a follow-on technical due diligence report recommending substantial changes to the vendor-proposed solution, with the intention and benefit of not only advising on the likely realistic spend required, but avoiding significant spend on a potentially unsuitable solution. If you would like to discuss more, please contact Nicholas Howard who will be happy to help.

BIG ON DETAIL

BELGIUM B US I N E SS C R IM E L A W FI R M O F T H E Y E A R, A FS C H R I F T L A W F I R M I N T E R N ATIO N A L TA X L A W F I R M O F T H E Y E A R, A FS C H R I F T L A W FI RM LA W Y E R OF THE Y E A R, M R S. M U R I E L I G A L S O N, A FS C H R I F T L A W FI RM TAX LA W FI R M OF THE Y E A R, A FS C H R I F T L A W F I R M S W I T Z E R L A N D - TA X L A W F I R M O F T H E Y E A R, A FS C H R I F T L A W FI RM

Thierry Afschrift AFSCHRIFT LAW FIRM Avenue Louise, 208 B-1050 Brussels BELGIQUE T +32 (0)2 646 46 36 F +32 (0)2 644 38 00 E avocats@afschrift.com www.afschrift.com

AFSCHRIFT Law Firm is specialized in domestic and international tax law and law relating to white collar crime. AFSCHRIFT law firm was established in Brussels in 1994 and over the years, has expanded its presence and activity in Antwerp, Geneva, Luxembourg, Madrid and Tel Aviv. The firm advises all taxpayer, natural or legal persons, in order to organize at the best their personal, real property or professional patrimony. As a specialist, it helps its clients in performing transactions including by setting up international financial packages that minimize tax costs while remaining legally compliant. The firm gives preventive and rigorous advice in relation to the decisions and behavior clients plan to adopt, so as to avoid the application of fiscal and criminal laws.

Furthermore, AFSCHRIFT Law Firm defends all taxpayers in all disputes concerning all taxes matters. The firm undergoing criminal prosecution in tax and all other financial cases, notably to assure respect for their fundamental rights. AFSCHRIFT often appears as a “pioneer” in respect to the developed argumentation.The firm chose deliberately the “boutique” status as it dedicates its entire activity to the sphere of Tax Law and Financial Criminal Law. This situation allows the firm to gather real specialist lawyers. This grants also the firm a large independence.

With over 30 years experience in domestic and international tax law and white-collar crime law, Professor Thierry AFSCHRIFT leads the firm’s practice and advises a significant number of major companies and banks, in reorganizations, tax planning and tax litigation. He is the Founder and a board member of the tax Management School at the Solvay Business School of the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Thierry AFSCHRIFT is deputy judge at the Court of Appeal in Brussels. He is admitted to the Brussels Bar, the Geneva Bar, to the Bar of Luxembourg and to the Bar of Antwerp. He is the author of some 75 publications on tax issues and organizes numerous symposia on domestic and international tax matters. He has been awarded many times. He is notably listed in the world finance 100.

PORTUGAL PHARMACEUTICAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ALBUQUERQUE & ASSOCIADOS PHARMACEUTICAL ANTITRUST LAWYER OF THE YEAR - GONÇALO PINTO FERREIRA, ALBUQUERQUE & ASSOCIADOS

Gonçalo Pinto Ferreira Albuquerque & Associados Sociedade de Advogados RL Calçada Bento da Rocha Cabral, 1 1250-047 Lisboa – Por tugal Tel: + 351 21 343 1570 Fax: + 351 21 343 1568/9 www.albuquerque -associados.com

Albuquerque & Associados is one of the longest established Portuguese Law Firms in Portugal and it has a strong academic tradition and background. Albuquerque & Associados accumulates half century of continuous experience in legal practice, with a solid tradition of representing the interests in Portugal of U.S., French, Spanish and English corporations, as well clients and governmental authorities from most European countries and other continents. This experience constitutes one of the firm’s prime assets. Through its Pharmaceutical Law and Life Sciences Department, the firm acts as legal advisor to a number of Portuguese and international clients, including some of the main international pharmaceutical and medical devices manufacturers operating in Portugal. Albuquerque & Associados work in this sector has focused on production, distribution, marketing authorizations, clinical trials, public procurement, sponsorship, anti-bribery, generics, information, advertising, competition, cosmetics, medical devices and pharmaceutical property rights.

Albuquerque & Associados is also equipped to deal with legal innovations in pharmaceutical law, such as pharmacovigilance and pharmaceutical liability, and the developing field of Biotechnology. Several members of the firm participate in conferences in the field of pharmaceutical law and some are authors of publications in this field, notably in a close relationship with the Centre for Biomedical Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Coimbra. The Partner Gonçalo Pinto Ferreira is the head of Pharmaceutical Law and Life Sciences Department, being also heavily engaged in Compliance related matters – he regularly takes part of Compliance Committees in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices field. The Partner Gonçalo Pinto Ferreira is also heavil For further information please refer to the website www.albuquerqueassociados.com

UK M&A ADVISER OF THE YEAR - AVONDALE BUSINES S VALUATION ADVISER OF THE YEAR - AVONDALE LEAD ADVISORY OF THE YEAR - AVONDALE GAMEC HAN GE R OF THE YEAR - KEVIN UPHIL L , AVONDA L E

Avondale voted â&#x20AC;&#x153;UK M&A Adviser of the Yearâ&#x20AC;? for the second consecutive year by ACQ magazine readers For the first time ever, ACQ readers nominated the same company, Avondale, for the coveted â&#x20AC;&#x153;UK M&A Advisor of the Yearâ&#x20AC;? for the second year in a row. Nominations were received by 32,966 readers, another record breaking, all-time high of 27.7% of ACQ readers. Not only that but ACQ readers also voted Avondale for: s s s

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4IM (ARDMAN -ANAGING $IRECTOR OF !VONDALE STATES h7E ARE ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED WITH THESE AWARDS 4HIS IS THE second consecutive year that ACQ have bestowed us the accolade of â&#x20AC;&#x153;UK M&A Advisor of the Yearâ&#x20AC;? and winning THE OTHER AWARDS IS EVEN MORE GRATIFYING 4HE STANDARD of our business sales, mergers and acquisitions services have long been recognised in the industry with an OUTSTANDING SUCCESS RATE AND MANY AWARDS )T IS WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT BY WINNING h5+ 'AMECHANGER OF THE 9EARv OUR 3TRATEGY 3ERVICE IS SEEN IN THE SAME LIGHT %STABLISHED IN !VONDALE PROVIDE AWARD WINNING business sales, acquisitions and strategic growth solutions. 4HEY ARE THE )NSTITUTE OF $IRECTORS PREFERRED PROVIDER OF BUSINESS SALES MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS !VONDALE S strategy team helps ambitious organisations inject to create and execute transformational plans that accelerate growth and value and produce confidence, clarity and RESULTS 4HEIR CLASS LEADING BUSINESS SALES AND ACQUISITIONS practice is the perfect complement increasing market intelligence and strategic options. 0ROVIDING TRUSTED ADVICE IS A KEY PART OF !VONDALE S CULTURE AND ALSO CRUCIAL TO THEIR SUCCESS 4HEIR ADVISORS HAVE genuine business acumen and work closely with clients to ENSURE THEY ACHIEVE IF NOT EXCEED THEIR AMBITIONS 4HE MAJORITY OF !VONDALE S WORK COMES FROM RECOMMENDATION further recognition of their ability to succeed, technical abilities, strong service ethos and principles led approach. 4O FIND OUT MORE PLEASE CONTACT !VONDALE ON EMAIL AV AVONDALE CO UK OR VISIT OUR WEB SITE www.avondale-group.co.uk

UK NICHE TAX PLANNING ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (ENTERTAINMENT), BAMBRIDGE ACCOUNTANTS NICHE TAX PLANNING ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (US TAX), BAMBRIDGE ACCOUNTANTS

1 Mercer Street London WC2H 9QJ 020 3757 9290 www.bambridgeaccountants.co.uk info@bambridgeacountants.co.uk

Bambridge Accountants is a multiâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;award-winning London practice based in the heart of Covent Garden. We specialise in providing accountancy and tax advice to the creative industries and US tax.

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Our Clients Our clients include actors, dancers, directors, PRODUCERS MUSICIANS FILM AND 46 COMPANIES (AVING specialised within the creative industry for many years Alistair Bambridge and his team have gained CONSIDERABLE KNOWLEDGE AND ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE expert advice on special tax rules that apply including UK creative industry and Research and Development 2 $ TAX RELIEFS 4HIS ALLOWS US TO INSTILL COMFORT AND reassurance, which is greatly valued by the client.

I T A LY INVESTMENT BANK OF THE YEAR - BANCA IMI

BANCA IMI presence Milan - Headquar ters Largo Mattioli, 3 - 20121 Milan Italy Tel +39 02 72611 London Branch 90 Queen Street, London EC4N 1SA UK Tel +44 207 894 2600 New York (Banca IMI Securities Corp.) 1 William Street New York NY 10004 USA Tel +1 212 326 1100

s "ANCA )-) PART OF THE )NTESA 3ANPAOLO 'ROUP IS THE LEADING )NVESTMENT "ANK IN )TALY WITH A PLATFORM OF OVER BANKERS WORLDWIDE s "ANCA )-) OPERATES THROUGH ITS HEAD OFFICE IN -ILAN ITS ,ONDON BRANCH AND "ANCA )-) 3ECURITIES #ORPORATION A BROKER DEALER LOCATED 5 3 .EW 9ORK s "ANCA )-) INVESTMENT BANKING TEAM CAPITALIZING ON A WIDE RANGE OF SKILLS AND ON A PROVEN MARKET TRACK RECORD ACQUIRED OVER TIME OFFERS TAILOR MADE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS THROUGH ORIGINAL AND INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR s M&A Advisory O "ANCA )-) IS A MARKET LEADER IN )TALY WITH MORE THAN COMPLETED - ! TRANSACTIONS IN THE LAST YEARS OF WHICH CA RELATED TO INTERNATIONAL COUNTERPARTIES WITNESSING ITS STRONG INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE "ANCA )-) ALSO ENJOYS AN ABSOLUTE DOMESTIC LEADERSHIP IN SUPPORTING &INANCIAL 3PONSORS BOTH AS - ! ADVISOR AND AS ,"/ S ARRANGER O -OST RECENT TRANSACTIONS INCLUDES AMONG OTHERS THE SALE OF 0ITTAROSSO TO )NVESTIMENTI THE DISPOSAL OF THE TOWER COMPANY 'ALATA BY 7IND TO !BERTIS THE DISPOSAL OF 0IRELLI S STEEL CORD BUSINESS TO "EKAERT THE SALE OF A STAKE OF 6ERSACE TO 4HE "LACKSTONE 'ROUP THE ACQUISITION OF 348 /36 BY &INCANTIERI THE ACQUISITION OF "ANCA &ARMAFACTORING BY #ENTERBRIDGE 0ARTNERS FROM !PAX 0ARTNERS THE DISPOSAL BY &ONDAZIONE #ARIGE OF A STAKE IN "ANCA #ARIGE THE SALE OF THE ENTIRE SHARE CAPITAL OF 'IORGETTI TO 0ROGRESSIO 3'2 3 P ! s Debt Capital Markets O "ANCA )-) HAS ALWAYS BEEN AMONG THE MOST ACTIVE )TALIAN INSTITUTION IN $#- RANKING AMONG THE TOP

BOOKRUNNERS IN THE )TALIAN BOND MARKET BOOKRUNNER FOR )TALIAN CORPORATE ISSUERS OVER THE LAST YEARS AND IN AND BOOKRUNNER FOR )TALIAN (IGH 9IELD ISSUES IN WITH A CONSOLIDATED POSITION ALSO IN %UROPE LEVERAGING ON ITS UNIQUE REACH WITH )TALIAN %UROPEAN )NVESTORS O !MONG THE MOST RECENT TRANSACTIONS "ANCA )-) ACTED AS *OINT ,EAD -ANAGER AND "OOKRUNNER FOR 3NAM 0IRELLI &'! #APITAL $" AND %$& s Equity Capital Markets O "ANCA )-) IS THE UNDISPUTED LEADER IN THE )TALIAN )0/ MARKET WITH TRANSACTIONS COMPLETED AS 'LOBAL #OORDINATOR ON THE -ILAN 3TOCK %XCHANGE SINCE O "ANCA )-) HAS RUN MOST OF THE LARGEST )0/S OF )TALIAN ISSUERS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS INCLUDING 2AI 7AY /63 &INCANTIERI !NIMA #ERVED 'ROUP AND -ONCLER O $URING THE FIRST SEMESTER OF "ANCA )-) REALIZED OUT OF OF THE MAJOR )TALIAN )0/S )NWIT /63 -ASSIMO :ANETTI "EVERAGE 'ROUP AND !EROPORTI DI "OLOGNA O "ANCA )-) %#- OFFER ALSO INCLUDES RIGHTS ISSUES SECONDARY OFFERINGS EQUITY LINKED PRODUCTS TENDER OFFERS AND STRATEGIC DERIVATIVES s Structured Finance O "ANCA )-) IS ALSO A MARKET LEADER IN )TALY IN 0ROJECT &INANCING ,EVERAGED !CQUISITION &INANCE AND 2EAL %STATE PRODUCTS WITH OVER DEALS FROM TO AND BOASTS A SIGNIFICANT INTERNATIONAL TRACK RECORD WITH $EAL !WARDS WON BETWEEN AND O 2ECENT TRANSACTIONS INCLUDE .UMERICABLE ACQUISITION FINANCING OF 3&2 )&2 !WARD AND %XELTIUM REFINANCING #HENIERE FINANCING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A ,.' TERMINAL IN #ORPUS #HRISTI 4EXAS &REEPORT ,.' FINANCING AND 3ASOL #HEMICALS FINANCING 0&) !WARDS THE FINANCING SUPPORTING THE ACQUISITION BY & I OF A MAJORITY STAKE IN %DISON AND %$& %. 0&) !WARD

UK L ARGE CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (SELL-SIDE), BCMS GAME CHAN GE R OF THE YEAR (CORPORATE F INA NC E), DAVE R EB B ETTES, B C MS

www.bcmscorporate.com email: info@bcms.co.uk Tel: 01635 296 193

BCMS publishes a free magazine for business owners, packed with insight, analysis and market intelligence. To r e q u e s t y o u r c o p y, v i s i t w w w. b c m s c o r p o r a t e . c o m / b u s i n e s s - s a l e - n e w s - m a g a z i n e

Established in 1989, BCMS is a specialist Mergers & Acquisitions advisor to shareholders of private companies. The company represents clients looking to sell all or part of their business, and has a core focus on small to medium sized (SME) companies. BCMS operates in all commercial sectors, and has completed over 500 successful deals in the last decade alone. Indeed, according to data disclosed to Bureau van Dijk’s Zephyr database, BCMS is one of the world’s leading advisors to privately owned companies by deal volume, delivering a greater number of successful deal completions globally than the best-known corporate finance advisors.

Recent deal completions illustrate the importance of looking internationally for acquirers or investors. Across all territories BCMS estimates that 31% of its clients are now sold to an overseas-based acquirer or investor. The UK is seen as a ‘safe haven’ for investment, and as well as deals involving acquirers or investors from North America and Western Europe, BCMS is now increasingly negotiating with interested acquirers from territories as diverse as Thailand, Pakistan and Brazil. Forward-looking trends The most intensive sectors for company sales over the past year have been IT/software, manufacturing/engineering and wholesale and distribution – with these three sectors alone comprising 63% of all BCMS-led completions. That said, 2015 has been remarkable for the sheer variety of businesses sold. BCMS deal teams in the UK alone have completed transactions in sectors as diverse as forestry, pest control, water management and social care. Because of the range of clients it represents, and its constant market contact, BCMS has built strong relationships with the international business community. The advisor actively

BCMS has grown substantially since it was first established by the Rebbettes family – who are still active in the company today. Headquartered in Kingsclere, near Newbury, Berkshire, the company has pursued an international expansion strategy, particularly over the past five years. As a result BCMS has established offices in North America, South Africa, China, Australia and across Europe, and the company now directly employs 260+ staff. 2015 has seen new BCMS offices launch in Hong Kong, the Gulf and Spain, and further expansion is planned for 2016 and beyond.

encourages potential acquirers and investors to log their strategic requirements directly with BCMS.

The company’s innovative approach to business sales involves wide-ranging research: typically BCMS will identify up to 200 potential acquirers for each client, and create a genuinely competitive environment around each deal. The company also holds a fundamental belief that past financial performance is not an accurate indicator of a company’s true value – and places strong emphasis on selling future potential, analysing a range of commercial synergies between buyer and seller.

For the coming year, BCMS anticipates a continued increase in the range of deal types delivered for its clients, alongside burgeoning international interest. With low interest rates and strong balance sheet cash, acquisition remains the best route for growth for a wide range of organisations. Interestingly, M&A is not always based on sector: BCMS has noticed a sharp increase in the number of investing organisations targeting growing companies, regardless of their market activity.

State-of-the market Worldwide operations, research methodologies and deal-making capabilities deliver major competitive advantages for BCMS’ clients. For BCMS, deal volume is up 22% year-on-year. Deals with larger trade acquirers remain the most popular route for clients, but BCMS is currently delivering a wide range of complex deal types, including sales to private investors, investment with Private Equity organisations, and negotiating Management Buyout and Buy-In deals. The company’s message to business owners seeking a full sale, partial sale or investment is this: today’s market is strong, and the deal-making options are wider than at any time in history.

Selected recent BCMS UK deals s s s s s s s

'LOBAL )NSURANCE -ANAGEMENT ACQUIRED BY !8! 3TYLE 2ESEARCH AGREES GROWTH CAPITAL DEAL WITH ,YCEUM #APITAL &OX ,INTON ,TD ACQUIRED BY *IM 4HOMPSON 7AINWRIGHT !SSOCIATES ACQUIRED BY 9ES 0HARMA 3ERVICES 'MB( I3ITE 7EB 4ECHNOLOGIES ACQUIRED BY %RGO !RGOSY #OMPONENTS ACQUIRED BY )%7# )NC "IOLOGICAL 0REPARATIONS MERGES WITH #LEVELAND "IOTECH BACKED BY .6- Private Equity

AUSTRIA COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, BECKER LAW LEADING DIVORCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ANTON BECKER LAW CHINESE LAW LAWYER OF THE YEAR, ANTON BECKER, BECKER LAW

Sechskruegelgasse 12 1030 Vienna, Austria T +43 1 5337733 F +43 1 2533033 3936 M +43 650 3801218 E anton@becker-law.at W www.becker-law.at

From the formation of contracts to the enforcement of claims, from the foundation of a firm to its liquidation, from the takeover of a business to conflicts between its partners: no matter the problem, I provide the solution.

enjoyed the privilege of garnering invaluable professional experience at prestigious law firms and arbitration institutions in Singapore and Shanghai. One collateral benefit of this tutelage was the establishment of an extensive network.

I go beyond the call of duty. Providing legal advice is where it starts. However, it is not enough to achieve a satisfactory legal result. A keen eye has at all times to be kept on its practicality and cost. It is essential that one should not lose sight of the bigger picture, particularly when the wood gets lost in a forest of complex legal detail.

Living in Singapore and China broadened my horizons and honed my people skills. Exposure to Asian cultures, customs and legal systems enriched me immeasurably. These advantages are brought to bear in court and other legal processes and are indispensable for clients seeking to extend commercial operations in that geographical theatre. In 2009, I established my own law firm specialising in commercial law. Increasingly I found clients approaching me with questions relating also to their private lives. Commercial and private matters often intertwine, it seems. As a consequence, I successfully tackled divorce and alimony cases and developed my knowledge and skills in these areas of law, too.

I stand proudly among the few young Austrian corporate lawyers who are experienced in practically all areas of commercial law. Clients enjoy a complete palette of services that cover all conceivable needs. Moreover, thanks to my extensive work for some of the most renowned Austrian and international legal firms, I have become accustomed to working to the highest possible standards: nothing less is acceptable. This experience in a small practice translates into personalised, tailor-made and hands-on service that achieves results.

Now clients can additionally rely on my expertise in such matters. Clients have come to appreciate and, indeed, expect an all-round service that includes an admixture of fine negotiation skills, a diplomatic touch and dogged perseverance. They get what they expect.

I am the only practicing Austrian attorney with a degree in Chinese Law. After obtaining my Masters in Chinese Law at the National University of Singapore, I

SWITZERLAND CREDIT FUND SPE CIALISTS OF THE YEAR - BCM & PARTNERS SA

A MEMBER OF THE C-QUADRAT GROUP Rue du Général Dufour, 12 1204 Geneva Switzerland + 41 (0) 22 819 40 73 (DD) + 41 (0) 79 386 57 89 (Mob) http://www.bcmpar tners.eu/ch/ https://www.c-quadrat.com/

BCM & PARTNERS SA – part of the C-QUADRAT Group with AUM of approximately USD 7 Billion, fully regulated in the UK, Austria and Germany - provides marketing and distribution services in Switzerland. In this respect the relevant FINMA licence for representing and distributing the Group’s investment funds as well as providing Asset Management services in Switzerland is pending and should be gained imminently. BCM & Partners SA offers qualified investors two possible solutions to their financial needs: open ended investment funds managed out of the Group’s London and Vienna offices and tailor made portfolio management. The C-QUADRAT Group is one of Europe’s most skilled and renowned counterparts in Credit markets. Far from being a giant “detaining” an asset class, the Firm provides a nimble, skilled and attractive risk/reward approach to investors’ needs. To this extent constant investments are made in talented portfolio managers and in sophisticated risk management including legal, compliance and IT. Financial markets are interconnected and very reactive leaving no space to the non-professionals. Any of the Firm’s professionals have not only a solid background, but are also fully committed to achieving the proposed

financial targets whilst being within easy reach of investors. At BCM & Partners SA we believe any investment should be viewed as a medium term commitment rather than a short term lucky bite into a successful trend. BCM & Partners’ clients who entrust us with discretionary mandates should aim at capital conservation and at capital appreciation over the medium term; should this be required, client’s financial needs are thoroughly discussed and analysed before a mutually satisfactory portfolio is put in place. Most of C-QUADRAT’S investment funds are European regulated UCITS funds offering daily liquidity. The Firm’s resistance at using leverage, although allowed, has been fully appreciated by investors who have never had to face any gate or similar hindrances in their contractual terms. Providing full strategy and portfolio transparency, together with a sustainable track record, is something the Firm is proud of. The C-QUADRAT shareholders, its management and its whole staff are clearly proud BCM & Partners SA has been awarded “Switzerland – Credit Fund Specialists of the Year for a Consecutive Year – BCM & Partners SA”. Such a prestigious award is not only the crowning of a Group-wide team effort, but also the best recognition our clients may be awarded for setting their trust with BCM & Partners SA.

UK GAME CHANGER OF THE YEAR ( MOTOR FINANCE), BLACK HORSE FINANCE

Black Horse Limited. 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. www.blackhorse.co.uk

Being voted the UK GameChanger of the Year for our performance in 2014 has helped reinforce the focus we placed on supporting dealers last year. Through more than 90 years’ experience in motor finance – initially in motorcycle finance but now covering a wide range of vehicles – we understand the passion and excitement of the sector. That experience meant we recognised early that 2014’s change in financial regulator would not only alter behaviour, but was also a great opportunity for the whole sector. That’s why we were determined to help dealer’s get behind the changes. Supporting new regulation The Financial Conduct Authority’s initial focus was creating a new framework for setting up finance agreements, placing customers at the heart of every transaction. It proved to be a major paradigm shift with dealers now more responsible for setting up transparent, sustainable and affordable finance agreements, with any remunerations clearly highlighted. Individual finance providers brought in different ways of interpreting the new framework, and varied the levels of process change and information shared with dealers. Our response was a strategy called ‘Roadmap’, part of a wider commitment to provide dealers with the information and tools they need to make point of sale finance a sustainable tool to support sales. The Roadmap strategy We focused our Roadmap strategy to help dealers navigate their way through the new FCA framework, helping them absorb and adapt to changing practices and behaviours to ensure compliance with the revised regulations.

We provided regular updates through bulletins and dealer portal updates, and shared insight and guidance through training and regulatory seminars. Roadmap not only shared our FCA vision, but also helped reassure dealers that we were committed to them. The number of dealers recognising our ambition, and rewarding us with the UK GameChanger of the Year award, provides us with great reassurance as we look to develop our Roadmap strategy to meet future needs. Continuing to support dealers The FCA framework will no doubt change in the future and we will continue to provide the support dealers need to maintain their accreditation, while using our commitment to help them drive sales. We’re also bringing in new technologies to support dealers, such as how to convert website views to sales, and allowing online authentication and signing of finance agreements through our new Black Horse SignIt process. The reason we have been so keen to support dealers’ compliance with the FCA’s framework is because its focuses so strongly on the needs of the customer. That’s a behaviour which should be replicated on a day-to-day basis, whether selling a vehicle, replying to a query or complaint, or setting up a finance agreement. We believe the new finance agreement builds trust in the sector. That’s a vital component for any business, especially customer facing ones like ours. That trust can be used to build loyalty and advocacy, and the generation of sustainable sales in the long-term – a major boost for individual dealers and the sector as a whole.

NETHERLANDS INDEPENDENT M&A ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR - BL ACK TRACE B.V.

Jaap Smits Blacktrace Mergers & Acquisitions Hugo de Grootlaan 11 5223 LB ‘s-Her togenbosch www.blacktrace.nl

In only a couple of years, Blacktrace has gained reputation in the M&A field both in the Netherlands and globally, with more than half of all deals being cross-border. This is not a coincidence. From the very start, Blacktrace has aspired to focus its strengths at the global market and be the link between (financial) parties who could not have found each other otherwise. “Our activities in Asia have skyrocketed over the last few years”, says Jaap Smits, founder of Blacktrace. “By now, globalization is a well-known phenomenon but the financial crisis has increased the asymmetry between highly liquid Asian markets and reviving European markets in need of capital for either internal or external growth. Blacktrace plays an important role in mediating this flow.” Whereas last year, Blacktrace saw careful recovery, 2014 has shown many signs that the M&A market is moving again. Corporates regained the confidence to do acquisitions (Shell acquiring BG), divestments (Philips) and IPO’s (Refresco) and the Private Equity market has raised more capital than the years before.

“We expect this trend to continue through 2015 when we look at our own business. Blacktrace has expanded its track record with several high-profile deals in 2014 and 2015 already proves to be a fruitful year, with many projects in the pipeline”, says Jaap Smits. Blacktrace is delighted to receive this award for the third year in a row. It is the tangible recognition of our clients and partners and its further encourages our team to deliver the highest quality service. Winning this award three consecutive times, tells us that Blacktrace is becoming a stable factor in the M&A market. Blacktrace, an independent and specialized M&A advisory firm, offers guidance to medium-sized and large businesses when implementing merger and acquisition transactions, attracting shareholder capital and arranging funding with typical transaction values between € 10 and € 200 million.

You don’t thrive for 230 years by standing still. As one of the oldest, continuously operating financial institutions in the world, BNY Mellon has endured and prospered through every economic turn and market move since our founding over 230 years ago. Today, BNY Mellon remains strong and innovative, providing investment management and investment services that help our clients to invest, conduct business and transact with assurance in markets all over the world.

bnymellon.com ©2015 The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. All rights reserved. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand for The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation and may also be used as a generic term to reference the Corporation as a whole and/or its various subsidiaries generally, and may include The Bank of New York Mellon, One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286, a banking corporation organized and existing pursuant to the laws of the State of New York (member of FDIC) and operating in England through its branch at One Canada Square, London E14 5AL, England. Registered in England and Wales with numbers FC005522 and BR000818. The Bank of New York Mellon is supervised and regulated in the United States by the New York State Department of Financial Services and the United States Federal Reserve and authorized in the UK by the Prudential Regulation Authority. The Bank of New York Mellon London branch is subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority are available from us on request. Products and services may be provided under various brand names and in various countries by subsidiaries, affiliates, and joint ventures of BNY Mellon where authorized and regulated as required within each jurisdiction. Not all products and services are offered at all locations. Content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide authoritative financial, legal, regulatory or other professional advice. This advertisement, and the statements contained herein, are not an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any products (including financial products) or services or to participate in any particular strategy mentioned and should not be construed as such.

SWITZERLAND CROSS BORDER LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - BUDIN & PARTNERS

Budin & Par tners Urs Saal, Par tner 20, rue Sénebier 1211 Geneva 12 Switzerland Tél.: +4122 818 08 08 Fax: +4122 818 08 18 urs.saal@budin.ch http://www.budin.ch

Excellence through a Partnership of Expertise Since its founding in 1965 the Budin Firm has maintained the same values : efficiency, careful attention to the client’s needs and discretion. The Firm thus offers its clients, private and institutional, Swiss and international, a complete range of legal services. The Firm’s lawyers work in an integrated fashion, uniting their talent and expertise to offer a global and integrated service. Our Firm maintains the will and ability to deploy its efforts in the traditional fields of lawyer activity, such as court litigation. Due to a long practice history in numerous arbitral jurisdictions, the Firm enjoys an international reputation for excellence in arbitration, both institutional and ad hoc. Budin & Partners deploys its resources in all aspects of corporate and company law (formation, restructuring, acquisitions, mergers and split-offs) for both public and private companies. We counsel clients in Swiss and international tax laws, notably in the context of corporate groups wishing to create an establishment in Switzerland. We also assist individuals wishing to domicile themselves in Switzerland with the benefit of a cost-based taxation regime. Our Firm masters all fields of bankving and financial law, from acting as counsel for the establishment of banks and investment vehicles, to the registration of foreign funds in Switzerland.

Our Firm practices international maritime law (freight forwarding, charter parties, ship seizures, maritime insurance, bills of lading) as well as international road transport law. Clients include ship owners, P & I Clubs, Club correspondent counsel, and civil liability insurers. We also represent traders, insurers, brokers and insurance agents. Our complementary expertise in international sales, documentary credits, bank guarantees, standby letters of credit and commercial agency allow our Firm to offer a full range of integrated services in this area. Our Firm has developed expertise in sports law, which permits us to advise high level athletes in the context of the negotiation of all manner of contracts incident to their activities. We also assist an institutional clientele in the negotiation and drafting of sponsorship contracts and act as arbitrators in CAS proceedings. The Firm : Anchored in Geneva with a Spirit of Openess From its inception in 1965 our Firm has been implanted at Rue Sénebier in Geneva. Budin & Partners has since extended its presence to Lausanne, Sion and Zug in order to respond to constantly evolving client needs, while maintaining its historic Geneva anchor. In the course of its 50 year history the Firm has also reinforced its international reach, including through the development of a large network of correspondent firms.

IRELAND BU S INES S R ESTR UCTURI NG A DVI SO R Y F I R M O F T H E YE A R - AV E R I A N G LO B A L

Averian Global â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Alan Carey, Chief Executive Limerick Office: Bridgewater House 89 Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell Street Limerick, Ireland T: +353 61 512122 Offices in Dublin, London, New York and Dubai

Averian Global was established in 2008 to meet the needs of clients undergoing organisational or strategic change. The firm has grown organically and through acquisition (most recently Bridgewater Management in Ireland) to become one of the leading consulting firms in Europe and the Middle East offering Strategic, Technical and Solution Consulting to clients of all sizes. Averian Global now helps meet the needs of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest companies experiencing strategic challenges and undergoing significant business transformation. Since formation, the company has built a client base of successful SMEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, multinational and blue chip clients. Averian has been instrumental in adding significant value to these organisations and has a track record of success across many sectors to include Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Financial Services, Insurance, Utilities and Telecommunications. Our team of experienced and dedicated strategy professionals are chosen for their broad range of skills and are expected to have practical hands on entrepreneurial experience allied with sound academic knowledge. Our consultants have experience in delivering business strategies, transformation and organizational change programmes. Through our innovative â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;CSIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; offering (C-Suite Initiatives) we focus on the achievement of business value along with very strong analytical and communication skills which enable us to manage change initiatives to solution delivery. To date we have created initiatives valued at over $1bln for our clients. On our Technical side, we have built specialist SWAT teams â&#x20AC;&#x201C; experts in Software Analysis and Testing to ensure clients position only the best and most appropriate solution to meet their needs.

At Averian, we understand the link between People, Process and Technology â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we build on this and develop practical workable solutions through strategic guidance, business analysis, design, planning and solution delivery. It is our passion for helping businesses grow that makes Averian the best there is. Areas of Expertise: Our service offerings are as follows â&#x20AC;&#x201C; s s s s s s s

3TRATEGY "USINESS -ODEL $EVELOPMENT #3) n # 3UITE )NITIATIVES 4ECHNICAL AND 3OLUTION $ESIGN AND 0ROGRAMME -ANAGEMENT 37!4 n 3OFTWARE !NALYSIS AND 4ESTING &INANCIAL !CCOUNTING 3ERVICES 0-/ 4EST 3ERVICES "USINESS 2ESTRUCTURING n /PERATIONAL /RGANISATIONAL 3TRATEGIC "USINESS 0LANNING AND &EASIBILITY 3TUDIES 4RAINING "USINESS -ENTORING

Averian has also recently acquired BusinessChallenger.com, an innovative cloud based solution to provide consistent and expert reviews of business documents in order to remove ambiguous or vague requirements within initiatives from the earliest possible stage. This solution is currently in use amongst several Enterprise Support agencies and bodies across Ireland and the UK.

M&A SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (BUSINES S INTELLIGENCE) - BUREAU VAN DIJK

TRANSFER PRICING SOLUTIONS PROVIDER OF THE YEAR - BUREAU VAN DIJK

UK NICHE CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (MINING), CAMDEN ASSOCIATES NICHE CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (BIOTECH), CAMDEN ASSOCIATES GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, JEAN-CLAUDE GONNEAU, CAMDEN ASSOCIATES

Jean-Claude Gonneau Managing Director Camden Associates 27 Hill street London W1J 5LP Cell Europe: +336 7498 4104 www.camdenassociates.co.uk jcg@camdenassociates.co.uk

CAMDEN ASSOCIATES has won the prestigious Game changer of the Year Niche Advisory firm of the year2015 Award as UK – NICHE CORPORATE FINANCE ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (MINING & BIOTECH). ACQ5.: Jean-Claude Gonneau, you are the founder and managing director of Camden Associates, how do you feel about receiving this prestigious award? Let me first start to say that we are delighted with these awards which are a tremendous recognition of Camden Associates, its teams and its business philosophy. It really is the way we approach business which is granted recognition. it further validates our mission statement to become a leading provider of impartial advice. This is particularly important and relevant to us as the last few years have been very challenging worldwide. A lot of capital decided to stay on the sideline forcing a great number of companies of all sizes to rethink their expansion plans and sometimes freeze the development of very promising projects. We recognize we cannot be all things to all people and therefore are extremely selective in the mandates we accept. ACQ5.: Would you care to tell us a few words about Camden Associates? Set up in 2006 Camden was not born out a bright idea but out of recognition that the market is very heavily biased towards bigger companies. A lot of transactions simply do not happen either because of lack of timely advice, unrealistic expectations on both sides and most of the time a cocktail of the two. We know that providing advice is not just about producing a business plan as anybody can produce a pretty reasonable business plan coming out of management school, it is about providing an assessment on the viability of the transaction, guiding management through what are complex processes and the sometimes hidden issues that need addressing. It is about permitting management to keep on managing their business while doing this essential transaction which will transform their firm. We want to focus on what is behind the routine due diligence exercise. Let me take a very simple example: when a team member comes to ask you for a raise or promotion does he really just mean what he asked you for or did he or she really asked you a different question? Maybe they just wanted to send a message that they are underused or overworked, or possibility that you do not realise their real potential. Granting an increase then might (or more often than not does not) solve the problem for a while or simply delay the inevitable. What we are trying to do is applying these very principles to accepting mandates or not. ACQ5.: So what is so special about your firm’s advisory activity? If I had to choose an expression I would say “considerate and involved” advisory. Let me explain. When a client contacts us he has an idea about what he wants to achieve or sometimes what

he dreams of achieving. Considerate advisory is about assessing the possibility for the client to achieve what he wants. Most of the time, the problem needs to be reformulated, refocused and sometimes even drastically modified. We believe that it is our first duty to our clients to “speak the truth” so to say. For example a lot of firms are reeling from the collapse in the price of most commodities. We have chosen to keep on working and helping some firms which we believe could capitalize on their experience and on the work already done at a time when their finances are constrained. Involved means that we went so far as to signing an agreement with a geology company and set up a mechanism to keep on working on the modelling of the deposit they have a licence for by creating a fairly novel system to help them carry on. In biotech, we try and go beyond the potentially disruptive technology which is a perquisite to us accepting the mandate. A start-up needs to become a real company if it is to fulfil its potential. A team of enthusiastic entrepreneurs might not make the grade if the interests of the founders are not aligned or if they neglect some key aspects of the equation like not understanding the way financial markets work. Frequently people come to see us because they read that a company which they deem “similar to them” raised a few 100 millions. But working on a similar technology do not make two firms similar. None of the things we do is rocket science it is about knowledge and commitment. Knowledge of the market cycles, knowledge of the finance industry and knowledge of investor psyche. We do get involved in the business plan and business model of the companies we advise. Some recent mandates and transactions in mining involve an Australian company brown coal company, a Canadian potash data mining partnership, a Luxemburg based data mining partnership or a Canadian frac sand company. In bio and medtech we have been involved with US Nasdaq listed companies and French biotech companies as well as a US/Israeli medtech firm. In other fields we had a mandate for a Frankfurt listing for a Chinese firm and a Canadian entertainment firm. We take comfort in the diversity of these clients as it shows our approach is not local but global in nature. What we do is diverse, from helping bring small and medium sized companies to market and will impartially advise on the most suitable capital structure and route and guide management throughout the process. We are continuously active in raising new capital or secondary placings for small and medium sized companies and have a sales team that has established relationships with the institutional investment community in the UK, EMEA region and Asia. Many clients are seeking funding to expand and grow their businesses are too ‘early-stage’ to achieve a market quotation or listing. Our team are able to both structure and source venture capital & private equity from relevant firms who understand our clients’ businesses. Pre-IPO private equity is an option for clients whose businesses are 6-18 months away from an IPO or Introduction. We advise, structure and source suitable funding whilst taking into consideration dilution and valuation requirements.

CM_Adv_Acq2015_230x153.ai

28-05-15

11:31

Independent Dealmaking Capitalmind is one of the larger independent Corporate Finance firms in Europe, focussing on the mid-market. Since 1999 Capitalmind has been advising medium-sized, large and fast-growing companies on selling and buying business, MBO, growth capital and debt finance.

Capitalmind: â&#x2013;

Independent Corporate Finance Advisory since 1999, with a focus on mid-market deals up to EUR 200 million

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European team strong of more than 25 experienced professionals

Recent deals:

Sold a majority stake to Britisch PE firm

Funding by

4 offices across Europe: 5 , ) ! ,%- 3*) 5 $! !.$!,' ) - - !,.*#!) *- $ (-.!, (

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For more information about Capitalmind, clients and transactions, please visit www.capitalmind.com. or contact Bart Jonkman (The Netherlands and Belgium) and Michel Degryck (France).

The Netherlands Europalaan 6 - 5232 BC â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-Hertogenbosch T +31 73 623 87 74

France

www.capitalmind.com

62 rue La BoĂŠtie - 75008 Paris T +33 1 48 24 63 00

UK OPERATIONAL TRANSFORMATION ADVISORY OF THE YEAR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CAPPCOPARTNERS

Mark Cappell Managing Par tner www.cappcopar tners.com CappcoPar tners Woodruff South Munstead Lane Godalming GU84AG 07733054367

A convincing argument for sales and marketing assessment for revenue growth The business function providing the most significant insight into a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential for growth is sales and marketing. Yet when it comes to improving revenue, investors and managers alike often ignore this key revenue generator in favour of restructuring and quick win cost cutting strategies. The reason? It is commonly believed that sales and marketing is a difficult area to assess. However there are experts out there with the practical knowledge and experience to be able to quickly identify the key changes that need to be made to increase marketing effectiveness and productivity, that are fundamentally linked to business growth. One of them is Mark Cappell, a seasoned sales executive, who after being involved in a series of turnarounds, realised that investors and senior managers alike would benefit from education, practical advice and support in investigating and implementing alternative revenue growth strategies. As a result he set up CappcoPartners to help companies improve sales and marketing performance, as well as executing corporate turnarounds where revenue growth and creation is essential. CappcoPartners uses tried and tested methodologies to give investors and senior management a clear view of a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current marketing strategy, strengths and weaknesses, together with a clear plan for revenue growth.

s ,EAD GENERATION s 3ALES EXECUTION s #LIENT MANAGEMENT With particular focus given to an analysis of the accuracy of the sales pipeline. According to Mark Cappell, to achieve revenue growth, sales processes must be comprised of: s !CTIVITIES THAT CAN BE REPEATED AND MEASURED s !CTIVITIES WITH DELIVERABLES THAT FEED OTHER ACTIVITIES s $ELIVERABLES THAT CAN BE ASSESSED AND MEASURED Once target areas have been identified in CappcoPartners initial assessment, it will work with a company to: s )MPROVE KEY ASPECTS OF ITS MARKETING PLAN s $EVELOP LONG TERM CAMPAIGNS s )MPLEMENT DEMAND CREATION CAMPAIGNS THAT DRIVE HIGH quality leads. s )DENTIFY CRITERIA FOR EACH STAGE OF THE SALES PIPELINE s !LIGN STRUCTURED DEAL REVIEWS AND ACCOUNT PLANNING PROCESSES And provide active help where needed during implementation.

Its operational transformation services focus on:

Once consistent and measurable sales and marketing processes are implemented a company will be able to create accurate forecasts, close deals more quickly and benefit from less discounting.

s 3ALES STRATEGY s "RAND AWARENESS

Clearly, investors and senior management have seen the value of this new approach to operational transformation as since its launch in 2009, CappcoPartners has generated ÂŁ75m in additional revenue for its clients.

UK CAPITAL RAISING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, CAPSTAN CAPITAL PARTNERS LLP

Marco Severi mseveri@capstan-capital.com Direct: +44 20 3405 3290 57 Grosvenor Street London W1K 3JA

Capstan Capital Partners is an independent, privately-owned financial services firm, based in London. The two principal activities of our firm comprise bespoke corporate finance services and arranging capital for special situations from our investor clients. We are very pleased to receive this Award as a nice recognition of our efforts and successes over recent months. Our capital raising services continue to be focused on middle market companies in Western Europe. Small to medium sized corporates in Europe often struggle to find access to institutional capital beyond their domestic or local relationships. Capstanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international team has connected our corporate clients with capital providers in foreign jurisdictions, from North America to the Far East. Bringing together European corporates and sophisticated international investors, such as private debt investors, family offices and private equity funds is where we see our strength.

At Capstan, we have extensive and senior experience in managing capital raising assignments gained from large- and mid-cap transactions at leading investment banks. The major differences between arranging conventional debt funding from banks and procuring capital from alternative sources in the private debt market are in the financial and legal structures. Our private debt transactions are bespoke structures to suit the very specific requirements of both, lenders and corporate borrowers. The key to our successful closings was to devise capital structures that fit in well with the business plan and financial model of the borrower while satisfying the required risk return-profile of the financier. Corporate clients appreciate that we not only procure alternative sources for their capital needs but can also advise on the optimal capital structure of a transaction and help avoiding pitfalls in the documentation. Our comprehensive service in connection with our proven ability to find capital even in more difficult areas, such as project finance and higher risk loans, put us in a good position to continue our success in the coming months.

LU X E M B O U R G EUROPEAN LONG-TERM GROWTH FUND OF THE YEAR - LUXEMBOURG LIFE FUND FCP SIF, CARLISLE MANAGEMENT COMPANY SCA GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FUND MANAGEMENT) - JOSE C GARCIA, CARLISLE MANAGEMENT COMPANY SCA

Carlisle Management Company, SCA 9 Rue Sainte Zithe, 1st Floor Luxembourg , L-2763 PHONE: +352 268 453 59 FAX: +352 268 453 76 www.cmclux.com

Carlisle Management Company SCA specializes in open-ended investment funds and related private equity fund transactions within the alternative asset sector, particularly life settlements. Carlisle considers itself to be a holistic investment and fund manager, assuming a wide range of tasks over the entire life cycle of each investment. Carlisle Management is based in Luxembourg, where it established its headquarters and fund domicile due to the small country’s reputation as home to one of the world’s most stringent and well regulated financial systems in the alternative asset industry. Bringing together a team of senior executives that represent over four decades of experience within their focused sectors, Carlisle has experienced exponential growth since its inception, quickly garnering a reputation as a market leader and a pioneer for investment solutions within the life settlements space. Over the years, Carlisle has diligently strived to provide a wide variety of clients, with access to insurance-linked investment products by offering intelligent alternative fund management solutions designed to work with a wide array of institutions, corporations, pension funds and highnet-worth individuals.

Utilizing mark to market valuation systems and independent service providers paired with tax compliant, regulated investment structures, Carlisle offers fully transparent investment products to its knowledgeable and discerning investor base. The company’s long standing relationships within the various aspects of the life settlements market have allowed Carlisle Management to excel among its peers in product acquisition and portfolio management.

While many financial institutions try to provide disparate services, Carlisle believes that having a tireless focus is the right strategy. The company has developed, initiated, distributed and managed a number of investments. The primary focus for Carlisle Management Company SCA is its expertise within the life settlements industry, creating, distributing and managing yield-oriented and tax optimized investments for institutional investors, financial intermediaries and high net worth individuals specifically inside of this asset class. Carlisle designs investment products for investors seeking stronger organizational infrastructure, greater regulatory oversight, institutional counterparties and higher diversification through minimal correlation to traditional financial markets.

Carlisle has grown rapidly to represent a widely diversified investor base, ranging from multi-billion dollar institutions to the most respected private banks and investment management firms in the investment community today. Being very active within the industry, Carlisle is continuously promoting consumer education on life settlements to seniors and insurance advisors within the Unites States. Ensuring that this demographic understands how a life settlement transaction can benefit their financial planning and retirement goals is not only a benefit to the individual but also helps ensure that the investment community has a solid base of supply to source from. Along with the focus on education, Carlisle seeks to continue the development of new products within the industry,

After years of assisting institutional clients in the development, structuring and management of captive investment vehicles, Carlisle became aware of a lack of products which could offer long term growth focused investments within the life settlements space to investors who did not have enough capital to efficiently build their own captive structure, yet were very interested in this minimally correlated asset class. From this one of their flagship investment vehicles, the Luxembourg Life Fund: Long Term Growth Fund FCP SIF was born, lending its open ended structure to investors wishing to participate in a larger pool of life settlements while maintaining a higher liquidity profile.

Carlisle Management Company, SCA 9 Rue Sainte Zithe, 1st Floor Luxembourg , L-2763 PHONE: +352 268 453 59 FAX: +352 268 453 76 www.cmclux.com

both on the supply side and the investment product side, while also continuing to grow its network of service providers and acquisition sources. The Luxembourg Life Fund: Long Term Growth Fund FCP SIF, Carlisle’s flagship fund, is an investment vehicle centered on the acquisition, trading and management of a portfolio consisting of U.S. based life insurance policies. These policies generate investment returns based on trading and mortality events. Life settlements are known for minimal correlation to traditional financial markets (fixed income and equities) as well as changes in fiscal and monetary policy relative to global economies. “Truly sustainable long term growth is generated from acquiring the appropriate asset and applying management principles enforcing strengths such as consistency, investment philosophy, low volatility and tangible value,” CEO Jose Garcia explains. “The Luxembourg Life Fund serves as a vehicle that investors are comfortable with in the medium to long term, regardless of circumstances occurring in other areas of global finance and the macroeconomic environment.” As the founding partner of Carlisle Management Company, Jose C. Garcia has been integral in the creation and development of the Luxembourg Life Fund. His longstanding position in the industry and over fifiteen years of experience have allowed him to mold the Fund into a vehicle that carries a distinct competitive advantage. Prior to Carlisle, Mr. Garcia spent a decade in life settlements, building portfolios worth billions dollars in face value. He has extensive knowledge of both, the portfolio management as well as the asset acquisition aspects of the asset class. While, his intimate familiarity with the inner workings of the industry paired with his extensive presence and involvement within the trade organizations have solidified strong relationships throughout

the life settlement community, Garcia has never wavered from Carlisle’s goals and philosophy. It is this dedication and determination that has propelled Carlisle Management into the world stage as a pioneer of life settlements within fund management. The Luxembourg Life Fund consists of a diversified portfolio of hundreds of life settlements issued by insurance companies with an A average rating. By maintaining a portfolio containing numerous individual policies, the fund mitigates the risks associated with lack of diversification or concentration. The Fund employs detailed actuarial and financial analysis tools ensuring that assets meet a rigorous series of sensitivity and stress tests, including additional variables of actuarial profiles. The Luxembourg Life Fund FCP SIF: Long Term Growth Fund is a leading regulated open-end investment fund, driven by innovation and an investment philosophy which keeps it a step ahead of constantly evolving investment markets. The Life Settlement industry has grown at a phenomenal rate over the last decade, having attracted the attention from independent financial advisors to the top global institutional investors, with high profile institutional interest growing exponentially in just the past few years alone. The industry has seen an extraordinary amount of interest from amongst the largest financial institutions as they begin to see the benefits of integrating life settlements as an alternative asset class. As these large players in the market begin to utilize life settlements as an investment strategy, the market becomes even more sophisticated and well-established. It is projected that the life settlement industry will continue to grow at increasing rates in the future, and both Carlisle and the Luxembourg Life Fund are well positioned and poised to exploit this future trend.

UK OWNER MANAGED BUSINESS ADVISORY OF THE YEAR, CASTLE CORPORATE FINANCE

Michael Norrie FCA,CF Principal and Director mike.norrie@castlecf.com t 01732 400 123 m 07774 739 601

Stuar t Stepney FCCA,CF Principal and Director stuar t.stepney@castlecf.com t 01732 400 123 m 07500 999 541

Castle Corporate Finance is an award winning specialist corporate finance advisory business that delivers a bespoke, personal service to privately owned businesses considering significant structural change, such as a sale, acquisitions or raising funds. The senior team at Castle, led by Mike Norrie and Stuart Stepney, has a wealth of experience spanning decades across sectors, geographies and transaction types. They have held senior M&A positions with leading accountancy firms and have extensive technical, international and practical experience. Castle offers an entrepreneurial approach, individually tailored to the needs of each assignment. Castle have an honest, unambiguous attitude to business with an overriding objective to add value.

www.castlecf.com Twitter @CastleCF_

UK LEADING INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISORY OF THE YEAR, CAVENDISH CORPORATE FINANCE LLP CORPORATE FINANCE BOUTIQUE OF THE YEAR, CAVENDISH CORPORATE FINANCE LLP

Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP 40 Por tland Place London W1B 1NB T: 020 7908 6000 F: 020 7908 6006 www.cavendish.com

For over 25 years, Cavendish has only acted for business owners. Over the past 12 months we have advised on the sale of 25 businesses, helping proprietors achieve the best possible price for their companies, in what remains a tough economic environment, and finding new owners who can take those businesses forward and accelerate their growth and performance. Understanding the range of businesses and technologies to a micro level is the challenge we at Cavendish have set ourselves. Helping us achieve this objective are our specialist team led by experts with backgrounds in fields such as engineering and finance together with years spent in corporate finance. Our entrenched expertise in so many subsectors is matched by unrivalled contacts with leading UK and multinationals. In addition we can leverage centres of excellence within M&A International. M&A was created in 1985 to harness the entrepreneurial spirit of a group of highly specialised and focused merger and acquisition advisory firms across the globe. The professionals within M&A International Inc. possess extensive experience in completing transactions with global organisations in a wide range of industries. This achievement, on behalf of our clients, has afforded M&A International Inc. outstanding success in mergers and acquisitions, placing us in a leading position among advisory firms worldwide. It has been a great year for Cavendish, with a highlight being the sale of Scott Dunn, the award winning luxury travel brand to Inflexion Private Equity Partners

LLP. The Scott Dunn process launched in mid-September 2014 and completed in December 2014, which is exceptionally quick for a business of this size and complexity. Another outstanding achievement for Cavendish was the sale of Fandstan Electric Group Limited to Wabtec Corporation, a US based Global provider of value-added, technology-based products and services for the rail and transit industry, which was completed in just over a year, with the company selling for £131m. To achieve such success against such a difficult market backdrop, we have developed an unrivalled knowledge of potential buyer pools and established teams of sector specialists, who are recognised authorities in their areas offering business owners expert advice on the best preparation, strategy and likely buyers to ensure a successful sale. Utilising our international network of M&A advisors we have continued to source overseas buyers, who typically pay a premium for UK businesses – about half of the companies we sold last year were to international buyers. There are almost no other firms that operate in the corporate finance arena that have the sole purpose of selling businesses; most represent buyers as well and this invariably begs the question by astute owners of business, are our advisors completely aligned with us? For over 25 years, Cavendish’s answer has been unequivocally “yes”.

CZECH REPUBLIC BANK OF THE YEAR - CESKOSLOVENSK A OBCHODNI BANK A, A. S.

Ivan Meloun Ceskoslovenska obchodni banka, a.s. Acquisition and Leveraged Finance Radlicka 333/150 150 57 Praha 5 +420 224 114 393 imeloun@csob.cz http://www.csob.cz/

Back to Basics ACQ’s Czech Republic Bank of the Year 2015 award goes again as in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 to ČSOB for outstanding skills and leadership in its marketplace. Charlotte Abbott talks to Ivan Meloun, Director of ČSOB’s Acquisition and Leveraged Finance department (CSOB AF), about the banks back to basic approach to lending. The Bank ČSOB is part of Belgium’s KBC, a leading European bank assurance group, and is one of the biggest local banks in the Czech Republic, both in terms of balance sheet and number of corporate clients. Measured in the long term basis, most of the major corporate Czech firms use ČSOB as their house bank, or at the very least, one of them. CSOB AF is the transaction unit focused on origination of new deals from the new and existing customers generating financing of new transactions. CSOB AF is interested in all financing opportunities connected to its clients and prefers not to follow the cherry-picking strategy. Along with its corporate clientele, typical clients are private equity funds and wealthy individual investors. Ivan Meloun has been active in financial markets since 1996 working in, amongst other things, investment banking, asset management and company restructuring. “The role of the CSOB AF team is simple; we are part of the large structured finance division. There are other teams like us: Syndication, Project finance, Trade finance, Real estate finance, etc. All in all, there are some 40 commercial specialists in the ČSOB structured finance division. CSOB AF consists of 5 people, I guess we are the biggest team focusing on acquisition finance or leveraged buyout financing in the Czech Republic, it means that we in one team cover not only the LBO type of financing for the private equity sponsors but also the M&A financing dedicated for the corporate investors.” “All business decisions in CSOB AF are made locally within ČSOB; we originate the deals ourselves.”

“We serve as the centre of excellence and support for other KBC units in the Central Europe regions like Slovakia, Hungary where KBC Bank is present. We exchange the best practices with K&H Bank in Hungary and ČSOB Slovakia, and provide our collective clients with full coverage of the CEE region.” “We also act as a local service point for foreign banks. When there is a big buy out, over €100m for example, that is being driven by maybe a London-based bank, we are a strong point of contact for the foreign bankers who will approach us for our local knowledge and advice. We are not the only local bank in this region, obviously, so I am always very happy when we are approached for this kind of advice.”

Winning Formula “Our winning formula is to keep banking simple. We are conservative bank and still use the old efficient model that has been used for hundred of years. “Our model doesn’t have any sophisticated products; we just focus on providing loans to our clients, like we have always done. We also always hold our loans till maturity and have an extreme focus on relationship building with customers. During the acquisition we cover both type of sponsors (i.e. private equity and trade buyers), so the long term relationship between the target company and our bank will last regardless who becomes the new owner. ” We are very pleased that the number of western based private equity funds (that have never been in CEE before) eyes the CEE region (mainly Czech Republic) as the interesting enough to spend the capital here. Regarding the new deals that we have in the pipeline, yes, the big deals over €100m have returned to our market place, we are working currently on three EUR 100 mio deals in senior loan size and we will be happy to share this information once the deals are completed. “In the past years 2009-2012, we have seen the exit of many competing foreign banks in the Czech market place.” At the moment, local banks, including CSOB, are really active and fully capable of providing loans to local clients.

UK FINANCIAL ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, COOPER ASSOCIATES LTD

Samantha Cooper Managing Director COOPER ASSOCIATES LTD 40 St James Buildings, St James Street, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 1JR Tel: 01823 273880 Email: samantha.cooper@cooperassociatesltd.com To contact Cooper Associates, please visit www.cooperassociatesltd.com

Cooper Associates are an independent, award winning firm with the highest calibre of financial advisors offering personal advice at a place and time convenient for its clients. Cooper Associates are based in Taunton, Bristol and Exeter. Cooper Associates offer independent mortgage and insurance advice to both individuals and businesses. The firm acts within all areas of purchase and remortgage finance, equity release, investment finance and all associated protection products. Its sister firm, Cooper Associates Wealth Management, a Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management, advises within all other areas of finance, namely Pensions, Investments, Inheritance Tax and Long-Term Care Planning. For advice to be truly valuable, an understanding of a client’s financial position is imperative and Cooper Associates believes this is achieved through face-to-face advice. The firm prides itself on building long-lasting personal relationships and strives to ensure this is achieved. Integrity remains central to the firm’s core values with the company’s ethos stating every client is treated as their only client. The firm does not require a

minimum loan size, a minimum income or a minimum asset level. Cooper Associates are vigorous in their recruitment method. Having been selected from only a small proportion of financial advisors able to meet their strict selection criteria, the team are continually developed by the in house training team. This provides both the firm and clients the peace of mind that their advisor’s expertise is keeping pace with the complexities of a fast-changing financial world. Cooper Associates also offer an Academy for graduates or those with a successful career track record outside of finance. The Academy programme has been designed to provide the relevant training and development to enable individuals to begin their advisory career on a solid foundation. It entails an intensive programme of support in all the areas required to succeed including studying for, and completing, the necessary qualifications. Cooper Associates offer a dedicated advisor and administrator to all clients. All administrators either hold or are studying for the relevant advisory qualifications ensuring all enquiries can be answered at the first point of contact.

RUSSIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR, COPPERSTONE CAPITAL FAMI LY OFFICE SERVI CES F I RM OF TH E Y EAR, COPPER STONE CAPITAL FUND OF THE YEAR, COPPERSTONE ALPHA FUND

Company : Copperstone Capital Name: David Amar yan Email: info@copperstonecapital.com Web Address: www.copperstonecapital.com

RUSSIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR, COPPERSTONE CAPITAL FAMILY OFFICE S E RVI CE S F I RM OF TH E Y EAR, COPPER STONE CAPITAL FUND OF THE YEAR, COPPERSTONE ALPHA FUND

Copperstone Capital was founded by David Amaryan in 2010. David had spent 10 years in the industry prior to establishing Copperstone Capital, working for both the buy-side and the sell-side in Russia and across the Atlantic in New York. Copperstone Capital was first mostly involved in managing private accounts of its clients and in 2012 its flagship Copperstone Alpha Fund was launched. The Fund has established an impeccable reputation of highest integrity, trustworthiness and transparency with an attractive performance track record that has been recognized by a variety of awards. David Amaryan is still responsible for the investments management process of the Fund and is involved in the day to day operations, despite the fact that Copperstone Capital's list of services has expanded. Today Copperstone offers the following services to its clients: Investment management Personal Net-Worth Management Advisory Services The firm brings together a unique combination of international asset management expertise, highly professional team with extensive investment experience and first-hand knowledge of the Russian stock market and business environment. Here David Amaryan comments on Copperstone Capital achievements: "Despite the fact that our main focus is equity investments in Russia and the CIS, we are not restricted to a particular region or asset class in our investment activities. This allows us to be much more flexible, looking for value in various markets around the world. This advantage becomes critical during periods of distressed economic conditions and political turbulence, something we had to witness last year in Russia. Our focus on absolute investor returns rather than on a particular region allowed us to timely switch to Global markets and reshuffle our portfolio to have a minimal

exposure to Russia in this period of instability and volatile returns. We are proud of the Fund’s performance – since it’s inception in 2012, it has earned our clients over 70% net returns. We strive to provide the best possible riskadjusted return by exploiting our proprietary asset valuation models together with a proactive portfolio management approach. As we are not part of any large financial group, we are much better suited to make quick decisions, which is essential when you are dealing with the stock market. Despite the current situation in Russia, we believe the trough is behind us: the most recent economic data is coming out stronger than expected, Ruble has found equilibrium and we see positive developments in Russia's relationship with the West. The market is up + 35% YTD but is still heavily underinvested despite being part of the major EM indices. We have absolutely no doubt that investors will have increase their exposure to Russia in the near future and our local knowledge and expertise will prove to be invaluable once again. Before you think we are just another Fund trying to draw a picture perfect image we want to highlight that we understand Russia from within and able to recognize and use its "flaws" to our advantage. We do not ignore such disadvantages as excessive policy volatility and instability of the legal regime - we try to find ways to create returns around them. We have big plans for the nearest future. We are constantly seeing more and more international investors ready to share our investment philosophy and are excited to get better acquainted with our business approach. We have decided to open offices in London, Vienna and New York to be closer to our investors. Our London office will be operational by year-end. We are also planning to launch a fixed income, distressed Russian debt and real estate in the near future.

UK REGIONAL FRAUD & BUSINESS CRIME LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - CUNNINGHAMS SOLICITORS

St Andrew's House (2nd Floor) 62 Bridge Street, Manchester M3 3BW Tel: 0161-8331600 Fax: 0161 833 1060 Secure email address:- enquiries@cunninghamssolicitors.co.uk www.fraudsolicitor.co.uk

“Cunninghams is a leading criminal practice specialising in the defence of allegations of serious fraud and corporate crime. The practice operates a nationwide service from its head office in Manchester and its base in central London. All serious casework is partner led supported by a team of experienced criminal practitioners who have been involved in defending some of the country's most high profile allegations of fraud and business crime. The practice is a founding member of The Very High Cost Case Panel and Specialist Fraud Panel and continues to be one of an exclusive number of firms who are able to be publically funded to conduct the defence in the most serious and complicated cases. This work is complemented by a dedicated department dealing exclusivelyå with proceedings relating to confiscation, restraint of assets in proceedings brought under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and associated legislation.

The firm advises suspects from the very outset of a criminal enquiry providing pre charge advice and negotiation, advice during interview and the highest quality representation in court proceedings. It defends against allegations brought by, amongst others, The Complex Case Units of the Crown Prosecution Service, The Serious Fraud Office, HM Revenue and Customs and the Serious and Economic Crime Units of the police. It recently successfully defended the largest prosecution ever brought by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills in respect of fraudulent trading. The firm acts for businesses and individuals facing allegations of investment fraud, mortgage fraud, banking fraud and fraud investigated by HMRC including missing trader and VAT fraud. It has been involved since the inception of the Bribery Act 2010 in defending high profile allegations of bribery and corruption and has extensive experience in dealing with the most serious allegations of large scale money laundering”.

GERMANY TRANSPORT L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR, DABELSTEIN & PA S SEHL INSURANCE & REINSURANCE L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR, DABELSTEIN & PA S SEHL SHIPPING L AW FIR M OF THE YEAR, DABELSTEIN & PA S SEHL AVI ATION L AW FIRM OF TH E Y EAR, DAB ELS TEIN & PA S SEHL

Dabelstein & Passehl Dr. Jan Dreyer/Dr. Marco Remiorz/ Dr. Dieter Schwampe/Esther Mallach 0049 40 31 77 97 0 j.dreyer@da-pa.com/m.remiorz@da-pa.com/ d.schwampe@da-pa.com/e.mallach@da-pa.com www.da-pa.com

Who we are

Shipyard Law and Plant Construction

As a partner-led service provider of the maritime economy which has participated in the market for more than 80 years, we feel bound by Hanseatic principles and are therefore well-armed for the challenges of modern business life. We take these to include a genuine and absolute commitment to the interests of our clients – our aim is to be rigorous with the material issues and reliable in our advice always provide advice in a cost-conscious manner for the timely avoidance of conflict.

Shipping, shipbuilding and ship repairs are inseparably linked together. Extensive experience as in-house lawyers enables our shipbuilding specialists to give comprehensive advice not only regarding the legal aspects of a case. We support our clients in all respects relating to the conclusion and implementation of building, renovation and repair contracts. We also play an important role in advising on court procedure including foreign courts and arbitration.

Background Dabelstein & Passehl was founded in 1930 by Dr. Hans Dabelstein. Within a short time, the Hamburg lawyer gained a reputation as a respected expert in maritime law. With the arrival of Dr. Gerhard Passehl, master mariner, Hans Dabelstein gained a partner who was not only an outstanding shipping lawyer but also a specialist in marine insurance law. Originally Dabelstein & Passehl worked almost exclusively in the field of traditional coastal shipping (North and Baltic Seas). Since the 1970s, the firm has considerably expanded its field of activity. Today it is active world-wide.

We have for many years very successfully advised clients dealing in industrial plants and power station construction on the conclusion of international building, co-operation and consortium contracts. Our many years of experience is also put into good use here with regard to ship machinery construction. Land and Air Transport Law We advise on the structuring of transport contracts in accordance with the applicable conventions (CMR, CIM, Warsaw/ Montreal Convention) and run recourse actions for insurance companies or defend claims for the carriers. Insurance Law

In line with the expansion of the firm's areas of practice, the client base has increased significantly. As a result, the firm itself has continued to grow over the years, whilst maintaining the qualities and principles appreciated by its clients, namely its expertise and the individualised service it has always been in a position to provide. There are currently nine lawyers working for Dabelstein & Passehl in the Hamburg and Leer offices. What we do Dabelstein & Passehl is your service provider for every aspect of maritime commercial law. Traditionally active in the areas of shipping law, land and air transport law, logistics law and insurance law, now the advising of the supply industry and on M&A projects belongs to our core competences just as much as the law of renewable energies and company and insolvency law. In the area of maritime commercial law we are among the largest and most well-known law firms in Germany. We are often compared to a boutique. We now have more than 30 professionals on board and we are delighted to hear this. In a boutique the customer does not receive mass-produced items, but items made to measure. As your lawyers we will not only apply the appropriate law, but will provide you with integrated advice and pragmatic solutions. Shipping Law Collisions, salvage/assistance, general average, groundings and loss - at sea and on inland waterways - all form part of the work we do. This includes disputes under contracts of affreightment, cargo damage and personal injury, pilotage, maritime employment and public shipping law, port law and inland waterway law. We act for our clients not only in relation to court proceedings but we also give them comprehensive advice on contracts in the maritime field (e.g. contracts of affreight¬ment and crew employment contracts), including assistance in drawing up bill of lading terms and conditions. Ship Finance / Restructuring Those wishing to operate in shipping must either build or buy boats. This inevitably involves the resolution of questions of ship finance, an independent and complicated area of the law. Our advice in this regard extends from draft sale and purchase contracts to their financing and to the registration of ships and mortgages. We act for both banks as well as ship-owners in this area.

Ship hull insurance, P&I, loss of hire, goods transport insurance, cargo insurance, haulage insurance, CMR, personal liability insurance and re-insurance. Through our regular activity for insurance undertakings, we can offer extensive experience in this area whether we are dealing with detailed advice on the law for the supervision of insurance companies, the drafting of comprehensive insurance conditions or the formulation of entirely new insurance concepts. Yacht Insurance The area of yacht insurance is an independent specialist area, in particular the area of large and mega yachts with which we primarily deal. We advise yacht owners both on the choice of the right legal form for their owning company, as well as on the drafting of building, insurance and financing contracts. We assist yacht insurers in dealing with large scale damage and loss. Business Law We offer our clients advice in all areas of business law from company law to corporate succession, including all inheritance questions and enforcement of wills. Our Client Base Dabelstein & Passehl act domestically and abroad for a wide range of organisations from the shipping, shipbuilding and industry fields. The international experience of our two offices in the shipping centres of Hamburg and Leer has helped insurers, P&I Clubs, recovery agents, ship-owners, shipyards, brokers, “Assekuradeure“, plant construction business, shipbuilding suppliers, ship banks and financial services providers as well as shippers, freight forwarders, port authorities, transport companies, ship’s operators and the entire maritime service industry and its members. International set up Jan Dreyer is the immediate past chair of the maritime committee of the IBA, Marco Remiorz the vice chair of the ABA SIL transport law commission and the immediate past president of the young lawyers associations (AIJA) transport law commission. The firm has a strong network of international correspondents.

AUSTRIA NICHE - CONTRACT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - DAX & PARTNER

Mag. Johannes Wutzlhofer, LL.M. Austria Telephone Number: +43 (0)5/9004 -200 Email Address: wutzlhofer@daxundpar tner.at

Dax & Par tner Rechtsanwälte GmbH

Mag. Werner Dax Austria Telephone Number: +43 (0)5/9004 -400 Email Address: dax@daxundpar tner.at Mag. Markus Dax Austria Telephone Number: +43 (0)5/9004 -300 Email Address: m.dax@daxundpar tner.at

Dax & Partners was founded in 1994 and has evolved into a renowned business law firm with more than 60 employees, of which approximately 20 are trained lawyers. The firm possesses specialists in all areas of law, in particular, in the field of corporate and business law, providing services to clients in different languages. Due to its close and long-standing relationships with advisers from other fields of practice, Dax & Partners regularly coordinates its services with those of tax consultants, auditors and investment banks, if so requested by the client. The firm also offers its clients the coordination of advisory services in international legal transactions. In addition, Dax & Partners saw the need to develop relationships with technical advisers and specialists. In the energy, infrastructure and property development business especially, it is fundamental to also provide know-how on a technical level.

Zaunergasse 4-6, 1030 Wien Austria +43 (0)5/9004 200 +43 (0)5/9004 299 www.daxundpar tnerat

The firm delivers unconventional solutions. A main pillar of its work is its partnership and close ties with its clients. Dax & Partners explores the boundaries of all possible solutions and seeks to find the right solution when faced with difficult situations. Its lawyers can look back on many years’ experience and successes in all areas of business law. The firm’s philosophy guarantees the implementation of the best possible solution, not just of the first idea that comes to mind. Dax & Partners therefore regularly cooperates with its clients for long periods of time and not only in singular projects. The lawyers therefore know their clients very well and can therefore advise on a much higher level. Due to the fact that Dax & Partners provides clients with services from nearly all business areas, it doesn’t have a ‘typical client’. It usually advises clients in several matters over long periods of time, therefore developing a quality client relationship. With the firm’s ability to provide individual solutions, it was able to develop co-operations with several of its clients, which are beneficial not only to the firm, but also for the clients themselves. Since Dax & Partners knows its clients, it can provide legal advice on a much higher level for them.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L PRIVATE MARKET INVESTOR OF THE YEAR (REAL ASSET INFRASTRUCTURE) - DEUTSCHE FINANCE GROUP

Deutsche Finance Group Name: Symon Godl, Managing Par tner Email: s.godl@deutsche -finance.de Web address: www.deutsche -finance.de Address: Ridlerstrasse 33, D-80339 München, Germany Telephone: +49 89 6495 630

Founded in 2005, today Deutsche Finance Group manages 10 indirect investment vehicles for private individuals and institutional investors. With assets under management of roughly 400 mln USD of equity and a personal investment track record of more than 4 bln USD in more than 30 countries globally, Deutsche Finance is one of the most active European private market investors and most experienced teams in the international fund selection and co-investment arena. “Whenever we pitch for a prospective new client or mandate one of the first sentences we hear is: „Fund of funds are expensive, illiquid, not transparent, not focused and for that reason somewhat more risky than other ways to invest in alternative investments like private equity real estate and infrastructure. That´s always a great start of a discussion because it is the perfect invitation for us to talk about the great benefits of indirect investing and fund of funds and talk about the different experience we made now being active now in this market sector for more than one decade. Fund of funds investments can be cheaper, less risky and much more transparent than any other way of investing in private equity real estate and infrastructure and as a result the risk adjusted performance of these investments can be much higher. But even important is that fund of funds can add much more benefits for the investors.”

The potential benefits of funds of funds für real assets are always debated in the asset management industry. How can a fund of funds manager justify the additional fees on a second investment level? Can he argue that funds of funds deliver excess returns? We always argue that fund of funds investors may indeed benefit from attractive risk-adjusted returns: firstly, because diversification does reduce volatility; and secondly, because diversification may even increase returns. But additionally, funds of funds managers that want to justify their services going forward will have to add value beyond the premier fund selection and diversification. Discussions about the attractiveness of fund of funds often focus on the double layer of fees charged by fund of funds. But a comparison of management fees alone is not the whole story. Instead, a sound decision about which approach to use should rely on a close look at all the factors that contribute to overall value. And these factors are many you may not think about now. Fund of funds may have access to markets you are not familiar with or they can be more efficient by combining different strategies in a portfolio and so enhance performance significantly. Fund of funds usually have more negotiation power by talking to other LPs in their network and can reduce investment cost a lot. Fund of funds can structure investments in a way an direct or regulated investor in the market may not be able to do. These are only a few more arguments why talking about fund of funds may make sense. Talk to us. We are happy to share our experience with you!

GERMANY INSURANCE BROKER OF THE YEAR - DR. HORST IHL A S

Dr. Horst Ihlas DR. IHLAS GMBH Financial Lines Versicherungsmakler Burgmauer 68, 50667 Köln T: +49 (0) 221 99 383 111 E: ihlas@dr-ihlas.com H: www.dr-ihlas.com

It is great to be recognized again for a second time as the winner of this Award. Our clients belong to the Top Companies and Financial Institutions. We support their Inhouse Brokers, Risk Managers and Insurance Departments. Our unique selling point is 25 years of experience with the Financial Lines of publicly traded large global companies. The market for financial lines started slowly in the early 90’s. Today these Financial Lines are seen as an area for in- and external experts that attracts more attention by the corporate boards than other insurances. Talking about individual clients or mentioning their names is taboo. We are a well known external expert here in the German market and proud to be recommended by our clients. Our company offers a list with more than 100 references ranging from A to Z about awards, memberships, publications, speaker activities at conferences and from various kinds of journals and universities: http://www.dr-ihlas.com/referenzen.html. The ACQ 5 Global Award 2015 will now be on the top of this list followed by the ACQ 5 Global Award 2014. Financial Lines are Insurance Policies covering financial losses and costs. So they don´t cover personal or property damages nor consequential losses therefrom.

There is a broad variety of policies, including D&O, Crime, Pension Trust, E&O, M&A, IPO, SPO, KR&E, Manager-Legal-Expense-, Package- and Excess-Policies as well as individual policies and international programs. Each of these lines is comparatively small but all together they are key to protect the corporate and personal assets. We recommend what is needed and don´t follow market trends. For example as of today we would not recommend to buy cyber-policies as long as D&O- and Crime-Policies are available without a cyber-exclusion. These Financial Lines are more difficult to underwrite than property or casualty lines. In the end they protect managers and balance sheets. Interdisciplinary skills are required. The more sophisticated the underwriters get, the more separate policies are created. The economical hazard behind financial losses requires a named peril approach and is not open to an all risks policy. So the list of policies and extensions to them gets longer and longer each year. Only few market players can offer and know how to handle all Financial Lines. We used to work for global market leaders in many years, who are leaders in Germany too. We have excellent contacts to the senior underwriters and decisions-makers at the Insurers. Our underwriting experience and a former membership at the D&O task force of the German Insurance Association (GDV) are very useful. Tailor-made complex Financial Lines policies and programs are our core competence. We are enthusiastic practitioners and specialists.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L VDR PROVIDER OF THE YEAR, DROOMS

Drooms GmbH Eschersheimer Landstraße 6 60322 Frankfur t / Main Germany www.drooms.com

Drooms is a leading provider of secure cloud solutions in Europe. The specialist software provider facilitates highly secure access to confidential documents, as well as the ability to exchange them safely with third parties beyond company firewalls. Drooms allows for the transparent, efficient and secure management of confidential business processes such as commercial real estate sales, mergers and acquisitions, non-performing loan transactions and board communications. Dealmakers prefer to close transactions as quickly as possible, and a virtual data room that displays documents onscreen without loading times allows the involved parties (on the buyand sell-sides) to work faster. Within a transaction, there can often be several thousand documents that require the thorough review by many internal and external due diligence specialists. A delay of only a few seconds in the document display can cumulate overall users – which can easily be 30 to 40 people for a medium-sized M&A transaction – to a loss of several weeks. The seller then has to pay external parties, like lawyers and consultants, for this wasted time. Clearly, the cost of any delays caused can be enormous. Virtual data rooms also are used for sharing information with third parties. For example, investment banks can use a data room to prepare documents without having to worry about space or time limitations, allowing more potential investors to participate. The user rights

access system simplifies management administrator can determine who has the inspection of legal, financial, and help ensure the efficient execution of success.

of multiple potential buyers and their advisors – the access to what document and when – which facilitates tax documents. In short, using a virtual data room can due diligence, optimising a transaction’s chances of

Because virtual data rooms can operate independently from companies’ IT systems, data can be safely stored on an external server. The information stored on these servers are not accessible to bank employees – not even IT staff – due to the data being encrypted and sent via “end-to-end” connections (uninterrupted connections between the data room provider and the computers of invited users). The data is collected and then stored in a data safe, which is accessible only to authorized and invited users. Another point to consider is the need for transparency regarding the location of records. It is always important to review the data storage location before transferring personal data, as EU data protection laws now require personal data of European citizens to be stored and processed inside the EU exclusively. Drooms’ having its servers in Germany and Switzerland, information is stored according to the European standards. The best data rooms are the ones that simplify workflows while keeping data secure throughout an entire transaction.

UK INSURANCE L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR - EC3\LEGAL

David Coupe, Managing Par tner, EC3\Legal LLP VOffice +44 (0)203 553 4888 Direct +44 (0)783 150 0371 Email david.coupe@ec3legal.com

EC3\Legal was launched at the end of 2012 to fill the gap in legal and other services provided to SME intermediated businesses. Since then EC3\Legal have become the firm of choice for over 130 clients in the Lloyd’s of London, MGA, insurance and broker markets. Our client list includes brokers, insurers, Lloyd’s of London syndicates, American media companies, commercial property companies and accountants. Since our inception we have been instructed on more than 35 deals worth over £300m all around the UK.

David was a partner at Ince & Co. and Clyde & Co for 20 years. A founding member of the Managing General Agents’ Association (MGAA) he is also on various consultative bodies including ones at Lloyd’s, and speaks and writes frequently on the UK intermediated insurance issues.

Started in 2012 by Managing Partner David Coupe and now a healthy team of 16 and growing, EC3\Legal LLP is not a one dimensional, stereotypical law firm. Our clients see us as a true business partner and use us to provide much wider support than just legal advices. We are recognised and recommended as “the firm to go to” on intermediated market matters by our peers, banks, venture capital houses, corporate finance advisers and accountants supporting the sector. We have rapidly established a reputation as a straightforward, commercially-minded law firm with a desire to “get the deal done”.

EC3\Legal have identified that all insurance clients need the “Five Pillars of Support” in their business. These pillars represent the specific areas of support the clients tells us that they need namely, employment; regulation and compliance; property; commercial; and corporate. EC3\Legal has strategically recruited specialists in each of these areas to meet those demands. In summary, EC3\Legal are not only lawyers – we are business partners. By combining our commercial approach to legal provision with the use of technology, we have been able to deliver services more effectively and at a reduced cost compared to our competitors. We have invested time and effort in building a reputation for responsive, no-nonsense legal services for MGA and broker legal work. We don’t just think about plain legalities - we think about our client and their business objectives.

David Coupe has been practicing corporate commercial law for nearly 30 years, principally around the London and Lloyd’s insurance market, and in China even longer. Prior to establishing EC3\Legal,

EC3\Legal offer employment; financial services regulation and compliance; commercial property; tax; company commercial and corporate legal services.

UK PRIVATE PROSECUTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, EDMONDS MARSHALL MCMAHON BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, EDMONDS MARSHALL MCMAHON

Edmonds Marshall McMahon 5/6 Crane Cour t London EC4A 2EJ DD: 0203 780 2265 Tel: 020 7583 8392 Mob: 07961 184 469 Fax: 020 7681 2248 DX 478 London/Chancer y Lane www.emmlegal.com

Edmonds Marshall McMahon is the first and only specialist private prosecution law firm in the UK and is described by the UK Legal 500 (2013) & (2014) as a leading firm in “Fraud: white collar-crime”. As the first specialist private prosecution firm in the UK, Edmonds Marshall McMahon focuses on high-value, complex and international fraud prosecutions, with a bespoke service to protect companies’ commercial rights and assets through use of criminal law. Intellectual property prosecutions are handled together with politically sensitive matters, perverting the course of justice cases, judicial review, counterfeiting and blackmail. Founded in early 2012, Edmonds Marshall McMahon remains the only specialist private prosecution law firm in the country. The three founding partners are all extremely experienced prosecutors who have handled some of the largest criminal matters ever litigated in the UK. These include HMRC’s largest and most strategically important excise duty fraud (Andrew Marshall), the largest ever counterfeit medicines case prosecuted by the Department of Health (Tamlyn Edmonds) and one of the largest SFO bribery and corruption cases, brokering the first criminal global settlement which resulted in a $12.7m fine in the UK and a $14.1m fine in the US (Kate McMahon). The firm prides itself on offering innovative solutions to victims of crime, whether that be a tailor made private prosecution, submissions to the police or CPS on behalf of the victim, or providing strategic advice to other firms. It values flexibility, high quality

preparation and commercially astute solutions. The investigations that it supervises, undertaken by professional and reputable investigators, are focused, time-efficient and always result in well-prepared cases. The practice won the prestigious 2014 The Lawyer ‘Boutique Law Firm of the Year – City’ award. Edmonds Marshall McMahon prides itself on being a firm that says ‘yes’ more than it says ‘no’. It is a firm to which other lawyers can safely and confidently refer their clients. The firm ethos is to always push boundaries but never take unwarranted risks. Above all, it always strives to achieve the result that its clients want. It’s a common misconception that only the Crown or Statutory Prosecuting Authorities can use the criminal system to prosecute people or companies. Section 6(1) Prosecution Offences Act 1985 provides the right for individuals and companies to bring a private prosecution. Private prosecutions are almost always quicker, more focussed and more efficient than public prosecutions, especially in cases involving fraud. Edmonds Marshall McMahon’s experience, expertise, extensive knowledge and contacts throughout the criminal justice system, police and private agencies have earned them significant reputations in their fields, and means they can offer an all-encompassing service, from advice and investigation through to criminal proceedings and subsequent confiscation and enforcement.

UK SAFETY TRAINING CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR (MARINE & OFFSHORE), EMERGENCY FIRE & SAFETY LTD

kevin@emergencyire.co.uk admin@emergencyfire.co.uk info@emergencyfire.co.uk www.emergencyfire.co.uk Work â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 02893372745 Mob â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 07730929207

Emergency Fire & Safety (EFS) Ltd is a Limited Company, The managing Director is Kevin Howlette with over 22 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in the UK Fire & Rescue Services, Military and over 20 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience managing business in the Fire and Rescue sector. EFS Ltd specialises in Emergency Stand-by Services. Our clients are from the Power Generation, Off-shore (Oil Rigs), Petrochemical and Pharmaceutical and many more. We cover stand-by rescue for the following clients: Harland Wolff, Dolphin Drilling, Scottrenwable Energies, AES Power Generation, Northern Ireland Electricity, Arco (Ireland & UK) ESB, Brenntag Europe and many more in specialist rescue teams with full emergency rescue capability, Land, Sea, Air, Bike, Off-Road, Drone capability 24/7 and also provide consultancy and training to support this sector of the business. Capability

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CYPRUS COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC MID MARKET - FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC LEADING CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC CIVIL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC EUROPEAN UNION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC INSURANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC

Achilles Emilianides ae@ekllc.eu EMILIANIDES KATSAROS LLC 192 Ledras, 3rd Floor 1011 Nicosia Cyprus +357 22 67 67 52-53

A. & E. Emilianides, C. Katsaros & Associates LLC, is an established law firm dedicated to providing the highest quality of legal services. The Firm is built upon the extended legal experience of its partners and has its foundations in a legal heritage ranging for over a century. The Firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headquarters are located in a central point of the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital, Nicosia. The Firm has a wide client portfolio, from all branches of the private and public sector, as well as numerous international clients, both natural persons and legal entities. The Firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major international clients originate from Russia, the Middle East, China, the UK, Greece and other countries. The principle activities of the Firm focus inter alia on

civil litigation, commercial litigation, banking and finance, property law, family law, administrative law, public procurement, corporate law, insurance law, European Union law and other areas. The Firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s philosophy is to provide tailor made solutions to the needs of its clients with the utmost purpose of protecting and advancing their goals and benefits. The Firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly trained and experienced personnel is perfectly suited to deal with the diverse legal and corporate issues that emerge in modern transactions, offering a full spectrum of legal services both in the judicial and the extrajudicial field.

UK BOUTIQUE INVESTMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR, EXCEPTION CAPITAL LLP GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT), ADRIAN FAIRBOURN, EXCEPTION CAPITAL LLP

Adrian Fairbourn, Managing Par tner Exception Capital adrian@exceptioncapital.com .

Exception Capital is a unique investment boutique based in London and Los Angeles. Born out of a family office structure and anchored by an Italian family, the principal focus of the company is the management of The Family Fund, a differentiated, multi-award winning global multi-strategy fund. As our name suggests we look for exceptions in all we do and this, combined with our partners combined forty-year global financial work experience, drives our performance. Exception Capital seeks to uncover ‘below the radar’ investment opportunities, which our competitors misprice, misunderstand, overlook, disregard or simply cannot access. The Family Fund itself is a multi-award winning global multi-strategy fund that seeks to deliver superior non-correlated and risk-adjusted returns. A truly unique product the name derives from the fact that it mimics a classic family office portfolio in a fund structure. As such it meets its investment objectives by stock picking global equity and quasi-equity opportunities. Performance is enhanced by direct private equity positions and exposure to external niche alternative funds.

Since inception the fund has outperformed all benchmarks and indices with negative correlations and significantly reduced downside deviation. Rather than looking to large mainstream investments, our approach is to unearth opportunities ordinarily absent from a client’s overall wealth portfolio. We seek exceptions not rules to drive performance. We operate in an investment niche looking to manage a small percentage of total net worth through a diverse portfolio of higher performing, specialised opportunities. We aim to deliver consistent mid-teen returns with upside only volatility supported by a corporate culture underpinned by integrity and trust At Exception Capital we are creating an environment which breeds creativity, underpinned by a strong corporate culture of performance, transparency and integrity. We hold that breaking down the barriers of conventional thinking leads to innovative thought processes and in turn to improved investment decisions. Our fresh, innovative culture is the very reason we are named Exception Capital. We are an investment boutique with a difference at every level.

SWITZERLAND FUND OF THE YEAR, PHYSICAL DIAMOND FUND, FINANZ KONZEPT AG WEALTH MANAGER OF THE YEAR, FINANZ KONZEPT AG GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, LARS OBERLE, FINANZ KONZEPT AG

Finanz Konzept AG Schulhausstrasse 42 8002 Zurich Switzerland Tel.: +41 44 204 34 64 E-Mail: info@finanz-konzept.ch

Finanz Konzept AG was founded in the Principality of Liechtenstein in 2001. The location in Zurich, Switzerland was added in 2004. 2010 the headquarters were relocated to Zurich. Finanz Konzept AG is authorized as an asset manager in Switzerland and is controlled and regulated by the supervision of securities. Finanz Konzept AG has been a member of the Swiss Financial Analysts Association since 2006. Our small but efficient team performs its tasks with passion to offer you superior results based on mutual trust, discretion and common goals. Discretion and anonymity are additional benefits which you can enjoy due to our location. Moreover, purchase power stability (thanks to regularly low inflation rates, long term capital charges and healthy public finances) guarantees a healthy investment climate in Switzerland. Internationally recognized institutions regularly rank Switzerland in first place when it comes to long-term stability. These facts all speak in favour of our location. Entrepreneurial thinking is key to successfully advising companies and institutions. It is the only way to ensure a sustainably positive performance. By continually keeping abreast of developments in the finan-

cial world our experts have clear insight into which factors are influencing the markets of the future. Many entrepreneurs have to deal with complex asset and family structures. FINANZ KONZEPT AG provides an integral consultancy service which is equal to the task of dealing with the complexity of the task. We specialize in the personal support of entrepreneurs through phases of radical changes. Furthermore, we create shareholding plans for family members, managers or other employees and we develop a carefully considered inheritance plan. Clients who wish to purchase, collect, preserve, sell or insure art will benefit from our profound know-how. As neutral experts we form a discreet link between collectors and other participants in the art market such as galleries, art dealers and auction houses. Our clients profit this way from our many years of experience dealing in art and our international network of contacts established over many years. FINANZ KONZEPT AG's asset management is a form of investment which guarantees that your goals, wishes and commitments are realized forcefully. Do not entrust your money to an institution, rather to financial experts committed to your financial success.

UK EXECUTIVE SEARCH ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (PE), FIREFLY PARTNERS MANAGEMENT DUE DILIGENCE ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (PE), FIREFLY PARTNERS

Rona Posselt rona@fireflypar tners.co.uk +44 (0)1491 683740 +44 (0)7717 537018

With over 25 years combined experience dedicated to private equity, Firefly Partners work with mid-market investors providing board level executive search, management due diligence and origination support. We have a genuine understanding of the unique dynamics of the private equity environment, coupled with deep sector knowledge and extensive networks, providing much needed knowledge and solutions to give our clients that all-important angle. Our collaborative approach means we operate as a trusted advisor throughout the lifecycle of the deal process, adding real value to our clients in a highly competitive environment. Executive Search Firefly Partners know that the right management are instrumental to the success of your investment and can introduce you to high calibre candidates with the required operational, strategic and leadership skills to drive the business forward, enabling everyone to reap the rewards at exit. Our chairmen are hands-on operators with proven track records; sector expertise and strong networks enable them to assist the investment process, whilst softer skills and political dexterity mean they can mentor ambitious management and smooth the relationship between stakeholders. Our CEOs are natural leaders driven by the need to create value and build businesses, with the strategic, operational, commercial and leadership skills to keep driving for exit. Our CFOs combine impressive technical skills and the right mind-set to be true commercial partners to their CEOs.

Management Due Diligence Ranging from in-depth referencing of one person to spending time with the whole management team, our Management Due Diligence delivers thorough, insightful and timely appraisals of those you are seeking to back. Bringing to light strengths and weaknesses, skills gaps, personal agendas and the team dynamic, we also undertake discrete enquiries gauging market views and highlighting possible risks at an earlier stage. Experienced across the spectrum of investments - from owner-managed to corporate spin-outs, secondaries or MBIs - we are familiar with the often sensitive challenges involved in dealing with management teams going through huge change and cultural upheaval. We develop deep relationships with our clients, frequently working with them for many years, enabling us to develop a genuine understanding of our clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; investment approach, sector focus and house culture. This allows us to subtly market our clients to management teams, persuading them to engage with our clients, ensuring the right personal chemistry and cultural fit. We have a reputation for operating with discretion and integrity, providing a flexible, responsive and effective solution, delivering to tight deadlines.

UK NICHE ADVISORY OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE TAX SOLUTIONS) - FISCALREPS

Mike Stalley FCA Fiscal Reps Limited www.fiscalreps.com +44 (0) 20 7036 8070 mike.stalley@fiscalreps.com

FiscalReps is a resilient, financially secure independent business providing a niche IPT compliance service to over 300 clients for more than 11 years. The combination of business stability, unparalleled subject matter expertise and operational strength means that FiscalReps is perfectly placed to deliver a service which ensures that the professional integrity of your business is never risked, especially in the current global environment when the tax affairs of corporates are under unprecedented levels of scrutiny from tax authorities and the media. In 2014, from a single office location FiscalReps submitted over 17,000 IPT returns across the EU-EEA region, declaring in excess of EUR 217.1m on behalf of its clients. The unique selling points of FiscalReps are; s 5NLIKE ALL OTHER PROVIDERS &ISCAL2EPS OFFERS A guaranteed single point of contact for Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) compliance in all territories from a single office - A designated FiscalReps team based in the UK will deal with all your IPT matters, liaising directly with tax authorities as required s 4AX SPECIALISTS AND SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE OF captive insurers and global insurance programmes

s )04 RATE TABLES BASED ON &ISCAL2EPS TAX352% methodology, incorporating regular consultation with local tax authorities, regulatory authorities and trade bodies s ! RISK AVERSE APPROACH TO )04 COMPLIANCE focused on the correct application of the law and an open relationship with the tax authorities s

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s /NLINE SECURE AUDIT TRAIL OF TAX RETURNS AND reconciliations of client monies using myFiscalReps s 3UBSTANTIAL % / POLICY LIMITS TO COVER ALL liabilities - No claims have been made to date s !N INDEPENDENTLY OWNED MANAGER BUSINESS with consistently proven financial stability s &OCUS ON PARTNERSHIP AND LONG TERM RELATIONships, priding itself on high client retention rates s 0ROVEN 4RACK 2ECORD ESTABLISHED IN WITH A portfolio of over 300 clients s -ARKET RECOGNITION THROUGH INDUSTRY AWARDS FOR 4AX !DVISORY 0REMIUM 4AX #OMPLIANCE /UTSOURCING AND Technology services

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UK TRANSFER PRICING & TAX VALUATION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR - FTI CONSULTING

200 Aldersgate Aldersgate Street London EC1A 4HD Marvin Rust Head of European Tax Advisory Services Group London, UK +44 (0)20 3727 1450 marvin.rust@fticonsulting.com

Ruth Steedman Managing Director â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Transfer Pricing London, UK +44 (0)20 3727 1711 ruth.steedman@fticonsulting.com

FTI Consulting are delighted to have been named the UK Transfer Pricing & Tax Valuation Advisory Firm of the Year by ACQ Acquisitions. The European Tax Advisory Group at FTI Consulting provides corporate tax advisory and transfer pricing services to FTSE 100, major corporations and PE-backed businesses. We commit senior teams to work closely with our clients providing advice which is client centric and focused on mitigating tax risk and minimising cost. The largest independent tax practice of its type in the UK, we are free from audit and assurance relationships and any related conflict of interest. Our transfer pricing team has over 100 years of Big Four and HMRC transfer pricing experience and draws on the unparalleled experience of over 120 economists. Our economists price complex commercial and financial transactions, undertake valuations of intangibles and stand as expert witnesses in litigation cases on a daily basis. We are the UK office of the WTS Alliance Tax Network, a global tax network with offices in over 100 countries, meaning we are able to deliver large-scale multijurisdictional projects including global and local documentation, country by country reporting services and global restructuring advice. The WTS Alliance has also named us Best Tax Firm of the Year in both 2014 and 2015. We actively participated in the OECDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consultations on BEPS transfer pricing matters, including Cost Contribution Arrangements and Hard-to-Value Intangibles. The team is now fully engaged with advising on the post BEPS environment and providing practical solutions to ensure adherence to new OECD guidance and associated UK tax law changes.

Link to: http://www.fticonsulting-emea.com/en/ser vices/corporate -finance -restructuring/tax-advisor y

We help clients with a full range of transfer pricing services including: s !DVISING ON TRANSFER PRICING STRATEGY TO ALIGN TAX COMPLIANCE AND BUSINESS OBJECTIVES s $ESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING PRAGMATIC TRANSFER PRICING POLICIES AND PROVIDING EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION AND ONGOING MONITORING OF THOSE POLICIES s 5NDERTAKING "%03 IMPACT ANALYSIS AND ADVISING CLIENTS ON SOLUTIONS COMPLIANT WITH THE LATEST /%#$ RECOMMENDATIONS s 0REPARING MASTER FILE GLOBAL LOCAL DOCUMENTATION REVIEWING COUNTRY BY COUNTRY REPORTS AND PERFORMING RISK ANALYSIS s -ANAGING DISPUTES WITH TAX AUTHORITIES INCLUDING RESPONDING TO AND REACHING AGREEMENT ON TAX AUTHORITY ENQUIRIES s !DVISING ON THE TRANSFER PRICING ASPECTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RESTRUCTURING OF OPERATIONS AND OR ACQUISITION DEALS s 0REPARING !DVANCE 4HIN #APITALISATION !GREEMENTS h!#4!Sv AND !DVANCE 0RICING !GREEMENTS h!0!Sv AND undertaking negotiations with tax authorities to reach certainty with respect to the transfer pricing position AND TO ELIMINATE DOUBLE TAXATION s 0RICING COMPLEX INTRA GROUP FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS INCLUDING INTRA GROUP DEBT FINANCING FINANCIAL AND PERFORMANCE GUARANTEES RISK ALLOCATION AND CASH POOLING s 6ALUING INTANGIBLE ASSETS FOR LICENSING OR SALE PURPOSES s /PTIMISING THE TAX EFFICIENCY OF SUPPLY CHAINS s 5NDERTAKING $IVERTED 4AX 0ROFITS h$04v RISK REVIEWS FTI Consulting LLP

ENGLAND CORPORATE BRIBERY & CORRUPTION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - FULCRUM CHAMBERS LLP AML CHAMBERS OF THE YEAR - FULCRUM CHAMBERS LLP CORPORATE BRIBERY & CORRUPTION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, IVAN PEARCE - FULCRUM CHAMBERS LLP

11 Old Square, Lincoln ’ s Inn, London WC2A 3TS T : + 44 ( 0 ) 20 7186 0420 E : enquiries @fulcrumchambers.com w: www.fulcrumchambers.com

Fulcrum Chambers LLP is an innovative law firm comprised of barristers, solicitors and other professionals. It has established itself as an award-winning firm providing expert advice and representation for public, private and commercial clients. Clients are drawn from many sectors, including: publishing, financial services, oil & gas, extractive industry, electronics, construction, transport and infrastructure. The firm provides recognised, experienced-backed expertise to assist corporates, individuals, development banks, regulators and national governments with their bribery and corruption challenges. Fulcrum has advised and appeared as trial advocates in a number of the largest international corruption cases to date. The firm has particular experience in negotiating financial settlements through self-referrals in criminal cases with regulators and prosecutors in the United States and with the multi-lateral development banks. The firm has also conducted wide ranging internal investigations on behalf of its corporate clients, both in the UK and in high-risk jurisdictions. Fulcrum lawyers have particular expertise in advising and representing clients in relation to money laundering issues. They often assist in commercial transactions, professional obligations, the regulated sector and regulator prosecutor lead investigations. Fulcrum appreciates that circumstances often demand quick and pragmatic advice. In addition, the firm has assisted corporate clients in the development of anti-money laundering strategies, training and guidance to ensure compliance with professional obligations, national and international legislation. Fulcrum has many years of experience in the conduct of complex fraud cases and has acted as advisers and advocates for organisations and individuals facing global fraud investigations. They have also acted for parties to the International Commissions of Enquiry, examining commercial transactions involving allegations of civil and criminal fraud. Fulcrum has significant expertise in advising clients on corporate governance, ranging from providing specialist guidance on the various regulatory regimes, to assisting in the develop-

ment of robust and effective compliance programs. The firm’s clients have included a number of large corporations, including one of the UK’s largest retail and investment banks. Ivan Pearce specialises in advising and representing companies and individuals in relation to regulatory and potential criminal wrongdoing. He has particular experience of dealing with prosecuting and regulatory authorities, including those located abroad with regard to corruption issues and money laundering. He is regarded as an expert on asset forfeiture and confiscation issues. In addition to representing companies he has advised, drafted and implemented systems to ensure reputation and regulatory protection and compliance with the terms of the Bribery Act, the Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act and the AntiMoney Laundering Legislation. He has represented companies in relation to their exposure to multi-lateral development bank sanctions regimes and conducted investigations worldwide into issues arising across his practice area on behalf of companies. He has a proven track record having been instructed and appearing in the most noteworthy cases in his field of practice. These include SFO v Macmillan Publishers Ltd, R v James Ibori, and other confidential high profile internal investigations. He is recognised annually by Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 as a leader in the fields of asset forfeiture, serious fraud and money laundering. The nature of Ivan’s practice generally means that multiple jurisdictions and legal regimes are engaged with both civil and criminal issues arising. His focus is to provide pragmatic business enabling advice to resolve matters as quickly and efficiently as possible and with an aim to avoid litigation if possible. Where appropriate, this has included self-referral routes in the United Kingdom and abroad to seek the best possible resolution. Ivan has lectured worldwide on bribery and corruption, commercial fraud, restraint and freezing orders, money laundering, asset forfeiture and civil recovery.

TURKEY P ROJ E C T & AC Q U I S I T I O N F INA NCE BA NK O F TH E YEA R, GA RAN TI B AN K BA NK O F T HE Y E A R ( S U S TA INA BILITY) , GA RA NTI BA NK C O M M E R C I A L B A N K O F TH E YEA R, GA RA NTI BA NK T RA D E FI N A N C E B A N K O F TH E YEA R, GA RA NTI BA NK P RI VAT E B A N K O F T HE Y E A R, GA RA NTI BA NK GAM E C HA N G E R O F T HE YE A R ( F INA NCIA L SE RV ICE S) , E RGU N ÖZEN , GARAN TI B AN K

w w w. g a ra nt i . co m . t r

Turkey’s Leading Project & Leverage Finance Team reached US$ 12.6 billion exposure in 1H2015, building up on its expertise and know-how on energy, infrastructure, privatization and leverage finance fields.

services as well as account management services are provided by our portfolio management team for clients’ needs at the construction and operation stages of all projects.

Established in 1946, Garanti Bank is Turkey’s second largest private bank with consolidated assets of US$ 98.4 billion as of June 30, 2015.

Garanti is also the first Turkish commercial bank to dedicate four employees to the coordination of sustainability issues. The Team, which includes 4 environmental engineers, works in cooperation with origination and monitoring teams.

Garanti Bank commands a pioneering position in Turkish project finance market, being the first Turkish bank to establish a dedicated Project and Leverage Finance team in 1999. As the frontrunner in Project and Leverage Finance in Turkey, its competent and dynamic human resource of 33 people specializes in energy, acquisition/structured finance, commercial real estate and transportation/infrastructure sectors. To create tailor-made solutions, Garanti focuses on sector and structural specialization with its 3 origination teams. Energy desk focuses on electricity generation, wholesale/retail, distribution and privatizations. Infrastructure & Real Estate desk concentrates on commercial real estate, infrastructure and transportation (ports, airports, highway, bridges, etc.). Leverage Finance desk specializes in acquisition, leverage financing and other structured financings in sectors such as telecom, cement and healthcare. With our expert staff in the energy, infrastructure & real estate and leverage financing fields, we provide financing for critical investments in Turkey at international standards. Garanti established the first and only portfolio management team among Turkish banks. Team of 8 experts focuses on performance analysis and investment monitoring of the financed projects. Facility and security agency

Having financed over 250 projects with cash commitment amount of US$ 25 billion in total, Garanti has a proven track record and expertise on privatization, LBO (Leveraged Buy-Out), BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer), TOR (Transfer of Operating Rights), infrastructure, energy and other greenfield projects. In addition to being a well-established Project and Leverage Finance House; Garanti provides advisory services in terms of structuring and arranging the optimal equity and financing structure in transactions. As of 1H2015, Garanti Project and Leverage Finance exposure stands at US$ 12.6 billion. In 2014 only, as the market leader, Garanti provided ~US$ 3 billion of new commitments for over 32 projects. Garanti Project and Leverage Finance has also been recognized by the international finance community and has been awarded by many prominent and reputable international magazines with over 25 awards in the last three years, including Best Project Finance House Award in EMEA for three years in a row.

UK A S S ET DISPOSAL FIRM OF THE YEAR - GOINDUSTRY DOVEBID GAME CHAN GE R OF THE YEAR, WILLIAM P. ANGR IC K, III, L IQUIDITY SER VIC ES

Nor th America: 844-704-0367 Europe: 800-2007-0312 Asia Pacific: 800-1408-1960 Email Nor th America: Valuation@LiquiditySer vices.com Europe/Asia: ValuationINTL@LiquiditySer vices.com

Liquidity Services (NASDAQ: LQDT) is the leader in managing surplus across the globe to maximise return, more efficiently and more strategically. No matter the type of surplus asset or where it is located, we optimise and execute surplus management strategies to achieve your business goals. We are the industry innovator, leveraging insights from over 500,000 annual transactions and $1 billion in annual sales proceeds to continuously pioneer a superior model for managing the reverse supply chain. With Liquidity Services, you have a partner who maximises the total value you can expect for your surplus – higher recovery, more efficient processes, simplified and consistent operations, global coverage, lower risks, sustainable solutions, and service from people you can trust to deliver results.

Unrivaled intelligence for every valuation scenario: Liquidity Services’ unmatched knowledge of valuation, industries, and asset categories ensures you get maximum value from every appraisal. Leveraging our unparalleled market database, we empower companies to drive decision making that supports strategic goals.

Count on Our Experience Expert team of valuation professionals: Our dedicated valuations team serves most industries, from industrial manufacturing to retail. Whether you have ten assets to value or ten thousand, we can work with your teams and within your tightest timelines. Our experts will provide valuation services that are customised to meet your organisation’s specific needs.

Best-in-class analytics and reporting: Every valuation is accompanied by a detailed report containing profile and market information for each asset in scope. By advising you on metrics for ongoing monitoring and conducting periodic asset inspections, we continue adding value long after the appraisal.

Strategic consulting and risk analysis: Regardless of your industry, asset types, asset conditions, and valuation challenges, our expert team provides customised, strategic consulting to support your decision making. We also deliver detailed risk analysis reports tailored to your requirements.

Proven valuation process: Our process uses future values to calculate accurate Total Cost of Ownership figures, a best practice that helps establish an effective system for asset redeployment and sale. Liquidity Services also specialises in fast, accurate asset valuations to meet your needs. We’ve delivered complete valuation reports within six weeks of project inception.

UK FORENSIC ACCOUNTANCY PRACTICE OF THE YEAR, HABERMAN ILETT LLP GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FORENSIC ACCOUNTANCY), PHILIP HABERMAN, HABERMAN ILETT LLP

Philip Haberman Senior Par tner ph@hiforensic.com 020 3096 6543

Liz Perks Par tner lp@hiforensic.com 020 3096 6565

Frank Ilett Managing Par tner fi@hiforensic.com 020 3096 6556

City Tower Level 3 40 Basinghall Street London EC2V 5DE www.hiforensic.com 020 3096 6500

Founded in September 2013, Haberman Ilett is now the largest independent firm of our type in the country. We provide exclusively accounting expert witness and related services in UK and international litigation, arbitration, and alternative dispute resolution. Our founding partners, Philip Haberman and Frank Ilett, are two of the best-known expert witnesses in the world, with more than 30 years between them as partners in big-4 firms before launching an independent practice.

their wider commercial relationships, we are an exclusive forensic firm with the depth and breadth of expertise and quality that comes from a leading practice.

Our clients range from individuals through privately-owned businesses and listed companies, to multinationals and global groups, and governments. They are based in the UK and internationally, and span all business sectors.

The growth of our firm has been outstanding: having started 20 months ago with a team of four professionals, we are now five partners, two directors and over 20 senior associates and associates – and we are currently working on cases with over USD 10 billion in dispute.

We provide expert evidence in disputes (for example: quantifying damages, providing opinions on financial issues relevant to causation or liability, and providing objective interpretations of relevant financial and accounting matters) arising from commercial and contractual claims, shareholder disputes, investment treaty claims, competition and anti-trust cases, and those arising out of corporate transactions. We also act as the expert determiner, or for the buyer or seller, in completion accounts disputes.

Our work is already international, as we have been involved in dispute cases all over the world, and we are used to the challenges this creates, such as working with legal teams from multiple jurisdictions, dealing with damages under international legal principles, and dealing with documents in numerous languages. We have particular expertise in matters relating to Russia and CIS states, with a Russian partner supported by associates with native Russian and Ukrainian.

We distinguish ourselves from our competitors by offering a truly independent service. Where large firms are constrained, and might give the impression of being influenced, by

We have plans to continue our growth and build the firm, expanding on the range of work we do both technically and geographically, and developing the reputations of all our partners.

Our philosophy is long term, and depends on our reputations as individuals for quality and user friendliness. We are here to help our clients and their legal representatives to resolve disputes in a time and cost effective way.

GERMANY FOREIGN TRADE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, HAELLMIGK COMPLIANCE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, HAELLMIGK LAWYER OF THE YEAR (FOREIGN TRADE), DR. PHILIP HAELLMIGK, LL.M.

HAELLMIGK Dr. Philip Haellmigk, LL.M. Attorney at law (Germany) | Solicitor (England & Wales) | Licencié en Droit (France) Amalienstrasse 87 | 80799 Munich | Germany Tel: +49 89 2155 81600 Fax: +49 89 2155 81609 Email: legal.dr.haellmigk@haellmigk.com www.haellmigk.com

HAELLMIGK is an international boutique law firm in Germany specialising in foreign trade, export control, compliance and commercial law. The founding partner, Dr. Philip Haellmigk, LL.M. is ranked among the leading lawyers in Europe for his expertise in these areas. Prior to founding HAELLMIGK, he was a partner at an international firm and in charge of the foreign trade and export control group. He works mainly in Munich and Frankfurt. HAELLMIGK advises European and international mid-tier companies and corporations from all kinds of industries including trade and logistics, engineering and construction, aviation and defence, automotive, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, IT, electronic and telecommunications. HAELLMIGK has a wealth of experience and exceptional expertise in the areas of national and international trade, and advises on both domestic and international issues. The firm’s services include: Advice on classification and licensing requirements Advice on embargoes/sanctions Support in customs laws issues Internal export control audits Support in the organisation of internal compliance processes Advice on the integration of compliance software IT solutions for export control: intra data transfer, cloud computing Preparation of voluntary disclosures, representation before the authorities Representing companies in foreign trade audits Representing companies and the management board in criminal

and administrative proceedings Contractual advice: review of export and supply agreements, CISG, Incoterms, EU, German, French and UK law Seminars and training for the management or export and logistics departments Dr. Haellmigk is a member of the German bar and is also admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales. Further, he holds a degree in French law. An expert in national and international trade law, Philip has specialist know-how on export control, sanctions, compliance, commercial matters and all other regulatory aspects of trade. Dr. Haellmigk studied law in Germany, France, Switzerland, the US and the UK. After his postgraduate studies in UK, where he focused on comparative law, he was awarded a LL.M. degree. He also holds a PhD in comparative law. Dr. Haellmigk is a frequent contributor to national and international legal journals, handbooks and newspapers, and speaks regularly at conferences in, for instance, the UK, Japan and Germany. He is also a university lecturer, where he teaches international business law as well as German and UK contract law. Philip is fluent in English, French and German. He also speaks Spanish and Italian and has basic knowledge in Mandarin.

UK NICHE RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR (IT), HINDESITE LTD

HINDESITE LTD Ocean House 12th Floor The Ring Bracknell Berkshire RG12 1AX T: +44 (0) 1344 388020 Email: Jane@hindesite.co.uk Website: www.hindesite.co.uk

HindeSite Ltd is a Royal Berkshire based Recruitment Consultancy specialising in IT. With a wealth of industry experience, our consultants take pride in representing the HindeSite brand with passion and care. Founder Jane Hinde started HindeSite Ltd in 2001 with a vision of providing a first class personal service, which has proven to be a winning formula. In what is a highly competitive industry, we are proud to stand out from the crowd boasting a reputation of going above and beyond for all of our clients and candidates. We offer permanent and contractor placements covering regions of the UK, Europe and USA, within various industry sectors including IT, web developers, fashion and footwear, accountancy, financial, and education. Furthermore we work with a number of blue chip organisations and respecting their brand and ethos is why we maintain longstanding business relationships with all of our clients. We provide a high end service to both client and candidate and working with reputable people and companies is important to us. Our services include, Job Specifications, Skills Gap Analysis, Interview preparation (for both the client and candidate), advertising job vacancies, and we also provide documentation and contracts for Contractor Agreements. We use targeted

advertising methods tailored to suit each specific role, and we also pre-interview candidates to ascertain suitability, ensuring that they fill the specific skills gap to maximise business progression. Other services we offer for candidates is a CV Writing Service and ‘Interview Preparation’ techniques. Being a trustworthy organisation is imperative within the recruitment industry and we are always sensitive to the privacy and protection of information supplied to us. We are not a high street agency and one of the reasons our clients return time again is due to the personal service that we offer. As an entrepreneur and having lived in several different countries, this has given Jane the foundation of what has helped build the core values and ethos that stand within HindeSite today. We are ecstatic to win the UK – Niche Recruitment Agency of the year (IT) award. We often receive emails from both clients and candidate thanking us for going that extra mile, so this is the icing on the cake. We truly believe that if you enjoy what you do, it shows in your work, and this is something we will continue to do at HindeSite.

UK NICHE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (EDUCATION), INCLUSIVE TECHNOLOGY LTD

Inclusive Technology Ltd Mar tin Littler FRSA Twitter @Mar tinLittler mar tin@inclusive.co.uk www.inclusive.co.uk Inclusive Technology Ltd, Riverside Cour t, Delph, Oldham Greater Manchester, OL3 5FZ United Kingdom Telephone: +44 1457 819790 Mar tin Littler, one of three teachers who founded Inclusive Technology

Children using eye gaze technology with HelpKidzLearn

“Inclusive Technology exists to provide resources which help learners with severe, profound and complex special needs to learn, communicate and live a more independent life” says one of the company’s founders, Martin Littler. Inclusive Technology’s customers are typically the teachers, therapists, health professionals, and government services who work with students in special education settings. Inclusive is a British company but as their software is increasingly delivered online they are now finding a world market. In the newest services like HelpKidzLearn and ChooseIt!Maker3 less than a third of their customers are UK based. The company’s largest online market is now the USA and they have subscribers in sixty countries. Inclusive works with children who may only be able to make one voluntary movement. They specialise in harnessing whatever students can do – most recently they have added eye gaze access to other access options such as joysticks, switches and touch. Once a student’s access problems are tackled the company focus on education objectives while continuing to improve a student’s access skills. The “low incidence disabilities” in which the company specialises must rely on recognition in the widest world market. In 2014 Inclusive Technology won the top special education software awards in both the United Kingdom and the United States. These were the British

BETT Award for “Special Educational Needs Solutions” and the American CODiE Award “Best Solution for Special Needs Students”. Students with severe and profound needs and disabilities typically progress in tiny steps over a long period. This means having as wide a variety of software as possible so that the students stay stimulated and motivated. This has meant a commitment to development over the 20 years of the company’s life and has resulted in the largest software resource in the special education market. Today’s online delivery of software closes the feedback loop. Inclusive can now see how their software is being used and this yields a huge amount of data on each student and about students in general. Inclusive’s development team is currently being expanded to harness the opportunities this offers. 2016 will see a web of over 500 small programs in HelpKidzLearn with students recognised and guided through a learning process which offers tasks with the right level of challenge and provides for each student’s access needs. Over the last twenty years Inclusive have harnessed the latest technology to improve the life chances of children who face the greatest challenges. “Currently eye gaze access, and learning analytics from the huge amount of data that eye gaze provides offer the best insight into improving the learning of children with severe and complex needs” says Martin Littler “the ACQ Global Award gives us a welcome boost, we’ll see that these special children don’t miss out!”

LIECHTENSTEIN OWNER MANAGED ASSET MANAGER OF THE YEAR - INCREMENTUM AG GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR - RONALD-PETER STOEFERLE, INCREMENTUM AG

Name: Ronald-Peter Stoeferle Email: rps@incrementum.li Web Address: www.incrementum.li Address: Landstrasse 1, 9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein

We are very proud that we won two categories at this years ACQ awards. We are certain that this is the result of our hard work. Most of all it’s a confirmation, that our boutique approach, that combines unconventional thinking with state of the art asset management skills, is really unique. We evaluate all our investments not only from a global economy perspective but taking the current state of the global monetary regime into account. This analysis produces what we consider a truly holistic view of the state of financial markets. In our view, we are entering an environment of an increasingly unstable global financial architecture. The current FIAT-money system has led to huge distortions of capital allocation and enabled governments to engage in reckless spending sprees. The artificial price fixing of interest rates has lead to malinvestments on a grand scale and among others to a gigantic debt bubble. Going forward we will witness - and in fact we have already begun witnessing – much extremer waves of deflation and in inflation than during the past 30 years. As an owner-managed boutique, which enables us to conduct completely unbiased analysis of the state of affairs and allows us to communicate our thoughts very concisely. This is extremely important for us as our views are often considered non-mainstream and out of the box. Within the coming five years, we expect our business to grow incrementally, however, we will remain independent because this is a critical factor for us as company.

Moreover, we believe that Liechtenstein is a great place to set up a business and manage funds. Liechtenstein is a very unique jurisdiction. It is fully integrated in the European Economic Area but not a member of the European Union. The public finances of the principality are outstanding. The country is debt free and has a very sound banking sector. It has a great track record of valuing property rights. In a world of rising systemic risks, these considerations will be increasingly important for asset managers. About Incrementum Incrementum AG Liechtenstein is an asset management company founded in 2013 in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. As independence is a cornerstone of our philosophy, the company is one hundred percent owned by its partners. We have no affiliations with any banking institutions, which enables us to implement our investment strategies autonomously. As a boutique player with lean hierarchies, we are able to execute our strategies and respond to regime changes swiftly. Our partners practice what they preach – all our partners are invested in the funds they manage. Incrementum AG’s partners are highly qualified and have over 140 years of combined banking experience. Prior to joining the company, the partners held positions at UBS, Lombard Odier, Darier Hentsch & Cie., Bank Leu, Pictet & Cie., Bank Sal. Oppenheim, Merrill Lynch and Société Générale.

UK REGIONAL NOTARY PUBLIC OF THE YEAR, JAMES COUZENS

James Couzens Notary Public Tel: Mob: Fax:

01296 318531

james@aylesburynotary.co.uk

01296 318536 07789 623052

www.aylesburynotary.co.uk

Regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury

I am delighted to receive this award from ACQ, which reflects my growing role in assisting international businesses. As a notary public, I help individuals and businesses with a wide range of notarial matters. The variety and interesting background to the documents or facts I am dealing with, is what makes my job as a notary interesting. The work of a notary can be summarised as being a specialist in authenticating documents or facts for use overseas, so that they are accepted in jurisdictions around the world. Notaries in England and Wales are legally qualified and often play an important role in international trade. It is not always appreciated that the regulation of their profession and their role is different to those of notaries in other parts of the UK, Europe, other civil law-based countries and the USA. As a business person, you are most likely to need the help of a notary when you need to get documents or facts certified or authenticated in situations such as: s 3ETTING UP COMPANIES VIRTUALLY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD s !RRANGING POWERS OF ATTORNEY EMPOWERING OVERSEAS AGENTS or lawyers to act for you s 0ROVIDING EVIDENCE OF A COMPANY S EXISTENCE AND THE standing of its officers s 2EGISTERING TRADEMARKS OR MAKING PATENT APPLICATIONS overseas s 0RODUCING TENDER DOCUMENTS FOR USE IN OVERSEAS MARKETS s ,EGALISING DOCUMENTS AT THE &OREIGN AND #OMMONWEALTH Office or relevant embassy s 4AKING OATHS PRODUCING AFFIDAVITS AND MAKING STATUTORY declarations

This list does not give a complete understanding of the different situations that can arise, and of course omits other circumstances, many of which give a very interesting insight into different businesses and their requirements.

My experience as a notary in knowing how to proceed in different jurisdictions internationally can save time and money. This experience comes from dealing frequently with overseas lawyers, who can have very varied requirements when they request that documents are properly executed or facts properly authenticated. Being able to understand the individual jurisdictions, and the lawyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s requirements within them, I see as part of my role to enable a client to successfully complete the transaction required by the foreign lawyer. Businesses trading internationally, or seeking to set up overseas, often need a notary at short notice. I am happy to accommodate this and see clients out of hours, including weekends. Although on most occasions I see clients face to face, I can also deal with repeat business clients, where time is precious, remotely via Skype or video conference. Many cases involve legalisation, a process which can be confusing to many. The document legalisation process is not complex in itself, but the varying requirements of the different jurisdictions can make it so. I deal with legalisation on almost a daily basis, and that experience enables me to help my clients navigate their way through the differing requirements. Notaries may soon see process changes based on the adoption of electronic authentication, but in an age where online transactions allow speedier completion while at the same time making it easier for fraud to be perpetrated, the notaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services are more likely to be relied upon as a secure safeguard against fraudulent activities.

UK REGIONAL TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, JOHN HARRISON AND CO

John Harrison Email: john@johnharrison.co.uk John Harrison & Company 78 Carlton Rd Worksop Nottinghamshire S80 1PH Tel: 01909 472310 Fax: 01909 484622

John Harrison and Company won the ACQ award for the Regional Tax Advisory Firm of the year for the United Kingdom based on the work they have done in reforming the work practising tax accountants do for their clients. Their systems ensure that clients pay the least amount of tax that are required by using a 21 point checklist of the most important tax reduction strategies which are reviewed with all clients every year. The firm also has close working relationships with tax mitigation consultants for larger and more complex cases and fee protection insurance against the cost of tax investigations is part of the basic service. Clients get unlimited telephone support as well. To make sure that they have up to date management accounts which are essential for in year tax planning they have created a powerful Financial Management System which provides a ‘back office’ finance department for owner managed businesses. It has several software programmes linked together which automates the whole process of accounting, sales invoice generation and debt collecting, steaming of bank transactions straight into the accounts software and delivers easy to understand financial accounts directly to a user’s smart phone in real time so that up to the minute financial information is always available for their clients.

The system is supported by a network of specialists working in every financial area that a business owner might need including Research and Development tax credits, capital allowance claims on buildings, Inheritance Tax planning and tax mitigation schemes. There are also experts in wealth management, retirement planning and asset protection as well as asset finance, commercial finance, business cost reduction, commercial law, employment law and health and safety. The work that John Harrison and Company does for its clients is backed by some of the most powerful guarantees in the profession. They guarantee to deal with telephone calls immediately or return calls within seven working hours and if they fail to do that will send their client £50; file tax returns on time or pay any penalties, interest or surcharges arising as a result of their shortcomings and meet the deadlines that are set or that assignment is free. Their clients are the sole judge of their performance. If anything they do falls short of expectations they will refund the fee in full without question, or allow their client to reduce it to whatever level they feel they have received value for. The firm has also recently won the Tax Return Specialists of the Year in the United Kingdom at the 2015 Tax Awards, United Kingdom Tax Reform Specialists of the year 2015 by Finance Monthly and was Runner Up in the 2020 Innovation Most Innovative United Kingdom Sole Practitioner award for 2014.

UK A I M A D V I S O R Y L A W F I R M O F T H E Y E A R F O R A C O N S E C U T I V E Y E A R, K E R M A N & C O L L P E N E R GY L A W F I R M O F T H E Y E A R F O R A C O N S E C U T I V E Y E A R, K E R M A N & C O L L P S P O R T L A W F I R M O F T H E Y E A R F O R A C O N S E C U T I V E Y E A R, K E R M A N & C O L L P R E TA I L & L E I S U R E L A W F I R M O F T H E Y E A R, K E R M A N & C O L L P D I V E R S I T Y L A W F I R M O F T H E Y E A R, K E R M A N & C O L L P C O M M E R C I A L L A W Y E R O F T H E Y E A R, M I C H A E L C O R C O R A N , K E R M A N & C O L L P

Michael Corcoran +44 (0)20 7539 7272 michael.corcoran@kermanco.com

Kerm an & Co LLP is delighted to recei ve s ix ACQ G lo ba l Awa rd s in 2015 w hich re fle c ts the successful year the Firm has enjoyed. AIM Advisory Law Firm of the Year

Sport Law Firm of the Year.

The team has worked on a steady stream of transactions this year and currently has 36 AIM listed clients across a range of sectors, making Kerman & Co the 5th largest law firm by number of AIM clients, according to the Advisers Rankings Guide (May 2015). The Firm’s performance in the basic materials sector, and in relation to oil and gas, has remained strong. The team recently advised Irish service station operator Applegreen PLC in relation to its listing on AIM and worked closely with Applegreen’s Irish legal advisers who were responsible their listing on the Enterprise Securities market (ESM) in Dublin.

Led by Nick Bitel, Kerman & Co LLP’s Sports Law team provides practical commercial advice to global brands, international sporting bodies and events and high-profile individuals. The team is at the forefront of the development of areas such as ticketing, event management, licensing and brand protection. In addition it regularly provides advice on copyright infringement, image rights, passing off and trademark infringement, particularly in the run up to, and during, the events. Throughout 2015 the team has been actively involved in the delivery of the Ryder Cup and the Wimbledon Championships.

The team has also seen an increase in the number of clients in the technology sector, most recently advising Myanmar-focused internet-based and mobile services company MYSQUAR on its AIM listing.

Retail & Leisure Law Firm of the Year

Kerman & Co LLP advises clients with international interests in jurisdictions including the USA, Russian Federation, Australia, Philippines, Peru, Colombia and many African countries. Energy Law Firm of the Year Kerman & Co LLP’s award winning energy team is a well-regarded practice serving the needs of its clients in the global energy industry. It has been particularly successful in advising clients listed on AIM and is consistently ranked in the top five law firms advising AIM listed Oil & Gas companies (Advisers Rankings Guides). The team has advised on a broad range of areas from the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas and other fossil fuels, such as anthracite coal and uranium to developing and implementing alternative energy concepts. This includes advising clients who are active in developing cleantech offerings, including solar, wind and water power. The Firm’s energy litigation practice has played a crucial role in safe guarding its clients’ assets and interests overseas. This team regularly handles international commercial energy litigation disputes, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution proceedings.

Kerman & Co LLP manages contentious and non-contentious matters for a variety of clients in the retail and leisure sector. Our highly skilled team acts for wholesalers, retailers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, hotel chains, hotel developers, franchise holders and franchisees in the UK and abroad. Diversity Law Firm of the Year Kerman & Co LLP is committed to promoting diversity in relation to all members of the firm, clients and job applicants, and recognises the importance of equal treatment and fairness. We ensure that all our people are employed, trained and compensated solely on the strength of their ability, qualifications, experience and merit. Kerman & Co is a signatory to the Law Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Charter which helps firms monitor diversity share good practice. Commercial Lawyer of the Year (Michael Corcoran) Michael Corcoran is a Consultant in the Corporate & Commercial team. Since joining Kerman & Co in 2007 Michael has completed a number of transactions in the energy and natural resources sector, but over the past 12 months has increasingly worked with technology and bio-pharma clients as they seek to grow their businesses. He has worked on M&A transactions, IPO's to the AIM market, fundraising and private equity joint ventures. As well as transactional work, Michael handles specialist commercial contracts including drilling contracts, off-take and royalty agreements, infrastructure and debt finance documentation for mining clients, and for technology and bio-pharma clients, licensing and development agreements.

CYPRUS IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, L. PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO LLC MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR, LEANDROS PAPAPHILIPPOU, L. PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO LLC COMPETITION & ANTITRUST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, L PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO LLC COMPETITION & ANTITRUST LAWYER OF THE YEAR, PANTELIS CHRISTOFIDES, L PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO LLC FINANCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, L PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO LLC ANTITRUST LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, L PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO LLC FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, L PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO LLC

L PAPAPHILIPPOU & CO LLC 17 Ifigenias Street 2007 Strovolos P.O.Box 28541 2080 Nicosia Cyprus Tel. +357 22271000 Fax +357 22271111 Email: info@papaphilippou.eu Website: www.papaphilippou.eu

L Papaphilippou & Co LLC was founded in 1963. Through constant and consistent work, it is now one of the leading and most respectable law firms in Cyprus. The firm quickly established strong presence in the fields of corporate and shipping law, litigation, banking and finance, wealth management, immigration and citizenship, thus achieving good cross-border reputation, which led to the development of a concrete international professional network and client base. L Papaphilippou & Co LLC offers legal services to businesses, individuals, public organisations and governments. At the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disposal are a number of professional contacts in North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Far East and, accordingly, the firm is equipped to provide comprehensive support to clients active in cross border business, via its multijurisdictional and multidiscipline packages. The firm is comprised of lawyers and advocates of both common law and continental law backgrounds who are totally committed to excellence in the services that they provide. The firm constantly deals with clients based abroad and has the opportunity to interact with professional teams of different vocational backgrounds, for example lawyers, accountants and actuaries, all of which are based in different jurisdictions and represent a common reference point of analysis of the tasks undertaken. Moreover, the firm liaises with regulatory officials, domestic and foreign, concerning pending litigation as well as administrative matters. The firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main strength is its multifaceted experience over a wide range of disciplines, such as language skills, accounting and office administration and organisation.

Specifically, the firm advises on matters of cross border mergers, acquisitions of companies, international liquidations, international civil and criminal litigation, establishment and protection of brands and intellectual property (IP), admiralty and shipping, banking and finance, competition as well as international tax planning corporate and commercial and real estate. In response to the increased demand for providing services to foreign high net worth individuals L Papaphilippou & Co LLC has created a boutique Immigration Desk in the firm, comprised of experienced lawyers and other dedicated personnel securing first class services and results on Citizenship by Investment and Permanent Residence programmes. A plethora of international awards come as recognition of our dedicated efforts and combined achievements in every field. Our firm thinks and means retention and thus capitalises constantly and heavily in the legal professional development of each member of staff joining our team at any seat. Our associates and trainees are seconded to, and closely supervised by, partners of our firm thus promoting teamwork mentality and efficiency, delivering high quality blended results to our clients. L Papaphilippou & Co LLC operates from its modern, state-of-the-art offices in Nicosia, reflecting its confidence to the future.

UK P RIVATE EQUITY & R EA L E STAT E F UND A D M I NI ST RAT O R O F T H E Y E A R - L A N G H A M H A L L U K L L P

Rob Shor t Managing Par tner T: +44 20 3597 7905 M: +44 7775 806 308 E: rob.shor t@langhamhall.com

Marie Fitzpatrick Business Development Director T: +44 20 3597 7909 M: +44 7827 391 648 E: marie.fitzpatrick@langhamhall.com

s /UR SENIOR TEAM HAS BROAD CAREER EXPERIENCE IN PRIVATE EQUITY CORPORATE FINANCE REAL ESTATE AND OPERATIONAL ROLES 7E USE THIS COMBINED EXPERIENCE TO ADD VALUE BEYOND THE CORE FUND administration services, especially for managers at the set up stage.

/UR CORE SERVICES FOR ALL STRUCTURES ACROSS THE ALTERNATIVE ASSET CLASSES INCLUDE : s &UND ADMINISTRATION s &UND ACCOUNTANCY s 4REASURY s )NVESTOR REPORTING BESPOKE TO CLIENT s &#! /PERATOR SERVICES s !)&-$ $EPOSITARY SERVICES s !CCOUNTING FOR INVESTMENT HOLDING COMPANIES s 0ROVISION OF $IRECTORS OFFSHORE

s 7E ONLY EMPLOY THE BRIGHTEST PEOPLE AND THEN WE TRAIN AND DEVELOP THEM

Why are we different?

Langham Hall is a professional services firm providing fund administration and accountancy service to debt, infrastructure, private equity and real estate fund managers. Founded in May 2006, from the start Langham Hall was set up to be different: s !N OWNER MANAGED BUSINESS OUR REPUTATION AND SUCCESS DEPENDS ON ABSOLUTE CLIENT satisfaction. This makes us good listeners and a responsive partner.

Services Langham Hall is a specialist provider of debt, infrastructure, private equity and real estate fund accounting and administration services. We add value to fund managers through the COMBINATION OF EXPERT ACCOUNTING AND HIGH QUALITY INVESTOR REPORTING 7E ARE KNOWN FOR OUR hands on approach, with our staff and management team giving our clients unparalleled focus.

We are not a volume player or system driven administrator trying to be all things to all people. We are highly specialised and have a distinctive understanding of all aspects of the sector in WHICH WE OPERATE /UR KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRIVATE EQUITY AND REAL ESTATE MARKET ENABLES US TO COMMENT ON TRENDS ACROSS LEGAL TAX STRUCTURES PARTNERSHIP OPERATIONS ,0! TERMS AND accounting. #LIENTS CAN EXPECT AN EXCEPTIONAL LEVEL OF PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT AND PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP FROM us, both during the setup of the fund and ongoing.

SWITZERLAND GLO B A L M AC R O S T RATE GY F UND O F TH E Y E A R, LC J IN VEST MEN T S S.A

LCJ Investments S.A., 118 Rue Du Rhône, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland Number: +41(0) 22 849 6640 Fax: +41(0) 22 849 6649 www.lcjinvestments.com

Looking back at 2014, we were happy to report that despite difficult trading conditions in the first two quarters, we finished the year up 10.80% net, maintaining our consistent long term track record during what has been a challenging period. Macro events in 2015 continued to grab headlines: the year had barely begun when the Swiss National Bank unleashed a shock wave by pre-emptively deciding to abandon the Swiss Franc peg. The move led to one of the most dramatic currency moves ever seen in developed markets. The SNB acted in advance of the largely anticipated announcement by the ECB of a QE program, but conditions were so disrupted that the ECB announcement was met with a significant further amount of volatility. As the rest of Q1 played out, the economic data in the US proved a little weaker than expected. For us this meant that until we had a clearer idea of the extent of the possible weakness in the US economy we would reduce our USD exposure, and look to make further decisions as we saw each data point going forward. The EUR also looked set for an interesting dynamic, caught between improving Eurozone data and potential political risk from any fallout in the Greek situation. Our ability to generate performance and avoid pitfalls over this period was especially satisfying. The months of Q2 were challenging for most as markets struggled to find a clear direction. Uncertainties grew surrounding Greece and China, and the implications of inconsistent US data for the rate path of the Federal Reserve made conditions choppy and uncertain. We cautioned at the time that markets remained in a somewhat fragile state, experiencing pockets of poor liquidity and reasonably volatile short term price swings. This made our profits over the period most pleasing in that we were able to produce a non-correlated positive return, and it highlighted the value of

having a broad arsenal of products at our disposal that offer a truly alternative source of income other than pure direction. Q3 proved one of the most memorable quarters of recent times. There was a lot going on in July in the build up to August: Greece remained a concern throughout the month but seemed to have cleared the abyss, and we also noted continued strains in the commodity markets and some very volatile days in the equity markets led by China concerns. August proved to be dramatic. Despite the backdrop of China’s mini-devaluation of the Yuan and some poor domestic Chinese data, the extreme volatility over such a short time period is hard to rationalize in what is meant to be a global economy. Minutes of trading in US stocks saw some 20% knocked off the value of certain blue chip companies which inevitably caused panic across all asset classes including FX, and made risk the clear dominant theme for the remainder of the year. Whilst giving up some of our gains on the year we remain strongly in positive territory and we continue to monitor events closely. The LCJ FX Macro Strategy is a fundamental and discretionary global macro strategy expressed through currencies. LCJ was launched in 2007 as an independently managed investment boutique. The co-portfolio managers, Conor MacManus and Jonathan Tullett, have between them over 37 years of experience working and trading in FX markets which we believe provides the foundation for sustained success. Since inception the Strategy has been managed through a variety of different economic and market conditions, and has consistently produced long term class-leading risk-adjusted returns utilizing a robust risk management framework.

GERMANY FRANCHISE L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR - L AWFIRM BUS SE & MIES SEN

Lawfirm BUSSE & MIESSEN Franchise Practice Group Friedensplatz 1 53111 Bonn, Germany Phone: +49 (0)228 98391-26 E-Mail: huber@busse -miessen.de

BUSSE & MIESSEN combines a fresh perspective with more than 60 of tradition. With a total of more than 25 lawyers, BUSSE & MIESSEN, a medium-sized operation by German standards, pursues a policy preferring strict quality standards, highly personalized client-lawyer relations and arm's length working processes over rapid growth. Long-standing relationships provide a high degree of insight into clients' specific legal concerns, financial issues or personal situation, allowing the professionals at BUSSE & MIESSEN to identify, avoid or resolve conflict, and enabling sensitive and capable problem-solving. The firm is active in the field of Franchise Law throughout Germany and other European countries. Today, BUSSE & MIESSEN are advisors to more than 150 franchisors in Europe and North America. The firm has particular experience in the development, reorganization and expansion of franchise networks. Its Franchise Practice Group focuses exclusively on advising Franchisors and Master Franchisees in the optimization and management of franchise network. It is BUSSE & MIESSEN's paramount priority to advise Franchisors not only in the field of Franchising Law but, equally important, also in strategic questions with respect to international expansion.

According to the Who’s Who Legal, Dr. Patrick Giesler, who is an essential part of the Franchise Practice Group, is one of the leading German franchise lawyers. He is the author of numerous books and publications on Franchising Law. Furthermore, Dr. Giesler is President and founder of the International Franchise Lawyers’ Association, a world-spanning network of law firms specializing in this field. Catering to the needs of foreign clients also outside and beyond the domain of franchising, BUSSE & MIESSEN, from its Berlin, Bonn and Leipzig offices, operates several practice groups where lawyers fully conversant in English provide advice and guidance to companies from all fields of business life, to banks, real estate partnerships and individual investors. Other key specialisations are in Real Estate, Construction and Labour law.

UK A S S ET BA SED LENDER OF THE YEAR - LEUMI ABL LIMITED SME A S SET BA SED LENDER OF THE YEAR - LEUMI ABL LIMITED B OUT IQUE BANK OF THE YEAR - BANK LEUMI (UK) GROUP

Leumi ABL Limited Phil Woodward, Managing Director, Leumi ABL Tel: 01273 716200 Mob: 07900 802774 Email: pwoodward@leumiabl.co.uk www.leumiabl.co.uk

Once again Leumi ABL is delighted to have won the title of Asset Based Lender of the Year for the United Kingdom in the ACQ Global Awards 2015. Leumi ABL is the specialist asset based lending subsidiary of Bank Leumi (UK) plc. Providing funding from £1m to £30m, Leumi ABL provides a full range of asset based lending facilities, including stock finance and plant and machinery finance, real differentiators in today’s market. This is supported by trade finance and property finance facilities via Bank Leumi (UK). Our sales teams across the UK continue to see increasing optimism and certainty, and this all fuels the market appetite for reliable and flexible forms of financing that will enable confident business growth and expansion. Leumi ABL continues to work closely with businesses and their advisors to ensure that financing facilities are structured creatively so as to maximise growth opportunities. The team is rapidly earning a reputation for their flexible and highly personal approach to assisting business growth. Recent notable deals include the financing of Regain Polymers Ltd. Leumi ABL provided a £10m structured funding facility to support the refinancing of Private Equity owned Polymer manufacturer, Regain Polymers Ltd. The facility includes invoice discounting, stock finance, plant and machinery finance and an amortising term loan to help facilitate ongoing working capital headroom.

Regain Polymers is a leading UK plastics recycler and owned by Chamonix Private Equity, who have invested an additional £2.5m in the transaction. Regain was acquired by Chamonix in 2011 from global packaging giant, Linpac. The sale led to a programme of investment in new equipment, which has enabled Regain to develop more polymer compounds. Martin Marron, the chief executive of Regain, said: “We are delighted to have secured this facility from Leumi ABL and also the additional investment from Chamonix. The funding will enable us to continue to expand and enhance the capacity, capability and reliability of our manufacturing plant.” At Leumi ABL we understand the needs of growing businesses and the importance of adapting facilities to suit changing needs. The Leumi ABL offering continues to evolve whilst retaining the same personal and flexible approach in managing all of our client relationships. Our ability to structure multi-facility deals and work across most sectors can often result in higher levels of funding for our clients. We apply our entrepreneurial spirit and creative approach to all business opportunities to maximise the funding available. Our focus on short decision lines and continued senior involvement at all stages of our relationship with you can offer a refreshing alternative to some attitudes in larger and more traditional institutions.

LU X E M B O U R G CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (BOUTIQUE) - LEX THIELEN AND ASSOCIATES

Lex Thielen, Senior Par tner, THIELEN & ASSOCIES LAW OFFICE 10, rue Willy Goergen L-1636 Luxemburg TEL:(00352 ) 26 26 02 02 FAX:(00352 ) 26 26 02 02 www.LexThielen.com

The law – especially on an international level – has become so complex nowadays that actually for everything you need a legal expert. If possible even by field. Or you come to Thielen & Partners. After all we offer, while concentrating on the essential, the whole range of legal fields and services: under our roof there are no specialists focused only on their particular sphere of competence, but interdisciplinary generalists covering all the legal fields, with the accent on financial, corporate, commercial and civil law as well as the domicilation of companies. Why all this? Because interdisciplinary thinking and action should be the norm in a globalized world.

UK SPORTS L AW BARRISTER OF THE YEAR, JOHN MEHRZAD, LITTLETON

Address: John Mehrzad, Littleton Chambers, 3 King’s Bench Walk Nor th, Temple, London EC4Y 7HR Tel: +00 44 (0)207 797 8600 Email: jmehrzad@littletonchambers.com Twitter: @johnmehrzadlaw

John Mehrzad was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2005 (Inner Temple) and practises from the leading barristers’ chambers, Littleton, in Temple, London. His specialism is sports law with a particular focus on commercial, employment and regulatory issues . He is the only junior at the Bar of England & Wales below 14-years’ call who is ranked by legal directories in both employment and sports law. Overall he is 1 of only 3 barristers ranked in those areas.

a mediator. John is also Head of Littleton's Sports Law Group. John is experienced before the Court of Appeal, High Court, Employment Appeal Tribunal, Court of Arbitration for Sport, FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber and Player Status Committee, UEFA Disciplinary Committee, Premier League Adjudication and Appeals, FA Rule K Arbitration, Premier League Managers’ Arbitration, RFU Disciplinary and Appeals and the UK Anti-Doping Panel. He also maintains an Employment Tribunal practice across the UK, including Scotland and Northern Ireland.

By way of professional recognition, John was chosen by the Bar Council, Law Society and British Association of Sport and Law to be an advocate at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games; the Law Society of Scotland, Faculty of Advocates and the Management Committee of Sport Resolution to be an advocate at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games; has been nominated an FA arbitrator on several occasions; is a panellist for Sport Resolutions, the leading domestic sports appeals/arbitration service; is an FA Rule K ‘Fast-Track’ Arbitrator and a Member of the FA Chairman’s Anti-Discrimination Panel; and has acted as

His clients typically range from individual sportsmen and their agents, to clubs and associations, and related commercial partners. John is also a former international rower and is a several time national rowing champion He still competes in rowing and running.

GREECE MOS T T RU S T E D - IP L AW F I R M O F TH E Y E A R - Μ A R IN OS - K AT SA S - LIA SKOS & A S SOC IAT ES

31-33 Voulis str. 3rd floor 105 57 Athens, Greece (+30) 210 3600680 : tel. (+30) 210 3630717 : tel. (+30) 210 3252410 : fax Email address: office1@mklpar tners.gr

Our Firm focuses on serving its clients’ needs by providing high quality and efficient services, as well as practical solutions with commercial flair, thus adding value to the clients’ business, even in the most complicated transactions and agreements. Our services are characterized by a high degree of professionalism, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Our team, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Michael Theodoros Marinos, is comprised of lawyers specialized in the area of commercial, business and public law and possess of a multifaceted and long practical experience in all areas of commercial and public financial law. All partners and associates in our Firm have completed post-graduate studies in Greece and/or abroad, while several have practiced law outside the boundaries of Greece. We place great emphasis on IP rights protection, including trademarks, patents, data bases, software and domain names, technology transfer, as well as intellectual property litigation. It is to be noted that our experience and expertise in these fields has contributed to our Firm’s recognition as one of the top IP Law Firms in Greece. The Firm has been declared IP Law Firm of the Year in Greece by the renowned Corporate INTL magazine (Global Awards 2014), managing to be distinguished among many other law firms. Other main practice areas of the Firm include contract and corporate law, as well as banking and capital market law. We are apt to handle even the most complicated cases concerning insolvency law and financial restructuring. The Firm also provides a wide range of services in the fields of anti-unfair competition and antitrust law, energy and telecommunications law, as well as public law. The Firm’s client list contains both domestic (Greek) and international corporations, including companies involved in energy, telecommunications, food industry, information technology and electronics, professional associations and public enterprises. Moreover, our Firm provides specialist legal advice to other Legal Firms or Groups of Lawyers both in Greece and abroad. Our Firm is a member of an international association of law firms (LEXWORK) engaged in commercial and business law.

DENMARK L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR, MAZANTI-ANDERSEN KORSOE JENSEN BANKING & FINANCE L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR, MAZANTI-ANDERSEN KORSOE JENSEN

Mazanti-Andersen Korsø Jensen AdvokatPar tnerselskab Amaliegade 10 · DK-1256 København K T: +45 3314 3536 www.mazanti.dk

Mazanti-Andersen Korsø Jensen was initially established by Supreme Court Attorney C.C.V. Liebe in 1853 and is the oldest existing law firm in Denmark. Mazanti-Andersen Korsø Jensen represents a number of Danish and international entities to whom banking and financing law is of significant importance, such as banks, savings banks, cooperative savings banks and companies (listed as well as unlisted) We provide assistance in all matters in respect of banking and financing law matters; from public governance of banks to refinancing of companies, financing of transactions and raise of capital. Three partners are allocated as the persons primarily responsible for banking and financing law activities. The firm’s recent experience includes:

the Copenhagen Stock Exchange (raising net proceeds of DKK 439 million), - sale of the shares in a Danish bank (transaction value DKK 250 million) - assistance of a Danish bank in connection with the acquisition of Skandia Banken, a wholly owned subsidiary of Skandia Banken AB (transaction value in excess of DKK 1 billion), and subsequent assistance to same bank with a sell-off of an object specialized financial department to Santander (transaction value DKK 1.7 billion), - assistance of a bidder in connection with the auction sales process concerning FIH Erhvervsbank A/S, Denmark’s eighth largest bank, - assistance to 35 banks of selling a commonly owned finance company conducting issuance of white label structured bonds - assistance to foreign bankers in the acquisition of control of an existing Danish bank, - assistance to a number of banks with international funding, senior debts, syndicated loans agreements, issuance of hybrid tier 1 capital bonds, - general legal assistance to a number of Danish banks.

- the merger of 16 cooperative savings banks and subsequently merger of the new bank with an existing bank, IPO of the surviving bank by listing on

PORTUGAL MANAGEMEN T CON SU LTA NT S O F T H E YE A R, M E R C A L - G E S T Â O E MA R K E T I N G I N T E R N ACI O N A L , L DA F INANCIAL R ESTR UCTUR I NG C O NSULTA NT S O F T H E YE A R, ME R CA L - G E S T Â O E MA R K E T I N G I N T E R N ACI O N A L , L DA BU S INES S ADV ISOR Y FI R M O F T H E YE A R ( SM E ) , M E R C A L - G E S T Â O E MA R K E T I N G I N T E R N ACI O N A L , L DA

João Ribeiro Managing Par tner Campo Grande, nº 35 – 6ºA, 1700-087 Lisboa Tel.: (+351) 217 811 145 || (+351) 938 075 901 Fax: (+351) 217 811 149 joao.ribeiro@mercal.pt www.mercal.pt

Founded in 1996, Mercal has always been guided by high professional and ethical patterns, being officially accredited as a management consultancy company and certified by ISO 9001. We specialize in Strategy and Management Consultancy, International Marketing and M&A for middle-market companies and also deal with solutions for venture capital and equity funds. Our clients range from public institutions and funds, to multinational companies, private equity firms, management teams, entrepreneurs and family companies. Our clients includes: AICEP, AIRFREE, ASM Group, CBE, GASODATA, IAPMEI, INOSAT, MEIOSTEC, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC, TURISMO FUNDOS. We are very pleased to be recognised by ACQ5 in three categories, namely Portugal – Management Consultants; Financial Restructuring and Business Advisory Firm (SME) of the year; Our teams deserve it as a reward for their hard work. Our success is due to offering best solutions to our clients, independently of their complexity and multicultural environment, which always bring a challenge and a highly rewarding experience for Mercal. An award is an important way to motivate our staff for improve and continue acting with an entrepreneurial spirit in order to offer the best possible service. It is a way to commit us to

improve our market position, bring awareness to our brand and set a clear path to aim at excelling in our industry. Our philosophy is to develop withstanding partnership relations with our clients based on trust and qualified work and to be able to promote the business at a national or an international level. We supply pragmatic and cost effective bespoke solutions to our customers, to enable them to reach their development goals. We focus on results and offer innovative solutions, and our staff participates in an incentive scheme which is very competitive. Our principal advantage is based on the fact that strategy consulting is our core business. We also have a solid business network and database in many industries and markets that allow us to benchmark how our clients perform compared to their respective industries. Consultants must be open-minded, flexible and customer focused that face challenges in a friendly and creative way. For us it is of great importance to show responsibility and accountability to our clients every step of the way. Due to the economic situation, our main assignments have been on Strategy and International Marketing, M&A and Finance Restructuring. As the Portuguese economy is now growing we expect that the management consultancy business to continue to grow due to strategic expansion and diversification needs, at a national and international level.

SWITZERLAND LEADING M&A ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR - MILLENIUM A S SOCIATES AG INDEPENDENT FIRM OF THE YEAR - MILLENIUM A S SOCIATES AG

For more information on how MilleniumAssociates can suppor t your business regarding any M&A needs you or your clients might have, please email: info@milleniumassociates.com

MilleniumAssociates is a leading independent Swiss and UK-based international M&A advisory firm with a global network of strategic alliances extending its services to Asia, India, Middle East, Africa, Latin and North America.

MilleniumAssociates has access to the key persons of most sizeable and important financial services entities and investors internationally, thus facilitating any assignments. Total independence

As a privately held partnership, it is uniquely positioned to offer independent and non-conflicting advice to its clients through an effective and efficient team of full time experts, backed by a significant and active Global Advisory Board and professional support staff.

MilleniumAssociates is privately held and thus is totally independent and has no conflicts of interest stemming from roles and activities conflicting with independent M&A advice:

The dedicated Financial Services practice focuses on engagements for the financial services industry, in particular supporting the global wealth, asset management, private banking and private equity sectors in Switzerland and internationally. Additionally an Entrepreneurs and Corporates practice focuses on providing M&A services to Entrepreneurs and Small and Mid-cap Business owners across all industry sectors and all geographies globally. In 2014 MilleniumAssociates successfully launched the unique industry wide CATCH® programme enabling participating private banks, wealth managers and IAMs in key wealth management centres and relevant onshoring markets to manage and execute their client and market focus resegmentation strategies in a friendly, orderly and profitable manner. M&A experience and industry know-how The firm and its team has a significant and relevant experience & proven track record on Swiss, European, American, Middle Eastern and Asian assignments: s s s

4EAM HAS WORKED ON OVER PROJECTS 4EAM HAS CLOSED OVER TRANSACTIONS (AVE GATHERED OVER MAN YEARS OF COLLECTIVE - ! EXPERIENCE

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.O AUDIT MANDATES .O PUBLICLY DISTRIBUTED ANALYST RESEARCH .O INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT MANDATES .O VESTED POLITICAL INTERESTS

MilleniumAssociates is exclusively focused on maximizing value and getting deals executed to the benefit of the industry and its clients. Comprehensive global service offering MilleniumAssociates’ core competence is the provision of independent mergers & acquisitions advice on a regional and global basis. Its expertise also covers valuation services fairness opinions, IPO planning and arrangements, financing search as well as independent strategic advice. MilleniumAssociates AG was named as Independent M&A Advisory Firm and Global Financial Services M&A Advisor of the Year in Corporate Livewire’s Global Awards 2014. MilleniumAssociates AG is a member of The Swiss Private Equity & Corporate Finance Association (SECA). MilleniumAssociates (UK) Limited is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority.

I T A LY INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, MPMLEGAL CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, MPMLEGAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, MPMLEGAL M&A LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, MPMLEGAL M&A LAWYER OF THE YEAR, MARCO MASTRACCI, MPMLEGAL

Avv.Marco Mastracci Par tner Tel: +39 06 9359161 m.mastracci@mpmlegal.it, info@mpmlegal.it www.mpmlegal.it

MPMLEGAL is a legal firm with over 20 years of practice, currently made up of about 15 lawyers specialized in commercial and corporate law. Our clients include small to medium-sized firms and companies in their initial phases of domestic and international development. As a matter of fact, MPMLEGAL also utilizes a network of legal firms in several foreign countries, which allows the firm to also extend to its clientele assistance beyond Italian borders. Thanks to the significant experience MPMLEGAL has matured in various fields of law over its 20 years of business, it is able to offer its clients (Italian, international and multinational companies) legal counsel and judicial assistance in many different areas of specialization. It is highly qualified to support foreign companies that wish to create a business or branches in Italy. They assist them both for the distribution, licensing and franchising aspects (including trademarks and patents) and for the job-law ones. They can also execute merger and acquisition operations. MPMLEGAL also runs the legal aspects of international companies in outsourcing manner. Among the recent cases MPMLEGAL has worked on there are: - the Legal diligence for the acquisition of an Italian company manufacturing refrigeration products at national level by a Spanish multinational company; - company restructuring of some important Italian companies MPMLEGAL combines quality, professionalism and organization of large international law firms with fees that are more typical for law boutiques. MPMLEGAL has been successfully chosen as the winner of the 2015 Corporate Intl Magazine Legal Award: ‘International Business Law Firm of the Year in Italy’. This success has been granted by the sale of a famous Italian trademark to an American company and by the purchase of another important trademark by another American company. Meanwhile, Mr Mastracci has provided Legal advice and counselling to a multinational company for an asset sale in Italy to another multinational company, helping the M&A operations. Moreover, Mr Mastracci has closed international agreements with foreign companies investing in Italy. Mr Mastracci has an expertise in Intellectual Property Law in Italy. His clients are large Italian and international companies and institutions. In particular, he assists public personalities, such as famous Italian singers (e.g. Ms

Arisa, 2014 winner of Italian song festival “Sanremo”, the Italian famous musical director Adriano Pennino, late Franco Califano, Gianluca Grignani), so that he is also expert in copyright law and authorship right issues. In particular, Marco Mastracci has taken care of the drawing up of the recording agreement between the above mentioned Gianluca Grignani and Sony Music for the CD “A volte esagero”. September 2014 Marco Mastracci has been licensed as Foreign Legal Consultant for Italian legal matters in the State of New York (Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department). This is an implementation of Mr Mastracci’s way of working in order to better serve his clients, providing assistance on demand in New York to American clients who wish to receive assistance in the field of Italian law. He is member of the ABA - American Bar Association (ID 02236115) (and Member of the board for International Commercial Transactions, Franchising & Distribution at the American Bar Association) and the IBA – International Bar Association (membership number 1077763). December 2014 Marco Mastracci obtained the LL.M. in US Law for foreign lawyers at Washington University in St. Louis. Among current projects, Marco Mastracci is assisting Italian and foreign companies that intend to develop their business in Cuba. Publications Books for the Italian editor Alberto Castelvecchi: - “Articolo quinto” (2006), “Separarsi” (2012), “ Vittime delle Banche” (2014), “Potere e Perversione” (2014). “The Contract in International Transactions” (2015). - Juridical and economic collection “Anticorpi“ (creator and editor) (2013 – present). Newspaper and magazine articles: - “Il Trust è garanzia” (“Trust is a guarantee”, n.d.T.) published on the magazine Trustee ed Attività Fiduciarie of Maurizio Lupoi - Many articles published on the magazine “Italia Oggi” about labour law matters (2009 – present).

UK RE GIO N AL B USIN ES S PL A NNI NG & TA X A DVI SO R Y SE R VI CE S T E A M O F T H E Y E A R - MY CO N T R O L L E R

Windsor Office Tel:01753 840 948 Email: info@mycontroller.co.uk 67 St. Leonards Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 3BX Wokingham Office Tel: 0118 327 2390 Email: wokingham@mycontroller.co.uk Wokingham Business Centre, The Cour thouse, Er ftstadt Cour t, Denmark Street, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 2YF High Wycombe Office Tel: 01494 557 336 Email: highwycombe@mycontroller.co.uk Oakridge House, Wellington Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP12 3P

My Controller is an innovative, award winning and expanding Accountancy & Tax practice with offices in Berkshire, supporting businesses throughout the Thames Valley. The past three years have seen some significant strategic moves which you wouldn’t typically associate with your average accountant. Indeed, when you dig a little deeper, you soon realise there is nothing average about this firm at all. When you walk in to their Windsor office you would be forgiven for assuming you’ve entered a design consultancy and their clean desk policy is a far cry from the mountains of paper often associated with traditional firms. Multi-awarding winning accountancy and tax practice, My Controller, expands its reach with the addition of Wokingham in 2014 and a High Wycombe branch in 2015. Awarded four times recently for its business planning, tax advisory services and business leadership, this 12-year-old company rightly deserves a new practice. Partner, Mike Howell, points out: “What’s important is that we’ll be able to offer more people in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire our expertise. We’re inviting clients, new and old through our doors with our 21-point tax health checks and we’re ready to explain the complexities of the new pension rules in relation to auto-enrolment.” There are plenty more specifically tailored actions My Controller, can do to strengthen a company’s assets and its economic success.

Partner Debbie Parrish of the Windsor office explains: “We do everything you’d expect an accountancy and tax firm to do; but our main concern is acting in our client’s best interest at all times. Our fundamental aim is to improve profit and retain cash for each applicant’s own personal situation.” My Controller is a truly flexible business that will help guide you through HMRC’s complex tax maze and help you truly optimise your cash. With prior arrangement it offers a free initial consultation at a time and place to suit. Where My Controller differ from many Accounting practices is that they truly tailor their service to meet the needs of the client. Not only does that mean they can support start-ups and much larger organisations in a way to suit their individual objectives, it means that they can truly support the evolution of their clients too. The company website makes a strong initial impression for the brand and there are plans to open up new content areas to further support clients going forward. For example, you’ll find its White Paper on the current changes to pension schemes. Or view customer testimonials through its YouTube channel or scrutinize its best practice video tutorials. If you are looking for an Accountant who can truly support and inspire your plans for growth, get in touch with My Controller today.

UK REGIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, NEVES SOLICITORS LLP LEADING FEMALE LAWYER OF THE YEAR (RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE), CAROLINE HUME, NEVES SOLICITORS LLP

Neves Solicitors Tel 0844 6300 012 Email info@nevesllp.co.uk Website www.nevesllp.co.uk Offices in Harpenden, Luton, Milton Keynes and Nor thampton

Caroline Hume Partner, Head of Residential Property, SRO and COLP at Neves Solicitors LLP

Background Having graduated from Keele University in 1996 with LLB Hons Caroline then went on to attend Nottingham Law School to complete the Legal Practice Course with Distinction. Caroline commenced her training contract in 1997 with Luton firm Hopkins Reynolds & Co. and was admitted as a solicitor in August 1999. Joined the firm of Neves on its merger with Hopkins Reynolds in 2002 and originally based at Neves Luton office Caroline established a new office in the growing town of Milton Keynes in 2005. The Milton Keynes office has expanded rapidly since then increasing from a single room with one assistant in serviced office space to a stand alone premise employing over 30 staff including four partners. During this tremendous growth period Caroline became a Partner on the 1st June 2007 and at the same time took on the challenging but enjoyable role of Head of Residential Property. Caroline ensured that Neves successfully acquired Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation in 2014 and is the firm’s Senior Responsible Officer for the purposes of this accreditation. Areas of expertise Caroline is a self confessed property and planning geek. Her passion for property ensures that she maintains a busy residential property caseload alongside her management and leadership responsibilities.

Caroline leads a large and experienced team in our Milton Keynes office dealing with all manner of property transactions including the more routine freehold and leasehold properties, shared equity, shared ownership, right to buy, transfers of equity, self build, equity release, investment work, portfolio acquisition, new-build including Help to Buy 1, Help to Buy 2 and Armed Forces Help to Buy, acquisition of development sites, plot resales, Islamic financing products, unregistered land and escheat titles. Caroline and the Milton Keynes team are on the referral panel of more than 10 local independent estate agents. In addition to local agent work we are now working with major developers (including Barratts and Bloor Homes) on more than 15 development sites across the region ensuring that their purchasers are able to meet their reservation deadlines and secure their new home. Caroline particularly enjoys assisting clients in the acquisition of development land and thereafter providing support and advice through the planning process, negotiation of the planning agreements and undertakings and following successful conclusion of this process, drafting the plot sale documentation and managing the plot sale process. The firm Neves Solicitors is one of the longest established law firms in the Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes areas, with offices in Harpenden, Luton, Milton Keynes and Northampton. We offer a broad range of legal services for both private and business clients.

UK INTELLIGENCE GATHERING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, NEVYAN INTEL ASSET IDENTFICATION AND RECOVERY ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, NEVYAN INTEL

Nevyan Intel Name: Simon Sutton Email: davinchisecret1971@hushmail.com Web Address: www.nevyanintel.com Address: 1 Hardwicks Way, Hardwicks Square, London, SW18 4AW Telephone: 0203 194 4278

Nevyan Intel provide financial investigations, financial due diligence and offshore asset tracing services to High Net Worth Individuals, Corporate Clients in the legal and banking sector and for companies pursuing large judgement orders. We spoke to them about their company and the diverse range of services they provide. We are a highly professional organisation who takes pride in having a high level of communication and meeting deadlines and standards. We remain focused on our clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and manage their expectations. Our offices are always open to clients to discuss their concerns in confidence and privacy. Too many companies appear to not listen to clients concerns and fears, but we do. We remain diligent, focused and solution orientated. A strong reputation of delivering what many companies claim they can deliver, but often fall short on their objectives at great cost to their clients. We ensure our clients that we will deliver and provide high quality reporting standards and levels of communication that set the standards in the collation of verifiable and quantified evidence gathering. We emphasise these points at the first opportunity of meeting or discussing a new case. Some of our clients have worked with us since 1993, so these core values are proof of longevity in our client relationships. Another trait that sets us apart from our rivals. Our culture is centred around our strong values to do the right thing. We believe in giving a valued service, listening to clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and reaching a clear understanding and rhetoric, which help both parties meet there objectives. When clients look for companies in our industry, they should search for experience in a diverse field as a strong reputation and clear understanding of the obstacles that may present themselves in reaching a solution. To highlight our services, we use a strong marketing campaign including carrying out presentations on our work, which has proved to be a great success. We are extremely proud to be considered as one of the best in this industry. We have worked over the last 15-20 years to build a strong reputation globally and this award is indicative of the strides we have made in being one of the best in our field.

Awards like these are vital and a fundamental part of ensuring our clients confidence, when choosing to utilise our services. Engaging work of this kind is a big step for many clients as tracing hidden assets offshore and piercing offshore structures and trusts are an unknown quantity. Clients need to have the confidence that there interests are being best looked after and awards like this gives them that confidence. Quality of the intelligence and our reporting standards sets us apart from our rivals. We have had to overcome a great deal of rivals, whom heavily market and charge huge sums of monies and often deliver little. This is a stigma attached to our industry and we believe we are leading the way, certainly in the United Kingdom, in providing an unrivalled service in terms of cost efficiency and quality of our work.

NORDIC LONG/SHORT EQUITY F U N D O F T H E Y E A R, N O R D I C F U N D NO R R O N SE L E CT F UND , NO R R O N A S SE T MA NAG E ME NT F U ND MAN AGER OF THE YE A R, NO R R O N A S SE T M A NAG E ME N T

Norron AB Nicklas Granath Partner / Portfolio Manager Postal address: Oxtorgsgatan 4, S-111 57 Stockholm Sweden Mobile. + 46 (0)708-889242 W e b s i t e : w w w. n o r r o n . c o m

Norron Select is a long/short equity fund. The fund is being managed with an expected volatility in the range between 5 to 15 percent. The variation in the risk-taking is an important feature in the investment strategy. The investments are concentrated mainly to Nordic equities and derivatives with high liquidity. Norron Select captures several dimensions of the management team’s solid experience and outstanding track record, which is the ability to generate alpha, hedging strategies and the ability to take appropriate risk at the right time. The hedging strategies are proportionally (and strategically) allocated with index futures, index options, equity options, selected short positions in equities and other derivatives. To a large extent, the fund uses derivatives to manage both active position offensively, but also defensively as portfolio hedge. The selections process is based on Norron’s thorough equity research and derivative analysis.

The net exposure is expected to vary between -25 to 125 percent and the gross exposure is expected to vary between 70 to 200 percent. This is a consequence of the manager’s assessments of market trends, stock market directions, standard deviation (volatility) and alpha trends. The fund’s correlation with the stock market can be both high and low, and during some periods even negative. The managers of Norron have for almost three decades achieved competitive results and have received numerous awards in the Nordic capital markets. The managers have also been part of the same team and have made investment decisions in both recessions and booms, which has created a rigorous approach to risk-taking, investment strategies and stock-picking. The management of the fund is truly a team effort. With the support of well-established methods, Norron Select strives to deliver high risk-adjusted returns.

ROMANIA GAME C HAN GE R OF THE YEAR (NUCLEAR POW ER ) – NUC L EA R EL EC TR IC A COMPANY OF THE YEAR (POWER GENERATION) - NUCLEARELECTRICA

SN Nuclearelectrica SA 65 Polona street Bucharest, Romania www.nuclearelectrica.ro www.e -nuclear.ro

Set up in 1998, Nuclearelectrica, currently the only Romanian nuclear energy generator, produces clean energy using safe CANDU nuclear technology and heavy water as moderator and cooling agent. The company has two subsidiaries, Cernavoda NPP and Pitesti Fuel Manufacturing Plant, and it relies on a highly efficient domestic infrastructure that allows it to control the entire fuel cycle, from uranium ore to final storage. Nuclearelectrica is the 3rd most important energy producer in the country, covering approximately 20% of the consumption needs and a well-positioned company on the Romanian capital market.

schedule and unplanned outages energy loss three times lower than the global average per nuclear unit.

Operation of nuclear power plants requires rigorous and responsible management processes, highly trained specialists and coherent strategies around the clock. The obtained results placed Nuclearelectrica, at the end of September 2014, at the very top of global nuclear power plant ranks, out of out of 399 units pertaining to 173 utilities from 30 countries, based on the capacity factor since in service.

Our assumed social responsibility has been reflected throughout the entire operation life of the two units by developing significant civilian objectives for the community, ensuring high standards of living. As are part of the community we understand to contribute to our common well-being.

Our priorities are: nuclear safety as top priority, economic efficiency and responsibility for environment and population. The high level of nuclear safety is ensured by the design, construction and operation of nuclear equipments and it comprises all technical and organizational measures and related activities to protect both population and environment. The two units of Cernavoda NPP operate almost constantly at 100% full power, with a fuel consumption lower than design level, well-programmed outages completed on

In full compliance with its statute of listed company on the Bucharest Stock Exchange Market, Nuclearelectrica applies an efficient financial and economic policy based on rigorous market analysis taking into consideration all related internal and external associated risks. We focus on strategic investments and profitable energy selling contracts on the free market with the aim to constantly better position the company on the capital market.

Our main objectives remain the safe operation of nuclear units, constant improvement of financial and capital market performance indicators, availability of the power capacity above the average industry level and achievement of major strategic investments as highlighted by the active involvement in the development of two more nuclear Units at Cernavoda NPP. Focus on these objectives has already delivered significant results and we are keen on preserving our top positions at global level. With a large expertise and valuable human resources, we plan to take these assets to the next level and further develop our business.

SWITZERLAND INDEPENDENT A S SET MANAGER OF THE YEAR - ODYS SEY ANALYTIC SA HEDGE FUND OF THE YEAR (SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ) (ODYS SEY GREEN PLANET FUND) - ODYS SEY ANALYTIC SA

ODYSSEY ANALY TIC SA World Trade Centre Via Lugano 13 6982 Agno Switzerland Phone: +41-91-610 2970 www.odysseyanalytic.ch/

Odyssey Analytic is a Swiss Independent Asset manager based in southern Switzerland, near the city of Lugano. As an ethical firm we focus solely on Socially Responsible Investing. Being socially responsible defines our worldview and we express this in our investing by focusing on listed renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean water companies. But why these three sectors specifically? Quite simply it’s a story of demographics. Globally there will be a further billion people on our planet in the next twenty years. As energy consumption increases in the developing world, which will experience most of this population growth, it has decreased in the developed world due in no small part to the sustained application of energy efficiency technologies across all sectors of the economy with direct impact on energy usage. Energy efficiency technologies, by being a key limiting factor in energy consumption, represent to us a natural hedge to energy consumption. There is also a compelling economic case for the growing adoption of renewable sources of energy. Solar technologies rely on the principle of semiconduction and Moore’s law tells us that their efficiency will only improve exponentially. It is already at grid parity in 40 US states and it will only get cheaper. Electricity generated from hot geothermal and from landfill methane are already the two cheapest sources of energy available on the planet. Onshore wind, too, is already at cost parity with coal-generated power. If your energy demands are increasing, wouldn’t you choose the cheapest source? Well from now on, that’s renewable

energy. The world is currently in a water deficit due to our reliance on stored ground sources and the demands of a further billion people will exasperate this precarious situation. Water, however, is essential for the production of both renewable and carbon based energy – biofuels, hydropower, geothermal and solar power all require water to function, as does hydrofracture and thermal power. Water is the key limiting factor in energy production, and to make a little water go further we see the implementation of water efficiency and purification technologies as critical to the creation of energy, goods and food. Rural-to-urban migration is another key demographic trend at the centre of this story. People living together in close proximity require new types of services that allow for the development of cities. Energy management systems become critical. Clean water and waste systems which provide a reasonable standard of public health need to be maintained in order for these expanding cities to exist and function. We are therefore seeing a set of reinforcing feedback loops that will sustain our investment thesis over the next two decades. So how can we help you profit from this future today? We offer managed accounts to institutional investors and family offices focused on these themes, which can have customized risk-reward profiles. We also offer advisory services to hedge funds so that they too may be involved in this area of economic growth.

UK NICHE RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR (DIGITAL), OPILIO RECRUITMENT

Philip Shepherd CEO +44 (0)20 7183 7145 philip.shepherd@opilio.co.uk www.opiliorecruitment.co.uk 48 Charlotte St London W1T 2NS

Opilio Recruitment is a niche digital recruitment business with offices in London, Birmingham and Manchester, UK. Established in 2010 we recruit for digital marketing, web technology, sales and commercial roles for some of the best know global brands in the digital space. We are really grateful to our clients who have helped us to succeed and have consistently chosen us to deliver their highly specialised recruitment campaigns. Over the years we have retained over 94% of our clients, including well known global businesses such as The Walt Disney Company, the BBC, Penguin Random House and Universal Music. Other companies we work with are tech start-ups, digital marketing agencies, retailers and big data providers. We are in a unique position in being able to offer clients an extensive network of candidates that have been built up through our founders: Philip Shepherd, our CEO and Co-Founder, has lived and worked all over the world and is passionate about meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. He has previously run the commercial operations of digital music start-ups. Ben Stinton, our Technical Director and Co-Founder, has over 15 years’ experience in technology as a PHP Developer, creating successful web applications and SaaS products. Outside of recruitment, Ben has worked as a Project Manager, was the Operations Director in an SME and founded his own SaaS start-up.

Opilio Recruitment is built on our core values of moral integrity, entrepreneurialism, reliability and respect. We have always been driven to provide exceptional service and will always strive to meet our clients’ and candidates’ needs, as we truly value having long lasting personal relationships. Whilst the majority of our business is conducted in the UK we have also had the privilege to recruit for global campaigns in Japan, US, Australia, Germany and Dubai. The UK is recognised as leading the way when it comes to all things digital and we are in a fortunate position to offer our candidates some amazing opportunities to work across the globe. Over the years we have consistently grown our business and we have an incredible team of intelligent and passionate people that love delivering on recruitment campaigns. We get a great sense of satisfaction when a client or candidate recommends our services as we know we have done something right. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my team; all of this just would not be possible without them. Please take a few minutes to visit our website at www.opiliorecruitment.co.uk and if you would like the help of our services please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Thanks again to everyone who has made this possible.

UK RENEWABLE ENERGY ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, OST ENERGY

Si mo n Tu r n e r

O l iver S o per

OST Energy was established in Brighton in 2008 by Oliver Soper and Simon Turner, with the aim of providing exceptional technical consultancy services built upon a diverse and extensive experience within the rapidly changing international renewables market. Today, we have an on-the-ground presence in five continents and have worked on projects in more than 40 countries world-wide. From initial development to maintaining and operating the assets, OST Energy offers independent, unbiased specialist knowledge to our clients across the entire lifecycle and value chain of a project. We are at the forefront of providing technical advice for project financing across multiple renewable energy technologies to Investors, Lenders, IPPs, Utilities, Manufacturers and Developers, allowing them accurate insight they can rely on. October saw the continued success of OST Energy recognised through the acquisition of the company by Edif ERA. Edif ERA work in critical industries and environments world-wide, providing engineering and consultancy services to reduce risk, optimise performance and enhance capability, giving customers the confidence to build operational success.OST enhances this offering by providing a through-life suite of services to the renewable energy market.

OST Energy Ltd. 2nd Floor Offices Nile House Nile Street Brighton BN1 1HW Tel. +44 (0)1273 819429 Email info@ostenergy.com Web http://www.ostenergy.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/ost-energy

Steve Lancaster, Managing Director, Edif ERA, commented: “The addition of OST Energy is a very exciting proposition for Edif ERA. With a shared ambition for internationalization within the renewables and wider energy industries, our blend of complementary services will provide a unique offering to our clients on every major continent.” Rob Dilworth, CEO, Edif Group, commented: “OST Energy will be our 12th acquisition and continues our ambitious growth plan to build an integrated group of companies providing a comprehensive range of testing, inspection, certification and consultancy services within the TICC sector. OST Energy is a like-minded entrepreneurial business that I believe will flourish as part of Edif Group.” Oliver Soper, Founder and Director, OST Energy, commented: “The management and the staff of OST Energy are delighted to join a larger and similarly ambitious company with a fantastic historic growth rate and proven engineering pedigree. We look forward to continue growing internationally as part of the EDIF Group and widening our offering of best in class engineering services throughout our combined global footprint.” For both Oliver and Simon Turner, OST Energy’s founders, to be recognised as Technical Advisory Firm of the year for the 6th time in 7 years is an incredible achievement and OST wishes to thank all of our clients and colleagues for their support in building this success.

SWITZERLAND PATENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - P&TS LTD PATENT LAWYER OF THE YEAR - CHRISTOPHE SAAM, P&TS LTD

P&TS Ltd Av. J.-J. Rousseau 4 PO BOX 2848 2001 Neuchâtel Switzerland Tel: +41-032-7271427 Fax +41-032-7271424 www.patentattorneys.ch

P&TS Ltd is an impressive team of dedicated experts with extensive specials skills both in the field of technology and in intellectual property law. We thus assist the most innovative companies to develop efficient intellectual property strategies throughout the world. The firm was founded in 1998 in Neuchâtel (Switzerland) by Christophe Saam. It is now also active in Zurich as well as in Clermont-Ferrand (France) and in Dublin (Ireland). P&TS rapidly emerged as a true success story in the landscape of Swiss patent firms; in 2014, it was shortlisted, along with 5 other finalists of the Prix SVC, as one of most dynamic SMEs in the French part of Switzerland. We are notably specialised in patents, trademarks, designs and technology surveys. Furthermore, we have considerable expertise in the field of technology transfer and in the creation of value from intellectual property by means of licensing agreements or during litigation. We are qualified to represent applicants with the Swiss, German, French, British, Irish and European Patent

Offices. 2 attorneys are have been elected as deputy judges at the Swiss Federal Patent Court. With a large team or engineer and physicists, we work in most fields of technology, but amongst others we especially appreciate inventions related to: s )#4 n INCLUDING SOFTWARE TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS METHODS cryptography, industrial software, apps, etc. s %LECTRONICS n INCLUDING MICROELECTRONIC ANALOGIC CIRCUITS DIGITAL CIRCUITS LOW power circuits, display drivers, etc s -ICROTECHNOLOGY n INCLUDING WATCHES METROLOGY SENSORS -%-3 IMAGE sensors, optics, etc. s -EDTECH INCLUDING MEDICAL DEVICES DIAGNOSTIC DEVICES MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES implants, etc s -ACHINES n INCLUDING LATHES INJECTIONS DEVICES #.# MACHINES ETC s #HEMISTRY n INCLUDING MATERIALS

GERMANY IP LIT I GATION L AW FIRM O F T H E YE A R - PAT E NT SH I P PAT E N TA N WA LT S G E S E L L S CH A F T MB H IP L AWYER OF THE Y EA R, D R R O BE RT KL I NSKI - PAT E NTS H I P PAT E N TA N WA LT S G E S E L L S CH A F T MB H

Dr. Rober t Klinski, Managing Director PATENTSHIP Patentanwaltsgesellschaft mbH Phone number with international prefix: +49-(0)89-75969869-0 Email address: mail@patentship.eu Web address: www.patentship.eu

Primary area of expertise: PATENTSHIP is headquartered in Munich and is specialized in patent prosecution and litigation in the fields of electrical engineering, telecommunications, software, mechanics, medical devices, chemistry and life sciences. PATENTSHIP’s team supports leading technology companies, universities and start-ups in Germany and worldwide. PATENTSHIP has a profound patent prosecution experience in Germany, EU, USA, China and Japan. Its team members have comprehensive scientific and industrial background, enabling the efficient prosecution and litigation of relating to most demanding technologies. PATENTSHIP further has a strong patent litigation experience resulting from national and international patent litigations, including US proceedings, which have been successfully handled by PATENTSHIP for years.

PATENTSHIP’s further services include IP monetization and startup incubation services. As far as startup incubation is concerned, PATENTSHIP has founded its own startup incubator, IP Enterprises, see www.ip-enterprises.com. Dr. Robert Klinski studied electrical engineering and telecommunications at the Technical University Hamburg-Harburg and received his doctorate with honors from the Munich Technical University in the field of mobile communication technologies. He also worked as researcher with the Fraunhofer Institute in Munich where he designed wired and wireless communication systems. Dr. Robert Klinski is the founder and managing director of PATENTSHIP. He has extensive experience in patent prosecution and litigation in particular in the area of telecommunication systems and communication networks. Dr. Robert Klinski has been successfully representing a globally operating network operator in a number of infringement lawsuits initiated by NPEs and corresponding nullity proceedings. He further successfully defended a major telecommunications enterprise in numerous nullity and infringement proceedings in the field of wireless communication networks.

GERMANY INS OLVEN CY & R ESTR U C T UR I NG L AW F I R M O F T H E YE A R - P LU TA R E CH T S A N WA LT S G MB H GAMECHANGER OF TH E YE A R ( I NSO LVE NC Y & R E ST R U C T U R I N G ) - M I C H A E L P LU TA , P LU TA R E C H T S A N WA LT S G M B H

Michael Pluta, Co-Founder of PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH Dr. Maximilian Pluta, Head of Restructuring at PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH

Michael Pluta

Contact Details PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH Karlstraße 33 89073 Ulm +49 731 96880-0 info@pluta.net

Dr. Maximilian Pluta

Structural Reorganisation Required During an economic slowdown, most companies usually introduce comprehensive measures to reduce costs. In principle, of course, it makes sense to take a close look at costs and finances during a crisis. However, experience shows that such financial measures alone frequently fall short of their goal. Many a large company has had to introduce a further cost cutting programme, just a few years after the first one in order to make profits stable. Although the enterprises have lower costs and fewer debts, they often continue to operate in the same structure and follow the same strategy with very few changes, if any at all. As a rule, crises are caused by business operations This is where the root of the problem is to be found. A crisis can only be overcome on a sustainable basis if the causes are eliminated. And, as a rule, they are not to be found in the bookkeeping, but in the operations. Analysing the true causes is a laborious task. This requires not only courage, but also meticulousness if the organisation is to be changed in such a way that it will once more become competitive on a long-term basis and generate a return which is normal for the respective sector.

Such a structural reorganisation must of course be accompanied by financial measures. Nevertheless, focus must be on restructuring and reorganising the company – from purchasing, R&D and production to logistics and distribution. The task in each individual area is to analyse processes, identify weaknesses and eliminate them. Without any doubt, at the end of the day, savings will have to be made. However, these will be the result of a change in operational processes and not the result of indiscriminate, across-the-board cuts. At the heart of successful restructuring processes, there is integrated corporate planning – with a plan of action and appropriate key performance indicators which can be checked on a regular basis. In practice, it is all too often the case that a company’s management only draws up such an integrated corporate plan upon a crisis arising – but this should actually be one of the tools used by every company. About PLUTA For more than 30 years now, PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH has been an expert in restructuring and turning around companies that have been affected by a crisis. With more than 330 employees in over 40 offices in Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland, PLUTA is counted among the leading companies in this sector.

UK A S S ET BA SED LENDER OF THE YEAR (MID MARKET) - PNC BUSINES S CREDIT

Telephone +44 (0) 1444 475820 or email DoneDeal@pncbusinesscredit.co.uk AssetBasedLendingUK.co.uk

PNC Business Credit is committed to being the premier provider of full service Asset Based Lending (ABL) to U.K. mid market companies and is very proud to have again won ACQ Global Awards UK Asset Based Lender of the Year Mid Market 2015. A UK Leader In Funding Solutions For Mid Market Companies PNC Business Credit is one of the leading U.K. Asset-Based lenders to the Private Equity community, advisors and companies alike. We provide funding solutions for mid market companies that deliver detailed understanding and flexibility, combined with unparalleled client access to our senior team. In the UK, we have completed over 70 new mid-market ABL transactions, with total funding commitments in excess of ÂŁ1 billion. Across our 48 ABL offices in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada, we have completed over 900 deals in the last 5 years, with over $35bn in commitments under management. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Done Dealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; More Than Just A Tag Line At PNC Business Credit, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Done Dealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is more than just a tag line. It defines our business. With PNC Business Credit, you have the confidence that comes from the strength and stability of an industry leader dedicated to your success. One who will be there for you today and tomorrow, supporting you in reaching your ambitions. We offer flexible capital solutions for a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, wholesale and distribution, technology, retail, staffing, transportation and energy. Optimum Levels Of Finance We deliver optimum levels of finance to power your success whatever your business and the challenges and opportunities you are facing;

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'ROWTH -ANAGEMENT "UY /UT "UY )N -ERGERS !CQUISITIONS 2ECAPITALISATION 2EFINANCE 2ESTRUCTURE 4URNAROUND

and find value in a wide range of assets; s !CCOUNTS 2ECEIVABLE s )NVENTORY s -ACHINERY s &REEHOLD 0ROPERTY s "RANDS s #ASH &LOWS

Do You Have A Deal That Needs To Get Done? Telephone +44 (0) 1444 475820 or email DoneDeal@pncbusinesscredit.co.uk AssetBasedLendingUK.co.uk PNC Financial Services UK Limited, a company incorporated in England with registered number 07341483. The company's registered office is at PNC House, 34-36 0ERRYMOUNT 2OAD (AYWARDS (EATH 2( $. PNC and PNC Bank are registered marks of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. ("PNC"). In the U.K., lending products are provided by PNC Financial Services UK Ltd., which is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of PNC Bank, National Association ("PNC Bank"). Lending products and services require credit approval. PNC Financial Services UK Ltd does not provide legal, tax or accounting advice. ÂŠ 2015 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

GERMANY DE BT & CAPITAL ADV ISO R Y F I R M O F T H E YE A R, P w C BANK R UPTCY & R ESTR U C T UR I NG A DVI SO R Y F I R M O F T HE Y E A R, P wC

PricewaterhouseCoopers Aktiengesellschaft Wir tschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft Friedrich-Eber t-Anlage 35-37 60327 Frankfur t am Main www.pwc.de/en/ Contact Persons: Dr. Derik Ever tz Tel: +49 69 9585-5548 derik.ever tz@de.pwc.com Dr. Derik Evertz

Daniel Judenhahn Tel: +49 69 9585-6976 daniel.judenhahn@de.pwc.com

Daniel Judenhahn

Our clients face diverse challenges, strive to put new ideas into practice and seek expert advice. They turn to us for comprehensive support and practical solutions that deliver maximum value. Whether for a global player, a family business or a public institution, we leverage all of our assets: experience, industry knowledge, high standards of quality, commitment to innovation and the resources of our expert network in 157 countries. Building a trusting and cooperative relationship with our clients is particularly important to us – the better we know and understand our clients’ needs, the more effectively we can support them. PwC. 9,400 dedicated people at 29 locations. €1.55 billion in turnover. The leading auditing and consulting firm in Germany.

PwC’s restructuring practice in Germany PwC’s restructuring consultants and financial advisors support clients in operational, strategic and financial crisis situations. The focus of advice is on: s )NDEPENDENT BUSINESS REVIEWS LIQUIDITY ANALYSIS AND RESTRUCTURING REPORTS s $EBT #APITAL !DVISORY IN SPECIAL SITUATIONS s 3TRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL RESTRUCTURING ADVICE INCLUDING IMPLEMENTATION support s $ISTRESSED - ! AND OPTIMIZED EXIT SERVICES s )NSOLVENCY RELATED ISSUES

GERMANY MOST TR USTED - PR IVAT E E Q UI T Y A DVI SO R Y F I R M O F T H E Y E A R - P W C G E R MA N Y GAMECHANGER OF TH E YE A R ( P R I VAT E E Q UI T Y) , ST E VE R O B E RT S - P W C G E R M A N Y

Steve Rober ts Friedrich Eber t Anlage 35-37 60327 Frankfur t am Main Germany 069 95 85 19 50 steven.m.rober ts@de.pwc.com

Private equity clients face diverse challenges that require in-depth expertise to be tackled effectively. We offer the professional advice needed to provide transparency for decision-makers and provide services to support our clients through a transaction from beginning to end. The dynamic nature of the industry and its oftentimes complex deal structures call for comprehensive support and practical solutions that deliver maximum value. Our dedicated private equity specialists leverage their combined experience, industry knowledge and high quality standards with our extensive resources, commitment to innovation and expert network across 157 countries. We strive to build trusting and cooperative relationships with our clients, by offering our experience and expertise to meet their needs effectively. PwC is the leading auditing and consulting firm in Germany with €1.55 billion in turnover and 9,300 employees at 28 locations.

Our client range comprises Private Equity firms and portfolio companies in all phases of an investment: mergers & acquisitions, deals & consulting, valuation, tax services and audit & accounting and exit services. We work with our clients to develop solutions that are tailored to their needs and assist in implementing them, whether they are of a financial, commercial, regulatory, tax or legal nature. PwC’s well-versed experts have comprehensive knowledge and long-standing experience in the transaction environment, as well as a thorough understanding of the complex challenges the Private Equity industry poses. Our ultimate goal is to help our clients achieve sustainable success. For this purpose we have aligned our services to meet the current requirements of the market and will continue to adapt as conditions change.

NETHERLANDS BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, PWC BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING ADVISOR OF THE YEAR, RICK VAN DOMMELEN, PWC

Rick van Dommelen, Par tner Netherlands M&A Advisor y Tele: +31 887 926 476 Mob: +31 6 51607076 rick.van.dommelen@nl.pwc.com Linkedin: nl.linkedin.com/pub/rick-van-dommelen/0/38b/49b

Rick van Dommelen, Partner in The Netherlands, with focus on business restructuring and operational consulting. We advise clients on the operational and financial aspects of transactions.

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Decisive and pragmatic If your company shows signs of weakness in performance, it is essential to act as quickly as possible. During periods such as these, the information provided to your stakeholders is very important. Our objective is to help management to work through the process of significant financial and operational improvement. Specialisms: s "USINESS 3TRATEGY s - ! EXPERIENCE s #ARVE OUTS s 2ESTRUCTURING s /PERATIONAL $UE $ILIGENCE s &INANCIAL 2EVIEWS s &INANCIAL -ODELLING

Restructuring your company could restore its viability and improve its liquidity position. We can show you how to achieve this by helping you develop realistic and pragmatic plans and conduct negotiations with your stakeholders. We can also provide practical assistance with the restructuring or the business improvement process. How we can help Our work involves helping management to rebuild performance, enhance profitability and build a stable platform for sustainable growth. Our professionALS DRAW ON A PORTFOLIO OF FINANCIAL OPERATIONAL AND MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE We advise and help management, the financiers and other stakeholders of these companies.

UK SUSTAINABILITY PRIVATE EQUITY ADVISOR OF THE YEAR - PWC LLP

Phil Case Director PwC Sustainability & Climate Change Tel: +44 (0) 207 212 4166 Email: Philip.v.case@uk.pwc.com www.pwc.co.uk

Phil Case, director, PwC, examines how sustainability issues have risen up the private equity agenda and are driving opportunities of their own. Managing ESG issues to protect and create value Our 2013 Global Survey of Private Equity (PE) House views on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues (Putting a Price on Value) canvassed the views of 103 Houses in 18 countries. One of the findings was that a key driver for action on ESG issues was pressure from Limited Partners (LPs). Consequently, we have recently concluded a dialogue with 60 LPs in 14 countries to understand their perspectives. As with the PE Survey, almost all LP participants (97%) believed that the importance of ESG issues would continue to rise over the next 2 years. Most (83%) already have a Responsible Investment Policy, and many (71%) indicated that they would turn down an investment on ESG grounds, or impose ESG terms as a condition of investment. Many LPs clearly see ESG issues as important to value protection and enhancement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and therefore as part of their fiduciary duty to investors. In turn, many GPs are working to integrate consideration of ESG issues throughout the investment life cycle, from pre-acquisition, through the hold period, to preparation for exit.

Challenges remain for both GPs and LPs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for example, in prioritising scarce resources on managing only material ESG issues, in setting realistic KPIs and reporting progress effectively, and in capturing the precise value of ESG initiatives. Nevertheless, the need for, and broad benefits of, a responsible investment approach are now doubted by few, and the direction of travel for this agenda seems clear. How we can help your business Our global sustainability and climate change team works with public and private sector clients to make business and economic sense of sustainability and climate change. Our global sustainability and climate change team of around 800, is led by the firm in the UK (100). We use our strong industry experience to provide specialist support in financial services. A multi award winning specialist Private Equity team focuses on environmental, social and governance (ESG) or Responsible Investment issues faced by our PE clients. From pre-acquisition sustainability assessments, through portfolio company ESG reviews during the â&#x20AC;&#x153;holdâ&#x20AC;? period, to sustainability advice at exit, we identify the value that can be protected and created, and that can be monetised, through focusing on ESG issues at all stages.

The UK - SUSTAINABILITY PRIVATE EQUITY ADVISOR OF THE YEAR Award from ACQ is recognition of PwCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing commitment to and expertise in sustainability in the Financial Services sector. To find out more see www.pwc.com/sustainability

UK HEDGE FUND ADVISORY TEAM OF THE YEAR, PWC

Lachlan J Roos Par tner, UK Hedge Fund Leader Office: +442072131309 Email: lachlan.j.roos@uk.pwc.com Moonir Kazi Director, UK Hedge Fund Tax Leader Office: +44 (0) 207 213 3420 Email: moonir.x.kazi@uk.pwc.com

Our fully integrated tax, audit, regulatory and legal services offers an all-in-one service where any deal can be catered for and any territory is serviced by local subject matter experts. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve invested a lot in our network and our pools of expertise reflect market trends. At the moment, for instance, we have very deep talent in the real estate and illiquid credit space. We strive to keep our hedge fund advisory practice at the forefront of market developments and trends because we understand that our clients are increasingly looking at new ways of guaranteeing total return, so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re constantly flexing our solutions to match non-homogeneous business structures. Keeping an open dialogue with industry, regulators, authorities and the service sector is key to ensuring longevity. Our key hedge fund services include: s s s s s s

4ARGET AND ASSET DUE DILIGENCE !SSET AND STRATEGY ONBOARDING -ERGERS ACQUISITIONS )NVESTMENT PERSONNEL TRAINING FOR TAX AND REGULATORY )NTERNATIONAL STRUCTURING 4AX AUDIT AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

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,ICENCE APPLICATIONS )NDIRECT TAXATION SUPPORT AND COMPLIANCE /UTSOURCING SERVICES 4RANSFER PRICING

4HE ECONOMIC CLIMATE OF RECENT YEARS FORCED EVERYONE TO LOOK AT WHERE VALUE could be derived most efficiently. We have brought this mentality with us into a very positive period of growth and helped our clients to meet the expectaTIONS OF INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED YET CAUTIOUS INVESTORS )N ORDER TO MEET these challenges we invest greatly at all levels and ensure that our clients are provided with the strongest possible supporting team. Nurturing our upcoming talent and promoting relationships to the top of the agenda will be critical to STAYING AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION 4ECHNOLOGY AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY WILL BE key to our clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; margins, so we are working hard to develop new solutions all the time. Being passionate about providing the highest possible quality service is central TO HOW WE BEHAVE BOTH WITHIN 0W# AND IN THE MARKET )NDIVIDUALITY IS celebrated and new ideas are given the help they need to grow.

SWEDEN SYSTEMATIC EQUITY MARKET NEUTRAL FUND OF THE YEAR (QQM EQUITY HEDGE), QQM FUND MANAGEMENT AB FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR, QQM FUND MANAGEMENT AB

QQM Fund Management AB Kungsgatan 44 SE-111 35 Stockholm Sweden Email: ola@qqm.se Web: http://www.qqm.se/

Stockholm domiciled QQM Equity Hedge is a systematic, equity market neutral absolute return fund based on proprietary quantitative models (earnings momentum, earnings surprise, earnings guidance). The investment universe is liquid stocks in eight European markets (CH, DE, DK, FI, NL, NO, SE). The correlation with MSCI world is aimed to be close to 0, and the target annualised volatility is 5-10%. All investments are subject to an ethical and norm based screening for compliance with UN Global Compact principles by Ethix SRI Advisors. Since July 2010 the fund is managed by the partners Ola BjĂśrkmo and Jonas Sandefeldt Management fee is 1% per annum and performance fee: 20% above OMRX-Tbill with high water mark and liquidity is monthly. The market neutral strategy is particular attractive in the current low rate environment. QQM Equity Hedge is seeing strong demand for the fund from institutional clients as well as high net worth individuals, who appreciate the market neutral strategy generating strong returns while adhering to ESG principles.â&#x20AC;?

The partners and fund managers Ola BjĂśrkmo and Jonas Sandefeldt both have significant investments in the fund. Mr BjĂśrkmo has a degree from Stockholm School of Economics and previously served as Managing Director of Ă&#x2013;hman Asset Management and had senior positions at Brummer & Partners and Ă&#x2013;hman Group. Mr Sandefeldt has an MSc in Physics from Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and also studied Economics and Business at Stockholm University. Mr Sandefeldt served as a quantitative analyst at AP1-3 and Brummer & Partners, before joining Ă&#x2013;hman Asset Management as portfolio manager and analyst focusing on quantitative investment strategies. Assets under management in QQM Equity hedge are 59mUSD as of end of July 2015. The information provided in this document is meant only for general reading purposes and is not an offer to sell securities of any investment fund or a solicitation of offers to buy any such securities. Before making any investments the reader is advised to seek independent professional advice in order to be able to make a sound investment decision. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

UK BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (IMMIGRATION), QUANTUM IMMIGRATION LLP

Quantum Immigration LLP 99 Bishopsgate The City London EC2M 3XD Tele: 0207 692 1845

Quantum Immigration LLP is a London based boutique firm specialising in Immigration Law. With over 10 years of industry related experience, our Partners and associates take pride in providing not only tailored legal services to our individual and corporate clients, but also a comprehensive support network throughout each application process. We focus on providing timely and robust case management in conjunction with transparent and effective solutions. Beyond its commercial remit, Quantum Immigration is a conscientious firm with Partners undertaking 4 pro bono cases per year. Sharan Birring, Quantum Immigration’s Legal Director/Partner, presides over family immigration matters and points based system applications. This includes, but is not limited to; Tier 1, spouse, unmarried, fiancé and civil partner applications, settlement, nationality, asylum and human rights and Tier 4 visa applications. Alongside being a formidable advocate and practicing law in a senior capacity at various esteemed public sector and private practice organisations, Sharan has a holistic appreciation of immigration law. Most recently, she worked in the Middle East providing consultations to Government officials and UKTI representatives. This lateral reach in Sharan’s practice background has translated to Quantum Immigration’s success in consistently maintaining high success rates at application and appeal stages in this division.

At Quantum Immigration, we understand that first impressions count; even more so where global migration is concerned. The Corporate division, headed by our Commercial Director/Partner Simon Gill, operates on the basis of ensuring all commercial immigration cases are managed with the primary aim of resolving immigration matters as well as reaching the most economically suitable solutions for our entrepreneur and high net worth clientele. This comprehensive approach has been instrumental in Quantum Immigration’s corporate division success rate to date. Services offered by the corporate and commercial division at Quantum Immigration include; Tier 1 Investor and Entrepreneur visa applications; Tier 2 General, Sponsor License, IntraCompany Transfers visa applications and global mobility /outbound visa applications. In a short expanse of time, Quantum Immigration has demonstrated its ability to be an innovative leader in the field of boutique immigration law services by harnessing the wealth of experience between its Partners and associates. Going forward, Quantum Immigration will not only continue to provide exceptional immigration law services to its clients, but do so with 3 core values at the forefront of our practice – Ethical, Efficient, Expertise.

UK REGULATORY ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR (COMPLIANCE AND REGULATORY), ROBERT QUINN CONSULTING LTD GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (COMPLIANCE AND REGULATORY), ROBERT QUINN, ROBERT QUINN CONSULTING LTD

Rober t Quinn Consulting Ltd 32 Duke Street St James’s London, SW1Y 6DF United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)20 7958 9127 www.rober tquinn.co.uk compliance@rober tquinn.co.uk

Robert Quinn Consulting Ltd founded in 2007, is one of the largest independently owned, financial regulatory compliance consultancies, in London. We provide tailored advice to financial services companies on their FCA, SEC, CFTC/NFA, FINRA ESMA and EU regulatory obligations. At Robert Quinn Consulting we work in trusted partnership with our clients. We understand your business requirements and can offer pragmatic, advice with a strategic outlook that will help you to build and grow your business. Robert Quinn is one of the only compliance consultancies under one roof in London that fundamentally understands both UK and U.S. regulatory obligations. Our team of dynamic senior compliance consultants have significant in-house experience to provide you with practical regulatory advice and excellent customer service.

At Robert Quinn Consulting, you can be confident that you are getting pragmatic advice from consultants who have been in your shoes. With over 75 years of experience in the industry, we understand your business and therefore can provide bespoke commercial compliance solutions, tailored to client’s needs. As senior in-house consultants we know what clients want and need and are therefore extremely focused on providing superior customer service, with timely delivery and accessibility. We work with many different types and sizes of financial services companies including: hedge funds, asset managers, corporate finance, private equity/venture capital companies, fund of funds, broker/dealers, and real estate managers.

PORTUGAL ARBITRATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L. CRIMINAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L. WHITE COLLAR LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L. CUSTOMER SERVICE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L. GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (ARBITRATION), ROGERIO ALVES, ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - SOCIEDADE DE ADVOGADOS, R.L.

Rogério Alves & Associados – Law Firm Address: Av. Álvares Cabral, 61 - 4.º, 1250-017 Lisbon Por tugal Tel: +351 21 391 10 40 Email: geral@raassociados.pt Web: www.raassociados.pt

ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - LAW FIRM, in Lisbon, is formed by the coming together of several lawyers around former Bar Association Chairman Rogério Alves, partaking in their love for the profession and their individual track-record. ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - LAW FIRM’s motto is: the strong and determined defence of our clients' rights, wherever it matters. Our main concern is to advise our clients, in a highly skilled, permanent and attentive manner, on how to best fulfil their rights and comply with their duties and obligations. To choose pre-emptive legal advice as centrepiece of dispute resolution, to uphold the law in all its aspects, to abide with applicable professional ethics and to defend, wherever necessary, the rights we are entrusted with. ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - LAW FIRM’s determination and focus are the centrepiece in providing flawless and thourough legal advice to our clients. In the defense of our Client’s rights, ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - LAW FIRM assesses all angles in each dispute and advise its Client on how achieve their goals, under the Law. Our main practice areas are as follows: 1. Litigation & Arbitration Litigation incorporates one of the main aspects of forensics. It is where our clients’

interests must be legally defended, through courts and other decision-making entities. Arbitration has been standing out within litigation as a new and modern way of accessing a final legal ruling, in a swifter, less formal and therefore more efficient manner. Whether having litigation with criminal, civil or commercial nature, and also in matters related to private international law, we fully commit ourselves to each case, with maximum competence and fighting spirit, in order to uphold the rights of those who entrust them with us. 2. Business Law ROGÉRIO ALVES & ASSOCIADOS - LAW FIRM’s business law practice area has been created in order to provide a fully integrated and comprehensive legal service for professional clients - companies and entrepreneurs - as to start, develop and grow a business venture. Thriving to provide a vast array of legal advice designed specifically for businesses. 3. Public Law Our practise area of public law aims to provide clients with a specialised service in the various aspects of administrative law, with main focus in the areas of procurement, planning law and construction law, public employment, environmental law, fund law and community funding, expropriation and administrative law in general.

UK TRANSITION COACHING CONSULTANT OF T HE YEAR - RIALTO CONSULTANCY

Richard Chiumento The Rialto Consultancy 25 Southampton Buildings Chancer y Lane London WC2A 1AL M: +44 (0)7768 713 293 T: +44 (0)20 3043 8640 www.rialtoconsultancy.com

s 2IALTO SPECIALISES IN UNIQUE CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND TRANSFORMATION SOLUTIONS WHICH DELIVER EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS /UR SERVICES INCLUDE 4RANSFORMING THE 0ERFORMANCE #ULTURE %XECUTIVE /UTPLACEMENT #AREER 2EALIGNMENT /UTPLACEMENT #AREER 4RANSITION %XECUTIVE 3EARCH )NTERIM -ANAGEMENT 2EVITALISING ,EADERSHIP 4ALENT -ANAGEMENT AND #OST /PTIMISATION s 7E ARE ONE OF THE 5+ S MOST HIGHLY RESPECTED MULTI AWARD WINNING CONSULTANCIES 7E SPECIALISE IN HELPING BUSINESSES GROW INCREASE ORGANISATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND PROFITABILITY BY DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES AND IMPROVING PERFORMANCE /UR RESOURCES INCLUDE CONSULTANTS LOCATED IN BOTH THE 5+ %UROPE s 7E HAVE DELIVERED ON IMPRESSIVE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FIGURES n PARTICULARLY THROUGH OUR 4RANSFORMING THE 0ERFORMANCE #ULTURE )0 INCLUDING 40# PROGRAMMES EARLY AND CURRENT )0 OVER PAST YEARS a MILLION REDUNDANCY AND CHANGE COSTS SAVED OF A TYPICAL WORKFORCE STEP UP PERFORMANCE SELF SELECT AN EXIT 7ITHIN MONTHS TURNED A LOSS MAKING BUSINESS INTO PROFIT !VERAGE SALES INCREASE !VERAGE INCREASE IN PROFIT RECORD SALES AND RECORD PROFIT PROJECTS DELIVERED !VERAGE IMPROVEMENT IN %NGAGEMENT

!LIGNMENT AND !GILITY - !VERAGE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IMPROVEMENT - 7ON @"EST SECTOR (2 TEAM !WARD FOR ONE CLIENT 3ECURED IMPROVEMENT IN ALL BUSINESS METRICS EXCEPT ONE FOR A MAJOR MANUFACTURER - #REATED ACHIEVEMENTS WHICH HAVE LED TO ENTRIES FOR %%& BEST PRACTICE AWARDS ACHIEVED ND PLACE IN ALL CATEGORIES - &INALIST OF THE (2 $ISTINCTION !WARDS ADDING VALUE CATEGORY 3HORTLISTED BY THE #)0$ AS #ONSULTANCY OF THE 9EAR 2IALTO SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESSES SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING LEADERSHIP ISSUES SUCH AS s %NABLING LEADERS AND MANAGERS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO DELIVER GREAT RESULTS TO TAKE INCREASED OWNERSHIP AND DRIVE IMPROVED PERFORMANCE THROUGH THE BUSINESS s "ETTER ALIGNING EXISTING TEAM CAPABILITY TO BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS CREATING A STEP CHANGE IN PERFORMANCE WHILST MAINTAINING STAFF ENGAGEMENT DURING UNCERTAIN TIMES s )NNOVATIVELY RESTRUCTURING REDUCING OR CHANGING HEADCOUNT WHILST CREATING GREATER LEVELS OF ENERGY AGILITY n WITHOUT TRIGGERING TRADITIONAL REORGANISATION REDUNDANCIES TRAUMA OR THE COSTS s -EETING STRETCHED TARGETS WITH A WORKFORCE @RUNNING ON EMPTY

CHANNEL ISLANDS FUND CONSULTING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, SATOR REGULATORY CONSULTING LIMITED RESTRUCTURING ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, SATOR REGULATORY CONSULTING LIMITED GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, HELEN HATTON, SATOR REGULATORY CONSULTING LIMITED

Please visit our websites: www.sator.je & www.kycworldwide.com Or contact us today on 01534 617298 admin@sator.je Sator Regulator y Consulting Limited Spectrum 8A, Gloucester Street St Helier Jersey JE2 3DB

Sator Regulatory Consulting Limited was founded in 2009 by Helen Hatton, the former Deputy Director General of the Jersey Financial Services Commission, Sator delivers regulatory advice and support across the financial services industry locally and internationally. Sator fields a very strong, specialist team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We just do the GRC space â&#x20AC;&#x201C; governance, risk and complianceâ&#x20AC;?. Says Mrs Hatton. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some assignments are for regulatory authorities, where we are instructed to produce reports or undertake investigations, in other mandates we are instructed to develop the regulatory regime itself, helping the jurisdiction comply with upgrades to international standards, in areas such as anti money laundering, trust regime developments, or the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive. However, the majority of our work is working directly for financial services businesses to help them meet their obligations and leverage the benefits of effective governance and risk management.â&#x20AC;? Moving between assignments for international standard setting bodies, regulatory authorities and industry practitioners gives each layer of our clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; advantage. Commercial clients benefit from inside track knowledge on what worries the regulator, how to avoid compliance problems and, importantly, rectifying them effectively if they do occur. Conversely, statutory authority clients benefit because of Satorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s granular understanding of the issues which face and challenge its commercial clients. Jersey is a high quality jurisdiction, itself leading the awards tables. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am proud to have played a part in setting the regulatory framework, during my years at the Commission, which contributes to making Jersey a leading centreâ&#x20AC;?, s )N 3ATOR HAD BEEN NOMINATED FOR A NUMBER OF SHORTLISTING S INCLUDING # 7OMEN IN COMPLIANCE AWARDS for Compliance Team of the Year. s 3ATOR WAS SHORTLISTED AND RUNNER UP FOR )NTERNATIONAL "USINESS OF THE 9EAR BY *ERSEY "USINESS !WARDS s h"EST FOR &INANCE #ONSULTING 3ERVICES #HANNEL )SLANDSv s v"EST IN &UND #ONSULTING 2ESTRUCTURING n *ERSEYv

Sator Regulatory Consulting is very pleased to share its successes with our family of companies; Helen Hatton of Sator owns www.kycworldwide.com an advanced EDD/CDD Risk verification service. Sator Fidelis which is designed to deliver assurance for the Protector of a Trust, Sator Solutions which provides an award winning E ,EARNING SOLUTION PROVIDING !-, #&4 TO *ERSEY 'UERNSEY 5!% 'IBRALTAR SOON TO BE )/- AND 3INGAPORE BIO â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Helen Hatton, Managing Director Widely recognized as the prime architect of the modern Jersey regulatory regime, Helen Hatton founded Sator Regulatory Consulting Limited in May 2009 after ten years service as Deputy Director General of the Jersey Financial Services Commission. Helen had led the implementation of regulatory development in the island from ITS BLACKLISTED STATE IN TO ACHIEVING ONE OF THE WORLD S BEST )-& EVALUATION RESULTS 0RIOR TO LEADING *ERSEY S period of change, she was director of enforcement with the Isle of Man Financial Supervision Commission from WHERE SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR INTRODUCING THE WORLD S FIRST OFFSHORE ALL CRIMES MONEY LAUNDERING regime. The Sator family of companies comprises Sator Regulatory Consulting, Sator Fidelis Limited and KYC Worldwide Limited, which respectively undertake a) policy development, governance, risk, investigation and compliance assignments for leading commercial and governmental organisations; b) private client complex file reviews for ultra high net worth families and their advisors, and c) outsourced AML/CFT due diligence, risk ASSESSMENT AND ONGOING MONITORING SERVICES 3ATOR HAS UNDERTAKEN ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE 7ORLD "ANK )-& FATF, Commonwealth Secretariat, various regulatory authorities and a wide range of financial services businesses. -RS (ATTON IS A &ELLOW OF THE )NSTITUTE OF !DVANCED ,EGAL 3TUDIES A MEMBER OF THE %DITORIAL "OARD OF THE *OURNAL OF "ANKING 2EGULATION A LIVERYMAN OF THE 7ORSHIPFUL #OMPANY OF )NTERNATIONAL "ANKERS AND CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR TO THE ,AW "USINESS 2ESEARCH h)NTERNATIONAL )NVESTIGATIONS 2EVIEWv 3HE IS A RECOGNISED international writer and speaker on regulatory compliance topics.

UK LEADING FUND MANAGEMENT FIRM OF THE YEAR, SCM DIRECT LONG-TERM RETURN FUND OF THE YEAR (OVER 5 YEARS) - SCM DIRECT GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FM), ALAN MILLER, SCM DIRECT GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FM), GINA MILLER, SCM DIRECT

SCM Direct Gina Miller, Founder gina@scmprivate.com www.scmdirect.com 2 Eaton Gate, Westminster London, SW1W 9BJ Telephone: +44 (0) 207 838 8650

SCM was founded in June 2009 as a UK investment challenger. The company operates with a smart but simple approach, contrarian mind-set and modern implementation that utilises the efficiencies of technology and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) via an investment strategy based on evidence, experience and ethics. As no investment manager has a crystal ball, SCM concentrates on the things it can control and seeks to balance Cost, Risk and Returns to provide clients with consistent returns, year after year. In September 2014, SCM launched SCMDIrect.com, SCM50.com and MoneyShe.com, three life style orientated on-line Direct to Consumer investment brands that offer ordinary clients low cost access to high end wealth management, previously the preserve of the very wealthy. To ensure that clients can trust SCM’s words are not just slick marketing, all aspects of the business and investment strategy are underpinned by 100% transpar¬ency and honesty, with its fair fees shown in one number with no hidden layers. In addition, the founders aligned with clients by co-investing their personal wealth alongside clients on exactly the same fees and terms.

We believe SCM Direct is ahead of its peers due to: (I) Its Cost Transparency: At present SCM is the only investment or wealth manager in the UK that operates 100% fee transparency as one true cost of investing number, with clients receiving a valuation once invested that clearly shows how much it has cost to invest, in £s & ps, and how much of their money is working for them. (II) It has pioneered a truly actively passive hybrid investment approach that actively manages discretionary portfolios, fulfilled with passive ETFs. (III) The SCM Fund Manager: Another competitive advantage is their Chief Investment Officer, Alan Miller, who is one of a handful of high respected skilled fund managers in the UK with over 25 years’ experience across a wide range of asset classes and client segments. (IV) Direct to Consumer Offering: The SCM Direct online investment platforms, developed with Societe Generale Securities Services (SGSS), allow self-directed clients to apply, invest (including an eSIPP) and save with online access 24 / 7 to their accounts and view 100% of all holdings. Clients can be confident that as a professional manager, SCM takes the day to day responsibility of asset allocation, daily reviewing of the portfolios, markets, economic and political circumstance globally and anything that would impact the portfolios.

UK GROWTH COMPANY OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE / REINSURANCE SOFTWARE), SEQUEL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, MARIO GARCIA, SEQUEL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

Mario Garcia Sequel Business Solutions Level 14 The Broadgate Tower Primrose Street London EC2A 2EW Main: +44 (0)20 7655 3000 Website: http://www.sequel.com Email: MGarcia@sequel.com

Sequel is a leading insurance and reinsurance software specialists delivering powerful, reliable solutions across the market for over 20 years. We are known for our industry expertise, professionalism, and track record for delivering successful transformation programmes on time and on budget. Sequel is committed to becoming a clear technology champion based on the strong foundations of our Eclipse Underwriting & Broking solutions along with our new innovative products such as Sequel Claims, Sequel Impact (for Exposure Management) and Sequel Re (for Outwards Reinsurance). Our customers are underwriters, brokers and MGAs within the Lloyd’s, Companies and international insurance/reinsurance sector. Existing customers include Tokio Marine Kiln, Markel, Brit. Willis, Lancashire, Fidelis, Capita, HCC, Canopius, Chaucer and Aon. Sequel is now established in over 20 countries and our systems process over £5bn of premiums annually, with our offices based in London and Malaga (Spain). Within the last 18 months, Sequel has doubled its customer base with a host of new product wins. Our Sequel Impact product now has over 30 customers with over half of these moving to Sequel from our closest competitor. Sequel has also won 10 new underwriting customers during the same timeframe including Fidelis, HCC and WR Berkley. Our recently launched Sequel Claims and Sequel Re products have also been hugely successful with a number of implementations taking place in 2015.

Sequel’s success has been achieved through a strategic focus on innovative products, our commitment to proven successful deliveries for clients and a flexible method of engagement which ensures we deliver business benefits and great customer service. Our CEO Mario Garcia has led this game-changing shift in Sequel’s approach to the Market. Mario passionately believes that it is the role of solution providers to develop new products based on the latest technology, which provide core business benefits to customers. Sequel’s success has led to many awards in the last 18 months including at IT Europa’s “Technology initiative of the year” award and “Claims Initiative of the year” award as well being listed in the top 20 most promising insurance providers globally. Customer satisfaction is key to Sequel’s success and Ian Summers, the ex-CIO of Aon runs the Sequel Innovation Group which provides our customers with the chance to input to the Sequel roadmap of innovation to ensure our products continue to meet (and exceed) specific customer needs as well as market expectations. Interest continues to grow in Sequel from across the globe and new opportunities point to further growth in the central insurance hubs including Bermuda, New York and Singapore, as well as London. This future growth mirrors the growth of our existing customers into these regions and reflects the global and dynamic nature of the insurance market Mario Garcia

UK COMPANY OF THE YEAR (WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY), SERVICEPOWER TECHNOLOGIES PLC GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FSM), MARNE MARTIN - SERVICEPOWER TECHNOLOGIES PLC

ServicePower Technologies Plc Petersgate House, St Petersgate, Stockpor t, SK1 1HE Phone: + 44 (0)161 476 2277 Fax: +44 (0)161 480 8088 Email: hello@ser vicepower.com

Workforce management, in which companies manage install, inspect, maintain or repair equipment, or in the case of industries like home health, schedule on site service visits, is a multi-billion dollar industry with enormous potential for improvements in the customer experience and cost reductions. Mobile workforce management software can transform these operations when employed as part of the greater enterprise strategy. Recognized by Gartner as a Visionary, CIO Review for oil and gas and enterprise mobility, Corporate Visions, HRTech Outlook, TMC, and by Frost and Sullivan, ServicePower Technologies provides field service organizations with innovative mobile workforce management software. Inclusive of the latest technology advances, ServicePower’s software drives efficiencies and productivity that lower costs, and improve the customer experience through integrated IoT and parts optimization, while simultaneously providing real ROI on technology investments.

and provides easy configuration of time cards, work order management, tasks, photos, asset diagrams, inventory, signature capture and customer surveys, GPS and navigation. New payment and pricing features, tax calculations, part deposit collections, discounting, flexible payment acceptance, estimates, hybrid offline-online product catalogues, real time collaboration, and most importantly, new configurable, rules based forms provide field organizations the ability to rapidly define when data or forms are to be visible to technicians. NEXUS FS TM

Field Service Management

We are revolutionizing the industry through introduction of new technologies such as Optimization on Demand TM, Quantum Annealing, configurable cross platform Enterprise Mobility and NEXUS FS TM

Built upon ServiceMobility, Nexus FS TM , provides the same mobile features combined with a SaaS field service management portal that any business, from enterprise to SMB, can use to manage customers, vendors, jobs, and field employees. Combined with Optimization on Demand™, those enterprises seeking a true end-to-end mobile workforce management solution can rely on ServicePower as a single source vendor for all field service operation requirements.

Optimization on Demand TM

Quantum Annealing

Optimization on Demand™ offers schedule optimization, as a service, to field service organizations which want the productivity and cost savings of an optimized route, but don’t require the power of intraday optimization, a hallmark of our flagship ServiceScheduling technology. It also enables our partner ecosystem to offer cutting edge optimization without a full FSM deployment.

Quantum Annealing, the first new routing algorithm developed for field service in decades, drives greater productivity and route efficiencies through more efficient routing logic and real time tuning for both field service resources and vehicles.

Enterprise Mobility ServiceMobility improves customer satisfaction by facilitating fully mobilized field based processes, improving first time fix rates. The cross-platform mobile application supports any connected device,

ServicePower’s mobile workforce management software platform supports today’s field service requirements while future proofing field service organizations through incorporating game changing, transformative advances to its technologies, truly reducing costs and improving customer satisfaction.

UK ALL ASSET LENDER OF THE YEAR - SHAWBROOK BUSINESS CREDIT INVOICE DISCOUNTER OF THE YEAR - SHAWBROOK BUSINESS CREDIT

Tel: 0330 123 1740 Email: businesscredit@shawbrook.co.uk Website: www.shawbrookbusinesscredit.co.uk

Shawbrook Business Credit is a multi-award winning, specialist asset-based lender, focused on delivering event-driven transactions to companies with revenues of more than ÂŁ1million. Shawbrook has the rare ability to provide funding across all asset classes and leverage further with a cash flow term loan for businesses with stronger EBITDA generation. Invoice Discounting is our core facility, adding Stock, Plant & Machinery, Property and Cash Flow to secure even higher levels of working capital. In this way, we provide the optimal level of finance needed to ensure that the desired level of headroom is available to drive positive business change. Our business model is introducer based, focused on corporate financiers, accountants, private equity firms and brokers. The one thing all Shawbrook Business Creditâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s key business introducers have in common is the reliance they place on our team delivering their promises for every invoice discounting and asset-based lending deal. Event-Driven Scenarios The experience of the senior management team in structuring and delivering invoice discounting and asset-based lending transactions sets Shawbrook Business Credit apart. By providing access to senior decision makers, we are able to offer the quantum and certainty of funding, flexible approach, speed of response and focus on service that event-driven situations demand. We leverage over 100 years of combined asset- based lending experience in delivering solutions for the following scenarios:

s -ANAGEMENT "UYOUTS AND "UYINS s 0ARTIAL %XITS FOR 0RIVATE %QUITY AND 2ETIREMENT s -ERGERS AND !CQUISITIONS s &UNDING 'ROWTH s 2EFINANCING 2ESTRUCTURING 4URNAROUNDS Increased deal size Shawbrookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s substantial backing provides us with a strong platform to meet the growth ambitions of UK businesses. Our individual facility limit has been increased to ÂŁ25 million, which has served to further strengthen our relationships with private equity houses looking to fund transactions and re-finance portfolio companies though our asset-based lending platform. Clients benefit from: s ! HIGHER LEVEL OF FINANCE THAN TRADITIONAL METHODS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; unlocking the value of all available assets s "ESPOKE SOLUTIONS DESIGNED TO MEET YOUR timeframes s ! SINGLE FUNDING SOLUTION TO REPLACE COMPLEX existing debt structures s )MPROVED WORKING CAPITAL ALLOWING CLIENTS TO expand and develop their businesses s /UR ABILITY TO WORK IN COLLABORATION AND IN syndication with other banks and private equity houses s ! COMPETITIVELY PRICED FACILITY FOR THE ADDITIONAL level of funding delivered We make a real difference to the management teams and businesses we back, from fast-growth, early-stage businesses to established businesses embarking on serial acquisitions. To find out more about our asset-based lending solutions and to see our latest case studies, visit our website at www.shawbrookbusinesscredit.co.uk.

UK SPECIALIST ADVISOR OF THE YEAR (PE MID-MARKET) - SIA GROUP UK - ASSET APPRAISER OF THE YEAR - SIA GROUP CORPORATE INSOLVENCY ADVISOR OF THE YEAR - SIA GROUP

An Informed Read on Asset Values

SIA Group is the asset appraiser of choice for the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Our team is independent, empowered and responsive, focused on driving deals and realising value.

Innovative | Incisive | Informed

For chapter and verse on asset values and your collateral due diligence requirements, contact Paul Craig or Matt Earl on +44 (0)207 498 4900 or email info@sia-group.co.uk. www.sia-group.co.uk

I T A LY CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL LITIGATION LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - STUDIO LEGALE SUTTI INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL LITIGATION ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR - STUDIO LEGALE SUTTI IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - STUDIO LEGALE SUTTI

Studio Legale Sutti http://www.sutti.com Headquar ters: Via Montenapoleone 8, 20121 Milan, Italy. Also in Rome, Genoa, Venice, Bergamo, Monza, Sofia, Bucharest, Belgrade, Zagreb, London and Tokyo. Central Switchboard: +39 02 762041 E-mail: maildesk@sutti.com

Studio Legale Sutti, established in 1953 by Dr. Angelo Sutti, KIR, a leading commercial litigator of his generation, is today one of the largest full-service business law firms in Italy, with a strong emphasis on excellence in contentious and para-contentious work throughout the Italian and Balkanian jurisdictions, and is routinely instructed as a consequence by its clients, their in-house counsel and their solicitors, to assist in all kinds of litigation, arbitration and mediation, namely in civil, commercial and criminal courts, in appeals, before tax, antitrust and trade authorities, before administrative, regulatory and disciplinary tribunals and in mock trials for demonstrative or educational purposes. The typical matters concerned include complex corporate disputes, commercial litigation and arbitrations, ADR, administrative proceedings, procedures before local and European patent and trademark offices, tax disputes, competition issues, white-collar criminal defence and prosecution, internal investigations, anticounterfeiting, debt recovery, creditors' rights in insolvency-related matters, local

discovery and deposition of witnesses and, last by not least, recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. Several of Studio Legale Sutti's members are admitted in multiple jurisdictions, are heard before local Supreme Courts, and are recognised scholars and authors in the fields of advocacy, civil procedure, litigation strategy, law of evidence, etc., and/or generally recommended by specialised international media and directories, besides undergoing strict internal training and continuing education programmes on subjects ranging from advocacy to theory of games to presentation techniques, from Harvard risk-tree analysis to rhetorics to neuro-linguistic programming. Studio Legale Sutti's services in this area are rendered, under flexible and negotiable terms, in strict cooperation with final clients and their personnel and consultants. The firm is capable to communicate with them in most European languages, and profits from its contemporary nature of a multidisciplinary practice that includes in its human resources forensic accountants, patent attorneys, ITC specialists, investigators and tax advisors.

CYPRUS OVERALL CORPORATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - SYMEOU & KONNARIS LLC

Spyrou Kyprianou 61 4003 Limassol, Cyprus Tel: + 357 25 818400, Fax: + 357 25 355559 E â&#x20AC;&#x201C; mail: info@sklaw-firm.com Web Page: www.sklaw-firm.com

Symeou & Konnaris LLC Law Firm, trading as SK Law Firm, is a pioneering prominent law firm rapidly expanding over the past years, offering legal services under various jurisdiction laws across a range of practice areas.

Christakis Konnaris - Co-founder and Managing Partner of the Firm remarked that â&#x20AC;&#x153;guided by ethics and values, the firm operates through, confidentiality experience, professionalism, commitment and complete dedication to all clientsâ&#x20AC;?.

The firm's policy is to deliver expert legal services in an environment that encourages professionalism and strict confidentiality.

The firm deals also with the regulatory framework which covers registration of investment firms in Cyprus and abroad as well as fund registration taking advantage of Cyprus tax advantage, and other benefits which derive from Cyprus legislation and double tax treaties.

The firm is recognized in each of its core practice areas-companies section & offshore section, tax law and international tax planning, banking and finance, real estate, intellectual property and trust and is retained on a regular basis by national and international entities in a wide range of industries. The clients of the firm are large domestic and international entities, international law firms, well-known national and international banks, family and individual entities, financial institutions, commercial and residential real estate developers, attorneys and professionalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; accountants. The firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clients benefit from the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capability to combine international knowledge with local experience. The advocates and legal advisers at Symeou & Konnaris LLC, place great emphasis on enhancing long-standing relationships and a substantial knowledge of clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business. Panikos Symeou - Co-founder and Managing Partner of the Firm stated â&#x20AC;&#x153;the success of the Firm, its rapid expansion and the awards achieved are the direct result of the personal attention, quick response and high standards of excellence reflected in the service carried out.â&#x20AC;?

Our Mission:To assist our corporate and individual local and international clients achieve their business and financial objectives, on a worldwide scale by offering high quality services in all the areas of law. Areas of Practice: Corporate and Commercial, Intellectual Property and Trademark, Tax Planning, Banking, Acquisition of properties, Litigation. Languages: English, Greek, Russian and French Number of People: 20 Lawyers: 9

UK REGIONAL COMPANY OF THE YEAR (MANUFACTURING), SYNSEAL

Synseal, Common Road, Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire NG17 6AD Tel: 01623 443200 www.synseal.com

Synseal is the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest growing and most dynamic window and conservatory systems manufacturer. Chief Executive David Leng is passionate about the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission statement: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our business vision is to be the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first choice supplier for window, door and conservatory roof fabricators; providing good value, good quality products and services that meet the needs of their businesses to ensure that all our customer partners can be winners in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitive marketplace.â&#x20AC;? Core Synseal products include three 70mm PVC-U window suites: Legend, Shield and SynerJy, an Evolve range of specialist fabricated and CE marked products which includes vertical sliding sash, patio doors and bi-fold doors, and market-leading conservatory roof systems in both PVC-U and aluminium including the best-selling Global roof which for sizeable wide-spanning projects can be supported by SkySpace portal frames. Recent trading years have seen sales turnover increase steadily by both organic growth and prudent acquisition. Company staff numbers have grown from 450 people in 2012 to now in excess of 1,200 employees. The timeline shows a progressive sequence of business development initiatives: s )N .OVEMBER 3YNSEAL ACQUIRED A LARGE REGIONAL INSULATED GLASS UNIT )'5 producer to create Global Glass and further extend customer choice. Global Glass Huthwaite now specialises in production of high quality sealed units for windows and doors. s )N -AY 3YNSEAL ADDED AGAIN TO ITS BRAND PORTFOLIO WITH THE ACQUISITION OF K2 Conservatories including Celsius performance glass. Global Glass Blackburn was subsequently established as a centre of excellence for roof glass sealed unit manufacture.

s )N !PRIL 3YNSEAL 2EGISTERED )NSTALLER 32) BUSINESS SUPPORT WAS LAUNCHED IN association with sponsoring fabricators to assist verified installers to retail Synseal products to UK homeowners. s )N *ULY 3YNSEAL ACQUIRED THE BUSINESS AND ASSETS OF 0ROSPECT )NC ,TD trading as Systems Glass, to create Global Glass Wigan and strengthen glass supply operations serving northern regions of the UK. s )N .OVEMBER 3YNSEAL ACQUIRED THE TRADE AND OPERATING ASSETS OF THE Litchfield Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s UK window & trade extrusion and door businesses, formerly known as LB 0LASTICS ,TD AND -ANSE -ASTERDOR ,TD AND ESTABLISHED THE RENAMED 3HEERFRAME ,TD AND -ASTERDOR ,TD AS WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARIES OF 3YNSEAL s )N .OVEMBER 3YNSEAL ALSO LAUNCHED 7ARM#ORE ALUMINIUM FOLDING SLIDING doors, featuring innovative â&#x20AC;&#x153;warm aluminiumâ&#x20AC;? framing technology, which signals an EXCITING NEW CHAPTER IN THE COMPANY S DYNAMIC YEAR HISTORY s )N !PRIL 3YNSEAL LAUNCHED #ELSIUS SOLID ROOF IDEAL FOR BOTH RETRO FIT OR NEW applications to create modern and thermally-efficient building extensions that can be used DAYS A YEAR s )N *UNE 3YNSEAL LAUNCHED A RANGE OF -ASTERDOR "ENCHMARK '20 COMPOSITE residential doors, designed to appeal to UK homeowners and be easy for Trade retailers to sell and install with confidence.

UK GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR, DAVID LENG, SYNSEAL

Synseal, Common Road, Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire NG17 6AD Tel: 01623 443200 www.synseal.com

Following a management buyout in 2010 led by Chief Executive David leng, Synseal is now the largest and most successful British-owned systems company run by a hands-on board of Directors working to deliver a forward-looking strategic plan with a strong sense of entrepreneurial spirit. A specific operational focus to deliver product solutions tailored to meet domestic market needs and a well-financed ability to move quickly to invest in the right business opportunities sets Synseal apart from its major competitors, who are predominantly owned by international or global organisations. Synseal serves the largest professional customer network in terms of both fabricator partners (350) and purchasing installers (>3,600) – this important differentiator also serves to underline the success of this growing business and its key role as a major multi-component supplier to the UK window, door and conservatory roofing industry. In November 2014 Synseal acquired the trade and operating assets of the Litchfield Group’s UK window & trade extrusion and door businesses, formerly known as LB Plastics Ltd and Manse Masterdor Ltd for an undisclosed sum, and subsequently established the renamed Sheerframe Ltd and Masterdor Ltd as wholly-owned subsidiaries of Synseal. In addition to Sheerframe PVC-U windows, doors and curtain walling, the Litchfield Group’s

UK window & trade extrusion and door product portfolio includes a broad range of solutions such as Hometrim cellular cladding, roofline and trims, Sheerline fencing and decking products, Thermlock thermally-enhanced window and door reinforcements and an extensive range of Masterdor residential door sets and Suredor GRP composite doors. David Leng commented: “LB Plastics boasts a proud tradition having served the UK fenestration industry for more than 35 years offering established and proven products that have stood the test of time. This acquisition is a good fit to expand the scope of our business, as LB Plastics primarily supplies commercial market sectors with a full range of specification products which complement our market-leading Synseal solutions for residential and home improvement market applications. We will continue to invest in the proven and respected Sheerframe and Masterdor brands and, replicating business integration achievements following our major acquisition of K2 Conservatories in 2012, we will fully support the on-development of LB Plastics and Manse Masterdor product offerings and service logistics to strengthen these businesses for future success.” Post-acquisition, in June 2015 Synseal launched a range of Masterdor Benchmark GRP composite residential doors, designed to appeal to UK homeowners and be easy for Trade retailers to sell and install with confidence. With innovative R&D designs such as WarmCore “warm aluminium” folding sliding doors, Global Summer orangeries and Celsius Solid Roof retrofit solutions for UK home extensions, Synseal is well placed to deliver affordable style and secure further dynamic growth under David Leng’s progressive leadership.

FRANCE INDEP EN DEN T A S SET M A NAG E R O F T H E YE A R, SYQ UA N T CA P I TA L ARBIT RAGE MULTI STRAT E GY H E D G E F UND O F T H E YE A R, S Y Q U A N T CA P I TA L LOW VOL ATILITY FUN D O F T H E Y E A R ( H E L I U M O P P O RT UNIT IE S F UND ), SYQ UA NT CA P ITA L GAMECHANGER OF TH E YE A R, O L I VI E R L E YM A R I E , SYQ U A N T C A P I TA L

Carl Dunning-Gribble Tel+331 42 56 56 28 Email: carl.dunning-gribble@syquant.com Julien Vanlerberghe Tel:+331 42 56 56 32 Email: julien.vanlerberghe@syquant.com

Founded in 2005, Syquant Capital is an independent asset manager based in Paris, France and accredited by the French regulator AMF.

All funds are UCITS regulated and have consistently achieved their risk adjusted return targets and/or Sharpe ratios.

The firm focuses on ‘absolute performance’ exploiting arbitrage opportunities in equity markets (US, Europe & Canada) and offers its invest¬ment style through the Helium Opportunities, the Helium Performance and Helium Selection funds. The firm handles a total of US$ 850million AUM across the different funds, focusing on equity arbitrage strategies: merger arbitrage, event driven and some complementary quantitative long/short strategies. Strict risk management and a strong attention to maximum draw down are part of the firm’s DNA and 85% of the investor base are institutional investors (incl. Family Offices). The various Helium funds have different performance objectives & Risk profiles:

The Helium Opportunities Fund offers a strategy mix of different equity arbitrage strategies to achieve a high Sharpe ratio. With a performance target of L+300bp / L+400bp and a realized volatility of 1%, the Helium Opportunities fund is now in a ‘sweet spot’ for investors looking for low volatility / low risk alternatives in their ‘Cash+’ allocations. With a historic Sharpe of 3, this fund is now solidly anchored in the ‘Cash+’ with many institutional investors. The Helium Performance fund offers a different strategy mix to offer a Sharpe ratio > 1.5 with a performance target >6% and an average volatility of 4%. As compared to the Helium Opportunities Fund, the fund manager will apply leverage to each of the equity arbitrage strategies (average x1.75) and has added a complementary systematic Long / Short strategy ‘Stock Selection’.

Nine investment professionals (including five senior portfolio managers with over 15 years professional experience each) have a specific strategy focus and the CIO (Henri Jeantet) and the Co-CIO (Xavier Morin) share the responsibility of weighting the different strategies and the leverage in the different Helium funds.

RUSSIA BUSINESS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - THE INMAR LEGAL CO

5a 8 floor, Tel: Fax:

Despite the serious competition increasing every year in the market of legal services, Inmar Legal Ltd supports a high level of quality of rendering a legal aid to both corporate structures, and individuals. Since the moment of the basis Inmar Legal Ltd specializes in complex legal support of projects in the sphere of sea business, construction of facilities of infrastructure, agriculture, real estate, labor law. In particular, Inmar Legal Ltd. has successful protection of interests of the clients worldwide connected with drawing up sea contracts, registration of courts in the Russian and international registers, a set of other accompanying operations first of all in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region in an asset. For years of work as our regular customers there were tens Russian and foreign ship-owners. We know specifics of the international marine law and feature of its application. In addition Legal Ltd successfully renders services in the field of maintenance of procedures of bankruptcy which enter: the organization of receiving from open sources of information on debtors, their affiliated and controlling persons and their financial state; consultation on bankruptcy questions; initiation of the claim in arbitration court for initiation of procedure of bankruptcy; maintenance of all procedures of bankruptcy initiated by the debtor or the creditor; contest of solutions of meetings of creditors; representation of interests of creditors and debtors in arbitration courts, other government bodies, and also in

Inmar Legal Ltd Uborevicha Street, Vladivostok, Russia +7 (423) 265-19-01 +7 (423) 265-19-02 www.inmarlegal.ru

negotiations with participants of process of bankruptcy; legal analysis of actions of the arbitration managing director. Also it should be noted powerful experience of Inmar Legal Ltd specialists in legal registration of the transactions and operations connected with real estate: assistance in questions of the state registration of the rights for buildings, constructions, rooms; help in questions of the state registration of encumbrances for real estate; carrying out examination of lease contracts and contracts on mortgage; carrying out examination of documents at registration of the transaction on transfer of the property right. Inmar Legal Ltd successfully practices in area of the labor law, carrying out for the client’s complex verification of documents on compliance to the labor and migratory law. Inmar Legal Ltd took part practically in all largest investment projects realized in Pacific region with participation of foreign investors and also became the winner of the numerous ratings noting the leading law firms of the world in certain spheres of practice that confirms high professionalism of its employees. The wide experience of practical activities in the sphere of the Russian and international law which is saved up by leading experts of firm allows to defend interests of the clients at the high professional level.

UK MANAGED SERVICES PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (SWITCHB OARD, RECEPTION AND CONCIERGE), THE TRG GROUP

Trevor Gilber t tgilber t@thetrggroup.co.uk THE TRG GROUP Bouverie House 160 Fleet Street London EC4A 2DQ. Tel: 0207 236 8844

The TRG Group can be fairly described as the longest established boutique consultancy in the UK specialising solely in the vital first-line areas of Front-of-House, Reception, Switchboard and Concierge Services. We have been in this business for over 40 years and know a thing or two about delivering an outstanding service. The essentials have not changed in all these years: courtesy, politeness, appearance and a smile. We don’t do brashness and we are not a shooting star. We are proud of our longevity which has been achieved a result of delivering a consistently high quality of service, evidenced by over 50 awards.

This ensures upholding service quality as the services are delivered throughout by TRG, the specialist, rather than utilising 'spare' resources from different disciplines. It is important to get these interactions right - your front of house or switchboard can be instrumental in relaxing a potentially difficult situation. Sometimes it's the small things that matter the most and leave lasting memories. You want to ensure these memories are positive and in line with your brand and company values. Our aim is to remove our clients' headache by providing them with a flexible service delivery engine.

Our ‘Smart Office Services’ combine people, process and technology to deliver an outstanding client experience. We carefully develop a bespoke strategy, implement a perfect operation and religiously monitor the performance against agreed metrics.

We regularly review the current operating model against the business requirements and pro-actively suggest changes for further optimisation. We act in the best interest of our clients and continue to find ways to reduce costs.

Through strong client relationships we work in partnership with our clients helping them to improve and uphold the client image, continuously strive towards an optimal service delivery, reduce costs and risks, resulting in increased flexibility.

We place the greatest value on the quality of our people as without them making the right decisions at the right time and providing satisfactory solutions, and resolution where necessary, to a diverse range of clients and environments TRG would be just a run-of-the-mill operation. We think and act globally, but never forgetting the importance of working intelligently and smartly at a local level.

We smartly combine on- and off-site service delivery to optimise shift patterns, all-time availability during agreed operating hours and provide an out-of-the-box business continuity setup. On the other hand we recognise individualised customer preferences, where technological advances as well as greater decentralisation and mobilisation change the way front-of-house, reception, switchboard and concierge services are received today.

Our mantra is that we say what we will do, do it, consistently and beyond expectations.

UK ARBITRATION LAWYER OF THE YEAR, NICK BOWMAN, TOLHURST FISHER LLP REGIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, TOLHURST FISHER LLP

Nick Bowman Email: nbowman@tolhurstfisher.com Website: www.tolhurstfisher.com Tolhurst Fisher LLP Marlborough House Victoria Road South Chelmsford Essex CM1 1LN Chelmsford Office: 01245 216100 Southend-on-Sea Office: 01702 352511

Tolhurst Fisher LLP Tolhurst Fisher LLP is a long-established Commercial and Private Client law firm based in Southend-on-Sea and Chelmsford in Essex. Founded in 1892, the firm has been part of the landscape in Essex for over 120 years. We cater for both commercial and private clients with a wide range of services.

Disputes relating to business ownership Contractual disputes Financial disputes Shareholder and partnership disputes Property disputes and possession actions Dispute Resolution – Litigation Disputes are an unwelcome disruption to the running of your businesses so we endeavour to resolve disputes as quickly and cost effectively as possible.

Tolhurst Fisher became an LLP in 2006. We have built our reputation on honesty, integrity and excellence over generations and whilst we have embraced change, we have retained our commitment to traditional service and values. Nick Bowman Nick joined Tolhurst Fisher LLP in 2008. Before joining Tolhurst Fisher LLP, Nick was a partner in a city/national firm. He is an experienced and established dispute resolution/commercial litigator/solicitor with a particular interest in Arbitration/Mediation. He is always keen to explore settlement by negotiation to avoid court action before proceeding to Litigation. Examples of areas of work:

Where a negotiated settlement cannot be reached, it is vital that the costs of resolving the dispute are proportionate to the value of the dispute. Our clients continue to benefit from our commitment to looking at all the options available. In recent times this has increasingly resulted in Alternative Dispute Resolution such as mediation and we have assisted many clients in resolving disputes at an early stage without the expense of court proceedings. We have strong links with a number of trusted junior and leading Counsel in various Barrister Chambers and experts which add a further dimension to our service. We offer advice to individuals and companies to resolve disputes and problem solve. We aim for our advice to be practical, sensible, robust and deliver this advice at a commercial and proportionate cost enabling our clients to move forward following resolution.

Construction disputes

ACQ GLOBAL AWARDS 2015 UK - Gamechanger of the year (salary sacrifice) David Hosking, Tusker

UK – Tax Initiative of the year (salary sacrifice) Tusker

Website: www.tuskerdirect.com

About David Hosking Dubbed ‘The King of Salary Sacrifice’, David has worked within the fleet and leasing industry for over 26 years and alongside his role as CEO at Tusker, he’s also a valued Director at the BVRLA (The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association). David joined Tusker in 2003 as Sales Director, by 2005 he was CEO and in 2008 pioneered what is now one of the most popular employee benefits, salary sacrifice cars. Tusker were first to market with SalarySacrifice4Cars (SS4C) and with majority market share are seen as the thought leaders in this space. With David at the helm, Tusker have become the salary sacrifice car scheme specialists and unlike their competitors, treat it as their core product, and manage the largest number of salary sacrifice schemes in the UK. SS4C is a tax efficient way for organisations to provide employees with a brand new, fully insured and maintained car for typically 3 years, at a cost significantly lower than

they could achieve in the retail marketplace. Employers can save on average £300 per car, per year and employees save an average of £900 per annum. Having launched over 230 SS4C schemes, Tusker have a wealth of experience in all sectors. Their schemes are flexibly designed according to the customer’s exact requirements to ensure their HR and financial objectives are met. Tusker has seen astounding growth, with turnover rising from £37million to £95million over the past 3 years, due, in the main, to the success of SS4C. It is because of this success that they recently outgrew their majority shareholder’s portfolio. With a recent and swift sale in February 2015, Tusker are now backed by majority shareholder ECI Partners, who will help Tusker reach the next level. ECI is one of the UK’s most successful mid-market private equity groups and specialise in investing in very high-growth companies.

Contact Tusker for more information about SalarySacrifice4Cars 0333 400 1010

www.tuskerdirect.com/acq15

hello@tuskerdirect.com

UK NICHE INVESTMENT MANAGER OF THE YEAR (INSURANCE), TWELVE CAPITAL

Joshua Rosen joshua.rosen@twelvecapital.com www.twelvecapital.com Twelve Capital (UK ) Ltd. 23 Hanover Square, London, W1S 1JB, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 203 693 5265

Twelve Capital is an independent investment manager with an exclusive focus on insurance investing. Its investment capabilities range from liquid and private transactions in collateralised reinsurance (Cat Bonds and Private Insurance-Linked Securities) to debt (including public debt, private placement bonds and bilateral loans). The firm offers access to these comprehensive investment opportunities through fund solutions or tailor-made mandates. Twelve Capital was founded in Switzerland in 2010 and is majority owned by the partners of the firm. Its client base includes public and corporate pension funds, family offices, banks, corporations and fund of funds.

Despite a challenging market environment, Twelve Capital has enjoyed a considerable amount of success over the past 12 months. First and foremost, the firm has seen strong absolute and relative performance across all portfolios and, on the back of such strong performance generation, it has experienced continued and substantial growth in assets under management. As well as this, Twelve Capital has completed the successful launch of its Insurance Private Debt strategy and the proof of concept and launch of its Best Ideas strategy, which aims to leverage the team’s insurance investing expertise across the whole (re)insurance balance sheet to exploit best relative value in the insurance space.

Twelve Capital is a leader in insurance investing and the largest dedicated investor in insurance debt. As Twelve Capital invests a significant amount of assets on behalf of its clients across the balance sheets of insurance and reinsurance entities, it is a major facilitator of financing for these organisations whilst, at the same time, bridging the gap between traditional and alternative investments in the insurance space. Leveraging the firm’s dedicated expertise and broad access to investment opportunities supports the team’s continual efforts to extract superior and sustainable risk-adjusted returns for its clients.

Winning this award is also substantial recognition for the hard work of the whole Twelve Capital team. We are grateful for the award and very much appreciate the recognition. Such success is only possible thanks to the trust of our clients and the dedication of our highly skilled people.

Insurance-Linked Securities (ILS) provide returns with low correlation to wider financial markets, complementing traditional and other alternative assets. In addition, the asset class exhibits favourable characteristics like low duration, contained counterparty risk and unrivalled intra-asset class diversification potential among various perils. As in the traditional space, alpha generation is largely driven by proprietary analytical capabilities.

At Twelve Capital, we constantly strive to ensure that the firm offers clients the best possible service to enable them to reach their goals. The overall macro environment is a low-yielding one and, as a result, investors continue to search for investment managers that are able to deliver attractive returns over the next 12 months and beyond. For us, this is yet another excellent opportunity to prove to our clients that through Twelve Capital’s differentiated offering in the insurance sector and intellectual capacity, we can achieve such returns in excess of market expectations.

M A LT A F U ND ADM IN ISTRATION SP E C I A L I ST F I R M O F T H E YE A R - VA L L E T TA F U N D S E R V I CE S L I MI T E D

Valletta Fund Ser vices Limited TG Complex, Suite 2, Level 3, Triq il-Birrerija, L-Imriehel Birkirkara BKR 3000 - Malta Telephone: +356 2122 7148 Joseph M. Camilleri Chief Officer

https://www.vfs.com.mt/home

Business Profile Valletta Fund Services Limited (VFS) was incorporated in October 2006 as a fully owned subsidiary of Bank of Valletta plc (BOV), Malta’s largest banking group. VFS has established itself as Malta’s leading fund servicing specialist led by a highly experienced executive management team and dedicated workforce to provide asset managers with a comprehensive suite of fund services to various investment fund structures covering UCITS, Professional Investor Funds and Alternative Investment Funds. VFS is currently managing over €3.08 billion in assets and servicing 118 funds based in Malta, the Cayman Islands, Channel Islands and the BVI where our clients include asset management organisations based in 14 EU and Non-EU countries.

advisors, listing formalities should a fund opt to be listed on a Stock Exchange and establishment of bank and broker accounts. In fact, in providing this service, VFS assumes the responsibility of the preparation of all the necessary application documents for the registration, licensing and listing of the fund.

As a Maltese player and a pioneer in the local industry, VFS has a deep knowledge of the fund administration business which is reflected in the significant investment that has been made in state-of the art technology and people.

As a fully owned subsidiary of BOV, VFS is also able to offer a suite of complementary services such as FX, banking, brokerage, custody services and hedging arrangements.

Corporate Profile VFS provides a myriad of specialised services to assist asset managers to respond to today’s regulatory and operational challenges, coupled with deep consultative expertise and an unwavering commitment to the fund servicing business. Confident that clients are supported by VFS as a trusted fund servicing partner, asset managers can focus on their fundamental business goals which revolve around acquiring assets, managing risk and maximising performance. Apart from the standard fund administration services, being fund accounting and valuation, transfer agency and corporate services, VFS provides a Turnkey Fund Formation Service which is a fast and efficient fund set-up and licensing service. This service is particularly suitable and cost-effective for fund promoters because of the all-encompassing nature of this service and includes other necessary formalities to license a fund, such as assistance in the appointment of auditors, directors and legal

Moreover, VFS provides various reporting services all supported by sophisticated IT platforms. In fact, in view of the changing regulatory landscape, VFS keeps clients continuously abreast of the key changes brought about by new regulations such as FATCA, EMIR and AIFMD.

VFS is recognised to provide fund administration services and licensed to provide corporate services by The Malta Financial Services Authority.

UK IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (CLEANTECH), VENNER SHIPLEY LLP IP LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR (ENGINEERING / MECHANICAL), VENNER SHIPLEY LLP GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (IP), MATTHEW READ, VENNER SHIPLEY LLP

Jan Walaski Managing Par tner, Venner Shipley T: 020 7600 4212 E: jwalaski@vennershipley.co.uk

Venner Shipley is a leading firm of European patent and trade mark attorneys, headquartered in London, but with offices in Cambridge, Guildford and Manchester, as well as Munich. We are a modern and forward thinking firm with a long history and a vast amount of experience in all aspects of intellectual property. We represent a broad range of clients, from individual inventors to blue-chip corporations, for whom we draft and prosecute patent applications, as well as providing legal, commercial and strategic advice on exploiting and commercialising their inventions. It is no longer enough for patent attorneys to just file and prosecute applications. We have found that the best results are obtained by fully engaging with businesses, creating IP through invention harvesting, and then advising on strategies for protecting and then commercialising those inventions. We aim to be as integrally involved as possible and currently have secondees within the IP departments of two of our major clients, to the benefit of both parties.

As a firm, our biggest focus is on quality - employing and training the best people so that we can offer an outstanding service. We teach all of our attorneys to think creatively while applying their technical expertise to help our clients protect and exploit their ideas to full advantage. At the same time, we see ourselves as a bit different from our peers in the industry, injecting an element of fun into an otherwise serious profession. This is best illustrated by our recently launched website, for which a representative of jelly London, a London-based production agency, commented: “Jelly takes its hat off to Venner Shipley for being pioneers, bold enough to make a statement with illustration, and stand out amongst a sea of dull, dry corporate campaigns.” We are delighted to have been given these awards. We believe that they support our reputation as a firm that is able to provide outstanding intellectual property solutions for our clients.

FRANCE INFORMATION SECURITY COMPANY OF THE YEAR (EDUCATION), VIGITRUST GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (INFORMATION SECURITY), MATHIEU GORGE, VIGITRUST

Mathieu Gorge Mathieu.Gorge@vigitrust.com VigiTrust Cunningham House, 130 Francis Street Dublin 8 Ireland Tel: +353 1 453 9143 www.vigitrust.com

VigiTrust is a security software vendor specializing in the provision of cloud based eLearning programs and security compliance portals. VigiTrust provides security strategic workshops and mentoring services based on the 5 Pillars of Security Framework™. Situated in the heart of Dublin city with regional offices in New York and Paris and sales office in London, VigiTrust has been providing information security and data compliance solutions for over 10 years. Founded by Mathieu Gorge in 2003, VigiTrust specializes in the promotion of security awareness & assessments through the provision of Cloud based e-Learning solutions, compliance portals and advisory services for its international clients in the healthcare, retail and government sectors and Cyber fintech. Education in Information Security is the foundation of good security & compliance programs. VigiTrust Programs start with in-person C-level executives brainstorming sessions and extend to educating all staff through comprehensive awareness programs incorporating not only eLearning on security and compliance topics but continuous education through security workshops, war games, simulated phishing and social engineering attacks or even posters and screen savers. Instructional design skills are just as important as security expertise in making VigiTrust the market leader in the provision of security & compliance educational tools. In addition, VigiTrust’s CEO has been one of the pioneers in pushing the game-changing concept of continuous compliance. In order to bring it to the next Level Mathieu has

conceptualized very comprehensive and innovative continuous compliance platforms for PCI DSS (Payment card Industry), Data Protection, 3rd Party Assurance and Vendor Risk Management. Together with the VigiTrust team, Mathieu was able to bring to market mid-market and enterprise GRC (Governance Risk Compliance) cloud based modular portals which are disrupting the GRC market. VigiTrust believes that this is because the architecture of the solution coupled with the security & compliance subject matter expertise of its team make it really easy for CISOs, CSOs, PCI Program Managers and Compliance executives to make their GRC effort more robust, cost-effective, scalable and future safe. VigiTrust’s solutions have already been listed as one of the Top 20 Cybersecurity Solutions of 2015 . Mathieu Gorge was asked to present the VigiTrust solutions a t the PCI Community Meeting in Nice, France, in November 2015, to showcase best practices in designing, automating and maintaining PCI continuous compliance programs. “It’s a great honour to be named Gamechanger of the Year (Information Security – France) because the French market is key for VigiTrust” said Gorge. “France is quickly addressing the challenges of legal and industry compliance, starting with education and GRC. Being named Information Security Company of the Year in France confirms VigiTrust’s and my own personal belief that VigiTrust will continue to succeed in helping key French multi-nationals be at the forefront of continuous compliance”.

CORPORATE VIEW| VITEOS FUND SERVICES

Interoperability: the ability to make systems and organisations work together

EUROPE - MIDDLE OFFICE SERVICES FIRM OF THE YEAR, VITEOS INTERNATIONAL - NICHE HF SERVICES PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (SHADOW ACCOUNTING), VITEOS US - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (HEDGE FUND TECHNOLOGY), SHANKAR IYER, VITEOS

Years of history and painstaking development – component by component, some proprietary and some purchased – have shaped the operational frameworks that distinguish midsize to large hedge fund managers from each other. These substantial investments in back- and middle-ofﬁce technologies – including general ledger, data warehousing, and shadow books and records – result in a level of business intelligence unique to each manager. Keep legacy systems It is only natural that managers remain committed to the systems and processes to which they have invested such great time and effort. Yet as they reach their growth targets their need for scalability drives them to seek new ways to augment, consolidate, and remove obstructive redundancies from those systems and processes. Many turn to outsourcing to liberate their operations from cumbersome components. Outsourcing affords managers the freedom to reallocate resources to treasury, collateral, risk management, and business intelligence with little disruption. Keep in mind that because not all outsourced providers are created equal, appointing the one

best matched to a manager’s unique framework is essential to expanding the capacity utilisation of operations systems. A more seamless integration makes managers more efficient while the resulting transfer of focus to other products and business lines enhances a manager’s ability to differentiate themselves from the competition. That said, staying with legacy systems removes the need to retrain on new systems and avoids the attendant increase in help desk inquiries during day-to-day operations. This is a strong argument against supplanting existing technology, as a provider’s adaptability must also extend to providing an excellent customer experience. Some managers prefer direct access to the provider’s team, preferring not to deal with help desks. Outsource providers with strong interoperability skills are those who know how to integrate a variety of technologies to have them work well together. Such providers understand the value inherent in a manager’s business solutions. They

“The decision to outsource ultimately depends on the size of the manager, and sometimes outsourcing can be more expensive than doing things internally. While I am a proponent of outsourcing, in some circumstances, having internal staff or systems dedicated to supporting the business does have advantages. This is because sometimes problems or issues can be ﬁxed sooner internally rather than having to send an email to an outsourced provider or go through to a help desk.” – COO of a London-based hedge fund

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viteos 2015

offer a seamless ability to service and adapt all back-office and middle-office software systems so that funds can retain their legacy systems by improving upon them. Boost rather than replace Pragmatic operating officers seek adaptable providers that adjust their services to complement a fund’s legacy systems and those who can pattern themselves after internal frameworks. “COOs and their operations teams have a huge amount on their plate, be it dealing with multifarious global regulations or operational demands from institutional investors. In addition, many firms are adopting broader strategies and require outsourced technology on independent platforms to assist their existing infrastructure,” says Chitra Baskar of Viteos Fund Services. The London-based COO agrees, adding: “Often, vendors push their own systems and are reluctant to build or adapt technology or services alongside those of their clients.” Although some managers may opt for a new framework most are reluctant to convert wholesale to a new platform and supplant their legacy investment entirely. Some providers that lack interoperability capabilities insist that managers migrate to the providers’ platforms. But even technology solutions from managed services may not provide a complete solution and may require significant amounts of data conversion, retraining, and parallel reconciliation. Alone or in tandem, these are significant deterrents to moving away from legacy systems and onto an outsourced technology platform, as they distract from day-to-day operations. Offering the option to retain legacy systems indicates that a provider understands the manager’s businesses, asset classes, and strategies and is sensitive to the immense task of migration. “When choosing an outsourced provider,” says the COO, “it is essential to find service providers that have interoperability and can complement the existing systems of hedge fund clients.” Outsourcers offering complementary systems that enhance either legacy systems or upgraded components without the need to migrate are optimal. The best-matched provider must exhibit interoperability on legacy systems or those chosen as a replacement. Their state of art systems exist and work in partnership, thereby adding value to the manager’s process. Though not be obligated to do so, managers who do not have a choice of systems can choose to migrate to the systems of the outsourcing provider. Full data history conversion As investors demand transparency into historical performance and attribution, managers face the colossal task of converting their complete history to any new platform, a significant undertaking for managers running full, in-house books and records. Maintaining a record of this data is essential if managers are to solicit institutional capital. A challenge therein for managers is sourcing historical data, which may cover performance attribution or various risk calculations, particularly if their technology infrastructure has undergone enormous changes. Global Custodian | Hedge Funds 2015

CORPORATE VIEW| VITEOS FUND SERVICES

“Offering a highly customised service to clients is essential. It is important for outsourcers to adopt a consultative approach with their clients. This can be achieved by sending their staff in to talk with hedge fund clients about their strategy and business, so they understand it in great detail. In this way, outsourced providers can complement the existing technology architecture rather than encouraging complete replacement.” – Chitra Baskar, Chief Operations Officer, Viteos Fund Services

“This is one of the most important issues COOs have to confront when appointing a vendor. Historic data is difficult to move. Admittedly, moving Excel or Word files is simple, and [these files are] easily replicated. But transferring data or replicating a directory from a PMS or OMS system can be challenging,” says the CFO of a New York based multi-billion dollar fund. Costs can be significant for an “inception to date” historical conversion, ranging from $300,000 to $600,000 to bring in 5 to 10 years of history. Additionally, to migrate, reconcile, and load the data could take 6 to 12 months of elapsed time. For these reasons, an outsourced provider should avoid remodelling or onboarding a hedge fund’s entire internal infrastructure and technology. Instead, the provider needs to work alongside the fund manager to achieve better results than either would realise alone. Interoperability unlocks value Interoperability is the ability to make systems and organisations work together. The value proposition of the outsourced provider to improve upon a manager’s framework necessitates both a cadre of skilled fund accountants and expertise on any platform a manager may operate, without any prescribed technology requirements. The interoperability skills of outsourcing providers must accommodate the fund’s unique business processes, its present operational needs, and its data warehousing. True outsourcing is far more than simply handing over responsibility for the technology. Genuine outsourcing is a strategic business solution for removing the cumbersome components of day-to-day operations. One CFO at a $9 billion US based hedge fund notes that it is essential for outsourced providers to work with managers to secure timely and seamless services and to help educate fund managers’ teams on how to get the most out of their legacy systems. This partnership ultimately allows managers to leverage the expertise of outsourced providers to augment their own high

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CORPORATE VIEW| VITEOS FUND SERVICES

internal standards as opposed to simply delegating the role to a third party. One of the benefits of appointing an external vendor is that the vendor often has the resources and breadth of talent to help managers. Such vendors are constantly up to date with the latest training, resources, technology, and best practices. Freedom of choice Outsourced multiplatform providers – those who know how to integrate a variety of technologies to work well together – understand the value inherent in a manager’s business solutions and offer the ability to service and adapt all backoffice and middle-office software systems seamlessly so that funds have the choice to remain with their legacy systems by improving upon them. Enhancing operations without disruption is a distinguishing characteristic of the skilled outsourcer. The beauty of employing a technology-independent provider is the freedom to choose whichever components or solutions the manager wants to incorporate. Since every fund is different, no single platform works for every fund. By enabling choice, funds can continue to improve their operations and position their frameworks as differentiators. No single solution, regardless of how comprehensive it is, can ever meet the needs of every fund, especially those that invest in a wide range of securities and work in multiple time zones. It ultimately comes down to finding the ideal blend of experience, technology, and processes for each manager. Autonomous ownership Outsourced providers that are independent of fund ownership are able to service all their customers equally. They gain no benefit from imposing specific business processes on their clients, since the service and supporting technology they provide are platform-independent. Employing a provider with strong interoperability capabilities ensures that the firm’s processes and procedures remain consistent, with no upheaval during transition. This approach is about creating a synergy between the client and the outsourced provider, whereby the provider assists clients by injecting new ideas into their business processes to rationalise their operations, identify efficiencies, and ultimately help improve their business intelligence. By the same token, clients should not need to worry about their strategy or business secrets inadvertently leaking. “Data security is absolutely essential, and it is something to which managers and their investors are increasingly alert.” Baskar notes. The London-based COO agrees: “Security, permissioning, and control over data is one of the most important issues at the moment for fund managers.” Since every fund is different, it stands to reason that the more clients a middle-office provider supports, the more interoperability expertise its team will have when it comes to best practices for the implementation and maintenance of multiple platforms and multiple investment types across those platforms. It is therefore essential to work with providers that have extensive experience and capabilities in reconciliations and net asset value calculations for a diverse range of asset and security types.

Flexibility to customise To truly meet the needs of the modern hedge fund, the middle-office/in-house service must have flexible tools that complement any legacy system. Juggling the competing needs of meeting growing demand, being efficient, and being consistent, interoperablity providers have developed best practices out of necessity. From their panoramic vantage point of servicing multiple managers, they have the advantage of seeing where customisations save time and effort for clients. New clients benefit immediately from a provider’s experience with similar frameworks and with all the usual requirements and enhanced automated processes that have been developed to deal with the activities of the post-trade life cycle. This is due in part to the provider’s capacity for improved and detailed reporting, made possible by the automation of manual procedures as well as the implementation of processes that address consistent issues across clients. Along with interoperability skills that accommodate the client’s business processes, an experienced team can accurately shadow data feeds to ensure a pristine set of books. Because the outsourced provider ultimately supports the licensed and proprietary technology used by the hedge fund, interoperability also improves business continuity. This independence can help hedge funds mitigate the fallout should a service provider undergo an ownership change or experience some other disruptive event, because the manager will still possess a substantial amount of the technology infrastructure in-house. This is a practice hedge funds and their institutional clientele are scrutinising in depth during operational due diligence proceedings. Conclusion The quest for alpha resides to some extent with the ability of managers to make their operations efficient. As firms seek growth from one level to the next, designing systems in an efficient and cost-sensitive manner is not a luxury but a necessity. For many managers, the task of migrating away from legacy systems entirely is daunting. In these instances, outsourced providers with an understanding of interoperability and expertise in accounting and technology are a viable alternative.

MID-OFFICE SOLUTIONS

Viteos Fund Services We offer customised, straight-through processing and integrated post-trade operations across virtually every asset class, currency, border, and structure. Our deep operational and accounting expertise is backed by state-of-the-art technology, enabling a high degree of control via automation in a 24/7 global delivery model. The result is a new level of scalability and flexibility to help you grow, whether you’re focused on gathering assets, developing new strategies, or entering new markets. Call or contact us if you have questions or would like further information. Visit us at www. viteos.com. New York +1 646-861-3409 Global headquarters +1 732-356-1200 London +44 20 7016 9170 Mumbai +91 22 6108 2200 Singapore +65 6850 7797 Visit us at www.viteos.com Email: reply@viteos.com © Viteos Fund Services 2015

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viteos 2015

MONTENEGRO LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR, VMB LAW OFFICE LAWYER OF THE YEAR, VESKO M. BOŽOVIĆ, VMB LAW OFFICE

Name: Vesko M. Božović Email: vesko.b.adv@t-com.me vbozovic@vmb1.me isekulovic@vmb1.me Web Address: vmb1.me Address: Moskovska 99/II, Podgorica, Montenegro Telephone: +38268220999 +38220228068

In order to be at the forefront of any emerging developments in the field of law we deal with, our office has realized that it is not enough to monitor changes in Montenegro where our main seat is, but our duty is to monitor changes in all countries, too. Cherishing the tradition of being pioneers in tackling new legal issues in our country makes us unique. We were first in privatization business, intellectual property and arbitration while cooperating with offices from London, Paris, Belgrade, Zagreb and other cities. In accordance with high professional standards, meeting the needs of our clients in the area of commercial law we offer the identification of problems, as well as the identification of the cause of their problems and the most preferred solution to the issues raised. Innovation is one of the advantages of our office, and while relying on innovations we offer to our clients the whole range of legal services for the protection, acquisition, enforcement and commercial exploatation of intellectual property rights. As companies are growing while getting globalized, economic disputes are becoming more complex, and our office has a very positive long-term experience in the arbitration procedure which is more effective for several reasons. VMB law office cooperates with renowned law offices in the region and throughout the world. We are especially pleased that in the recent years we have taken on leadership role in the development of ADR (Alternative Dispute

Resolution), with particular focus on cooperation with the arbitration centers from the region such as the German Institute of Arbitration (DIS) and UNCITRAL in Vienna. The employees of our office had a leading role in drafting the law on arbitration of Montenegro, based on Model Law UNCITRAL Rules, which was adopted in July and entered into force in August this year. We were also the initiators and active participants in making the rules that are applied to the arbitration before MAC (Montenegro Arbitration Court). Owner of the VMB office, attorney-at-law Mr Vesko Božović is the president of the MAC before the Montenegro Chamber of Commerce. Mr Vesko Bozovic is also a member of the LCIA and the ICCA. He is a representative in the arbitration proceedings that took place before the LCIA arbitration and ad hoc arbitration, as well as in domestic arbitrations. Mr Vesko Bozovic is also an arbitrator, not only in Montenegro, but he is also on the list of the arbitration institutions of other countries. We are proud to emphasize that this office has specialized in the field of representing and drafting of commercial contracts, such as licensing agreements and franchise agreements. In this capacity, we participated the International Franchise Expo in New York.

UK REGIONAL ACCOUNTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR, WBD ACCOUNTANTS LIMITED REGIONAL CORPORATE TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, WBD ACCOUNTANTS LIMITED REGIONAL SME ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR, WBD ACCOUNTANTS LIMITED

WBD Accountants Limited Marlbridge House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge. Kent. TN8 6HF Telephone: 01732 865965 Email: info@wbdaccountants.com Web Address: www.wbdaccountants.com

WBD, Chartered Accountants, helping businesses grow and succeed since 2001. We are proud to be successful in winning the ACQ Global Awards 2015, awards for UK – REGIONAL ACCOUNTANCY FIRM OF THE YEAR, UK – REGIONAL CORPORATE TAX ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR and UK – REGIONAL SME ADVISORY FIRM OF THE YEAR. Our core business is providing a professional, personal, high value solution to our clients’ day-to-day accounting and tax needs. We use our substantial experience not only to complete this work quickly and accurately, but we also use initiative to identify problems and opportunities, and to achieve an outcome that satisfies our clients’ requirements.

Our clients describe us as “a valued business partner” and say that they are “Absolutely delighted with the service”. They also say that they “would not hesitate to recommend WBD Accountants Ltd” and that “our relationship with them is one of the most important and vital of any that we have”.

WBD provides a bespoke service to our clients, which includes a wide range of planning services from starting a business, growing your business, through to eventual sale and retirement. We can help you through all stages of your business and even help improve personal well-being and family life by making your business less reliant on you. WBD strive to always provide the most up to date and appropriate solutions to our clients and in addition to using a comprehensive range of technology in-house also supply and support cloud based solutions to clients, including forecasting, accounting solutions and electronic authorisation to make clients lives easier and streamline the accounting process.

At WBD, Chartered Accountants we are constantly adapting and improving to meet our clients’ changing needs with help and support. A recent example is the change of legislation regarding auto-enrolment for workplace pensions. As soon as this was announced we realised that this would affect many of our clients and we developed a range of solutions to comply with the legislation to take away the worry and effort of compliance for our clients.

W ith a team including experienced Chartered Accountants, Chartered Certified Accountants and a Chartered Tax Advisor we are fully equipped to deal with all the routine challenges that businesses encounter and much more.

We aim to take all the tax and accounting compliance worries away from our clients so that they can concentrate on building and running their businesses and enjoy more time to spend on whatever they want.

All our clients have access to our directors, Kevin Wood, Andy Branson and Paul Dickinson to ensure that they have a complete, friendly, professional service which our clients appreciate. As one client described it “Thoroughly good service with good personal touch – no problems.”

AUSTRIA BOUTIQUE - FOOD & BEVERAGE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - WSMK RECHTSANWALTE REAL ESTATE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - WSMK RECHTSANWALTE PROCUREMENT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - WSMK RECHTSANWALTE

Steßl und Kasper Rechtsanwälte GmbH Sporgasse 11 8010 Graz T: +43/316/208 208 F: +43/316/208 208-33 office@wsmk.at www.wsmk.at

wsmk rechtsanwälte We know our business, the people that count, and the key players. What makes wsmk rechtsanwälte unique and our clients highly successful are our specialised staff, individualised service, creative thinking and proactive strategies.

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

After an easing in tensions in early 2014, the Middle East and North Africa region is again experiencing major-and increasing-security challenges. In addition, since mid-2014, it is also adjusting to the oil price drop. This is a particular challenge for oil-exporting countries, many of which also face severe security issues. For oil-importing countries, the potential positive effect of lower oil prices is partially offset by spillovers from within the region, including through lower remittances and security problems, and by long-standing constraints on growth potential. Growth is expected to average about 2.2% in the developing countries of the region in 2015, and to pick up modestly in 2016-17. Risks remain tilted to the downside, more so than in other regions. Policy makers face the challenges of adjusting to lower oil prices and coping with security risks in the short-run, and bolstering growth, employment, and fiscal positions in the long run. The expected growth rebound to 3.7% in 2016-17 is predicated on improving external demand, strengthening confidence that boosts investments in some oil-importing countries (Arab Republic of Egypt, Jordan), and an assumed gradual stabilisation of security. The plunge in oil prices is a particular challenge for oil-exporting countries, most of which have severe security challenges (Iraq, Libya, Republic of Yemen) or have limited buffers (Iran, Iraq). For oil-importing countries, the potential positive effects of lower oil prices are partially offset by spillover effects from more fragile countries in the region, including through lower remittances and security risks. Long-standing structural constraints present a chronic obstacle

to faster growth in the region. Measures to address these include policies to narrow the gap between private and public employment, level the playing field between firms, and improving education. In Sub-Saharan Africa low oil prices have considerably reduced growth in commodityexporting countries (Angola, Nigeria), where softening oil sectors have also slowed activity in non-oil sectors. Although South Africa is expected to be one of the main beneficiaries of low oil prices, energy shortages, weak investor sentiment amid policy uncertainty, and by the anticipated tightening of monetary and fiscal policies continue to hold back activity. Growth in the region is forecast to slow to 4.2%, a downward revision of 0.4 percentage point relative to the January 2015 forecasts. This mainly reflects a reassessment of prospects in Nigeria and Angola, following the sharp drop in oil prices, and in South Africa, because of ongoing difficulties in electricity supply. For 2016–17, growth is expected to be only marginally higher as these challenges partially offset higher trading partner growth and the continued expansion in the region’s low-income countries. Risks remain tilted to the downside, more so than in other regions, as a result of security challenges. The key risks remain an escalation of violence and oil price volatility. Policy makers face a dual challenge: adjusting to lower oil prices and dealing with security risks in the short run, and bolstering growth and employment in the long run. Fixed or heavily managed exchange-rate regimes, and

the large role played by governments in these economies, make economic adjustment more difficult. Informal employment can account for over 60% in Africa; the very nature of informality makes it difficult to measure. In addition, by blurring the distinction between employment and unemployment, it increases the margin for error in the unemployment data. Large-scale underemployment of workers, in low-paid, low-productivity occupations that under-utilize their skills, means that the measured unemployment rate in developing economies cannot be interpreted in the same way as that in advanced economies, either as a cyclical indicator, or as a gauge of economic welfare. In Africa, which is home to most commodity-exporting LiCs, mining investment alone amounted to $100 billion in 2014. Less is known about the scale of investment that flowed into agriculture, but private sector investment increased in agribusiness, in the development of value chains, and in farmland in Africa. An estimate of foreign direct investment in agriculture and agribusiness in developing countries for 2006/07 suggests that it was a small fraction of that in mining.5 for reasons of data availability, the focus in this feature is on the role of energy and mining booms in the LiCs. Since 2000, 120 “giant” oil and gas fields have been discovered world-wide, located in seven clusters, two of these clusters are in Africa, mostly offshore east and West Africa. In Tanzania alone there have been 13 giant oil and gas discoveries (alongside other major finds in

Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Uganda), and six in West Africa in the Gulf of Guinea. In mining, exploration in Sub-Saharan Africa was particularly attractive because of the region’s relatively unexplored potential and low cost. The value of known sub-soil assets per square kilometer in the region is estimated to be barely a quarter of that in advanced economies. The cost of exploration was lower than elsewhere, in part because African discoveries are occurring closer to the surface than anywhere else except Latin America. Africa had the largest discoveries per dollar of exploration cost during 2003–12: it accounted for 22% of discoveries but only 15% of global exploration expenditures. Output and exports: Between 2000 and 2010, commodity production in Africa increased by about one-quarter, albeit with considerable variation across different metals and hydrocarbons. Separate data is not available for global LiC output; however exports can be used as a proxy for production given the limited domestic use. Metal and hydrocarbon exports of LiCs rose fifteen-fold during 2000–13; and the contribution of exports to growth doubled over this period. The cyclicality of fiscal policies, compared with earlier commodity price booms, macroeconomic policies in Sub-Saharan Africa were less pro-cyclical, during much of the 2000s. Whereas during the commodities boom in the 1980s, government expenditure growth in countries dependent on primary commodities outpaced GDP growth, between 2000 and 2007 it was broadly in line or even significantly less (Eritrea, Guinea, Mozambique) since 2007

however, government spending has increased faster than GDP in some commodity ex-porters. In part this reflects fiscal stimulus employed by some (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) in the aftermath of the global crisis and greater spending on growth-enhancing infrastructure spending. Sharp commodity price declines have disrupted new foreign investments and in some cases production in extractive-based industries. The number of oil rigs for on-land oil drilling has already declined from its peak in the fourth quarter of last year, by 15% in South America, and 11% in Africa. In Sierra Leone, falling iron ore prices have lowered profits and reduced the market value of the iron ore companies operating in the country (the collapsed London mining and African minerals). This has led not only to lower foreign investments in the sector but also to the shutdown of operations in Tonkolili (the second largest iron ore mine in Africa and one of the largest magnetite deposits in the world). Projects considered to be most at risk include the expensive ultra-deepwater and pre-salt projects in West Africa, and the liquefied natural gas projects in east Africa.

BAHRAIN CORPORATE SUPPORT SERVICES FIRM OF THE YEAR - ALATHEER AUDIT AND CONSULTING

Mirza Almarzooq, Managing Par tner E-mail: m.almarzooq@alatheer.com Tel: 00973 39626280 BAHRAIN P.O.BOX:18213 Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Website: www.alatheer.com E-mail: ABGBH@alatheer.com Tel: 00973 17382877 Fax: 00973 17382866 OMAN P.O.Box: 1436, PC 133, Sultanate of Oman Tel: 00968 24486385 Fax: 00968 24486204 E-mail: ABGOM@alatheer.com

Alatheer Audit and Consulting was founded in early 2008, It is a dynamic and proactive professional services firm harvested by local and international expertise. The well-seasoned management team sets a paradigm to the level of quality and experience attached with the delivered service as they possess significant experience in audit and advisory services with two of the big audit firms and major banks in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In 2014 with the growing business opportunities. Alatheer has opened a branch in Muscat Oman, providing the same line of services as in Bahrain. Alatheer Audit and Consulting Oman provides Auditing and Accounting services whereas Alatheer Business Gate provides Business Advisory and Corporate Support. Alatheer has within a short timeframe gained the trust of the business community and provided its services to a wide range of clients including financial institutions, governmental entities, large commercial and non-profit organisations, a testimony that is also reflected by its increasing client portfolio. Alatheer is currently organized into four lines of services. These are illustrated as follows:

1. 2. 3. 4.

Audit and Assurance; Business Advisory; Accounting and Bookkeeping; and Corporate Support and tax.

Alatheer team comprises a dedicated team of partners, directors, managers and professional staff who have a well recognized professional qualifications mixed with a wide range of experience gained from providing professional services to clients throughout the Gulf Region, Canada and South East Asia. The team has provided audit and assurance services to a wide cross section of private and government sector clients such that collectively it possesses a large pool of knowledge that can be tapped to ensure that the client receives a pro-active and value added services. The team also includes specialists who have been actively involved in advising on new business ventures, devising complex financial models, valuations, preparing feasibility studies and business plans, raising project finance, conducting financial due diligence and providing inward investment advice to international investors to the region.

UAE INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR, HOS SAM M. ABD EL-RAHMAN - ALLIED COMPLIANCE CONSULTANTS FULL SERVICE BUSINES S CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR - ALLIED COMPLIANCE CONSULTANTS

Allied Compliance Consultants "ACC" City Tower 2, Level 16, Suite: 1604, Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O. Box 53962, Dubai, United Arab Emirates "UAE" E-mail: info@acc-co.com Website: www.acc-co.com

D ue dilige nc e is a te rm th a t mo s t o f u s h ear on a da ily ba sis in ou r b u s i n e s s wo rl d , b u t i n many i n st a nc e s w e - b o th o n a n i n d i vi d u a l a n d c orpo ra t e le v e ls- f a il to u n d e rs ta n d th e e s s e n c e of i t or e x e rc ise it prop e rl y a n d e n d u p ta k i n g h a s ty w rong de c ision s th a t we re g re t l a te r. D ue D ilige nc e i n a n u ts h e l l i s th e p ro c e s s o f sy st e m a t ic a lly e x e rc i s i n g re a s o n a b l e c a re t o e na ble se pa r a t i n g fa c t fro m fi c ti o n . I t i s m ai nl y re s e a rc h i n g t o e n s u re t h e a c c u r a c y o f t h e inform a t ion a nd pro p e rl y a s s e s s th e ri s k . E v a l u ati ng th e r isk is f a r mo re th a n k n o wi n g wh a t c an go w rong; it inc lud e s u n d e rs ta n d i n g wh a t i s t he possibilit y of it g o i n g wro n g , h o w b a d l y i t c an go w rong, how t o re co v e r fro m i t, a n d wh a t o ther opt ions w ill be a va i l a b l e to y o u . I n t he proc e ss o f s e p a ra ti n g th e fa c t fro m fi c ti on, i t is c r it ic a lly im p o rta n t to u n d e rs ta n d th e di ffer e nt re a sons t ha t l e a d u n e th i ca l p e o p l e to m ake fi c t ion look lik e fa c t a n d th e v a ri o u s me th ods th a t t he y use t o c a u s e h a rm to th e i r vi cti m s . D ue dilige nc e is n o t a s i m p l e ro u ti n e , b u t rather a n e sse nt ia l on g o i n g p ro ce s s th a t c a n p ro tec t a com pa ny a nd it s i n ve s to rs fro m fra u d , m i s repre se nt a t ion a nd u n wa rra n te d ri s k . Al th o u g h i t ca nnot gua r a nte e th e s u cc e s s o f a tra n s a c ti on or de t e c t a ll f r a ud , i t c a n h e l p a v o i d p re ve n ta bl e disa st e r s.

D ue dilige nc e s h o u l d b e v i e we d n o t o n l y as a m e a n t o m it iga te ri s k s a s s o c i a te d wi th n e w and e x ist ing c lie nt s , b u t a l s o a s a n o p p o rtu n i ty to be t t e r K now Yo u r C u s to m e rs , i n o rd e r to m ore e ff e c t iv e ly m e e t th e i r n e e d s . Du e Di l i g e n c e i n v olv e s m a ny a s p e c ts a n d i t re q u i re s a s e t of proc e dure s inc l u d i n g i d e n ti ty v e ri fi ca ti o n , i denti fi c a t ion of k nown a s s o ci a te s , b u s i n e s s p a rtners a nd ot he r signi fi ca n t re l a ti o n s h i p s , ve ri fi cati on of

s ourc es of funds , and ans weri ng s ubpoenas w it h mi ni mum di s rupti ons to the organi z ati on o r it s operati ons . N ow more than ev er, bus i nes s rel ati ons hi ps require the exercise of a proper, thorough a nd effec ti v e due di l i genc e i n c i rc ums tanc es where we of t en unders tand nei ther the l anguage, nor the cult ure, nor the l aws and regul ati ons , nor the fi nan cial prac ti c es wi thi n a gi v en l oc al e. M oreov er, using I nter net s earc hes for due di l i genc e often cannot y i el d enough i nformati on to addres s the n eeds or c onc er ns that thi s proc es s requi res , I t c an on t he c ontrary be ev en more mi s l eadi ng and ti m e was ti ng than benefi c i al , due to the huge volum e of i rrel ev ant i nformati on prov i ded, i t i s l i ke dri nki ng from the F i re H os e wi thout drowning in I nformati on “U s i ng I nter net for D ue D i l i genc e i s l i ke dr inking from the F i re H os e” D ue di l i genc e i s a Zero-Tol eranc e proc es s w here errors are not an opti on, as there may be n o s ec ond c hanc e, and i n c as e there i s , l ac k o f due di l i genc e may c os t the organi z ati on a l ot in l aws ui ts , fraud and reputati on damage. So, due di l i genc e c annot be a tri al and error proc e ss, nor i t c an be fac i l i tated by a qui c k s earc h on the i nter net. I t i s a proc es s that requi res ex pert ise and j udgment to determi ne the need for explor i ng further, as wel l how and where. We in Allied Compliance Consultants “ACC ” v e r y wel l unders tand the c ri ti c al i mportanc e of Due di l i genc e and pai r the i ndus try knowl edge w it h our deep ex peri enc e to prov i de al l our v al u ed c l i ents wi th c omprehens i v e anal y s i s and i n sight s to reduc e l os s es from mi s repres entati on an d fraud, and l i abi l i ty res ul ti ng from fai l ure to ex erc i s e appropri ate due di l i genc e i n s uc h chal l engi ng env i ronments .

K E N YA BANKING LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - ASHITIVA & COMPANY ADVOCATES

NAIROBI 1st Floor, Victoria Towers, Kilimanjaro Avenue, Upperhill P.O. Box 21372-00100 GPO NAIROBI, KENYA T: +254 020 02376 082/ +254 020 271 0880/ +254 0722 764 732 E: info@ashitivaadvocates.com W: www.ashitivaadvocates.com

Ashitiva and Company Advocates is a vibrant mid-sized law firm situated in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. Headquartered in the Upperhill area — which is considered East Africa’s corporate business hub— Ashitiva and Company’s central location is ideally suited to any clients looking to do business in the East African region and beyond. The firm has opened a second branch in Nakuru, where certain key energy and infrastructure projects are based. The firm focuses on the corporate commercial aspects of law and carries out these duties through three key departments, namely; litigation, commercial and conveyancing and real estate. As a Corporate Commercial law firm our areas of expertise include, but are not limited to; commercial contracts, capital markets, banking security and finance, corporate restructuring, oil and gas, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, aviation law, real estate, conveyancing and construction.

NAKURU 2nd Floor, Tahmoh Plaza, Kijabe Row P.O. Box 18023-20100 NAKURU, KENYA T: +254 051-2213411/ +254 020 2034579/ +254 0721 154544 E: info@ashitivaadvocates.com W: www.ashitivaadvocates.com

Sitting on several panels for both commercial banks and micro-finance institutions we have years of experience in all the areas of law pertaining to the banking sector. It is this skill and depth of knowledge that has grown our banking securitization and finance practice to where it is today, advising some of the biggest and influential banks in this jurisdiction. In fact Ashitiva and Company Advocates has won several international awards both for the firm as a whole and individually by its lawyers due to their proficient handling of various prestigious and complex commercial law matters. In the past two years, the firm’s energy business has flourished so much so that we have set up a new department — Energy, Oil and Gas — to cater to the sheer bulk of work stemming from this emerging sector in Kenya. Apart from these strides in domestic growth, the firm, along with 4 other firms in East Africa, has established Law Summit Africa (LSA). LSA is an association comprising of leading law firms across Africa which share common values, organizational capacity, resources and the highest standards of practice. This alliance provides our clients with a seamless solution to jurisdictional conflict and ensures their success in cross border transactions.

SOUTH AFRICA TAX A DVISORY FIRM OF TH E YEAR, B DO TAX A DVISE R OF TH E YEAR, F ERDI E SCH NEI DER, BDO

Ferdie Schneider Head of Tax: BDO South Africa fschneider@bdo.co.za Mobile: + 27 82 771 4157 www.bdo.co.za

BDO Tax South Africa BDO is a member firm of BDO International, a global network of audit, accounting and advisory firms with 59 000 staff operating in 152 countries, established in 1963. The South African firm’s roots can be traced back to the 1930s. BDO Tax provides a full spectrum of tax services to medium-sized and large multinational companies which covers corporate and individual tax consulting and compliance; direct and indirect tax; advice on doing business in Africa; international tax; and transfer pricing. BDO Tax comprises of a number of recognised technical and business advisers who lead the practice. BDO Tax plays a leading role in coordinating the BDO’s Sub-Saharan tax practices and is able to provide a wealth of information to and assist companies wishing to grow their South African and African footprint. BDO South Africa has offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria, and Durban.Ferdie Schneider, Head of BDO Tax South Africa Ferdie is the National Head of BDO Tax, Member of the National Executive, and coordinator of the BDO Sub-Saharan Africa Tax. Ferdie is a tax expert with expertise in Taxation, VAT, and Fiscal Economics, and holds various qualifications, including Masters

in Economics (cum laude) and Taxation. He is a Master Tax Practitioner at the South African Institute of Tax Practitioners (SAIT) and South African Revenue Service (SARS). Ferdie held positions at SARS; National Treasury; Tax Advisory Committee; Katz Commission; and the VAT Committee on Financial Services. He was a Tax Partner at Deloitte; member of its Global Indirect Tax Committee; Tax Partner at KPMG and member of its Global Indirect Tax Committee; Co-chair of the VAT Credit Retail committee on VAT attribution and apportionment. He represented the Insurance Industry in settling the highest Rand value technical VAT dispute in South African history and gives input into tax legislation. Ferdie co-authored KPMG’s Managing VAT Handbook, edited Fleet Street’s Practical VAT Handbook; and wrote Lexis Nexis’ VAT Practical Guide and has a monthly tax technical column in Business Day’s Business, Tax & Law Review. Ferdie has published in various South African and international publications, including COVER, and International Tax Review. Ferdie has done a number of radio and television interviews, including Classic FM; Voice of the Cape; Radio Sonder Grense, CNBC Africa; Robinson Regstreeks; Africa News Network 7; and SABC News. Ferdie lectures at tertiary level; presents at client seminars; and presents a complete suite of Tax Training Modules, ranging from basics, intermediate, to difficult. Ferdie consults to multi-national companies in operation or planning operations in South Africa and Africa and has successfully represented many clients in Alternative Dispute Resolutions (ADRs) and Settlements against SARS.

SOUTH AFRICA B O U T IQUE FAMILY L AW F I R M O F T H E YE A R, BE RTUS P R E L L E R A N D A S S O CIAT E S IN C. L AWY ER OF THE YEAR ( FA M I LY L AW ) , BE RTUS P R E L L E R, B E RT U S P R E L L E R A N D A S S O CIAT E S IN C.

Ber tus Preller & Associates Inc. Ground Level, The Chambers 50 Keerom Street Cape Town, 8000, South Africa Telephone: +27 21 422-2461 or +27 21 422-2573 or +27 21 422-2597 Facsimile: 086 572 8373 E-mail: info@preller.co.za Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/divorceattorneys Twitter: @ber tuspreller www.preller.co.za

Bertus Preller and Associates Inc., is a boutique family law firm in South Africa located in the heart of Cape Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Legal District, surrounded by the Advocates Chambers and opposite the High Court in Keerom Street. The firm was founded by well known family and divorce lawyer, Bertus Preller who is the author of the book Everyone's Guide To Divorce and Separation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; published by Random House. The firm consists of a highly capable and motivated family law team who ensures that the vision and integrity of the firm grows from strength to strength. As Family lawyers we constantly strive to maintain high standards to ensure that the firm continues to be one of the most reputable family law firms in South Africa. Consisting of four family law attorneys and two candidate attorneys we pride ourselves in providing exceptional legal advice on a full range of family law services and we offer a wealth of experience to ensure a compassionate, straight forward no nonsense approach to family law. We offer alternative dispute resolution methods such as collaborative law and we promote the use of family Mediation as a way of resolving conflict. If however court is inevitable, we are equipped to take on the most complex and difficult litigation adopting a problem solving approach throughout. Bertus Preller the founder of the firm is is a member of the International Bar Association and a member of reunite International Child Abduction Centre, recognised as the leading UK charity specialising in international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders and IACP the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, an international community of legal, mental health and financial professionals working in concert to create client-centred processes for resolving conflict. Our family and divorce law department offers local and international expert advice and assistance in all aspects of divorce, separation and family law matters.

Some of our services include: s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s

#ONTESTED /PPOSED $IVORCES 5NCONTESTED 5NOPPOSED $IVORCES )NTERNATIONAL $IVORCES #ASES AND %XPERT /PINIONS $IVORCE -EDIATION AND #OLLABORATIVE $IVORCE 'ENERAL &AMILY ,AW -ATTERS 0ARENTAL 2ESPONSIBILITIES AND 2IGHTS 3AME 3EX -ARRIAGES 'AY AND ,ESBIAN 5NMARRIED &ATHERS 2IGHTS AND !CCESS TO #HILDREN $OMESTIC 6IOLENCE -ATTERS AND 0ROTECTION /RDERS )NTERNATIONAL #HILD !BDUCTION (AGUE #ONVENTION !PPLICATIONS #ARE AND #ONTACT DISPUTES CONCERNING #HILDREN #HILD AND 3POUSAL -AINTENANCE ,AW !NTENUPTIAL #ONTRACTS AND 0RE NUPTIAL !GREEMENTS 3URROGACY !PPLICATIONS AND !DOPTION ,AW #OHABITATION !GREEMENTS 5NIVERSAL 0ARTNERSHIPS 5RGENT -ONETARY 2ELIEF !PPLICATIONS

Our Personalised Approach Our lawyers are sensitive to the very difficult psychological challenges people face during divorce and separation. Our personalized approach allows our clients to deal with divorce using a number of creative approaches. We have an understanding of the psychology of families and the impact of family breakdown and what happens when couples separate. We believe in the supreme importance of trust, mutual respect, and good communication between our clients and us to have a successful working relationship and a positive legal outcome.

UAE GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (FINANCIAL CONSULTANCY) - NIGEL GREEN, DEVERE GROUP

deVere Group Limited 26th Floor The H Hotel Office Tower One Sheikh Zayed Road PO Box 62201, Dubai UAE pr@devere -group.com

de Ve re – l e a d i n g t h e way in wo r ld wid e f in an cial co n sul tancy

A peopl e i nvestor

A s t h e w o r l d ’s l e a d in g in d ep en d en t f in an cial ad viso r y organi satio n , d e Ve re G ro u p is r arely o u t o f t h e sp o t lig h t . Mo st recentl y its f o u n d e r a n d C E O, Nig el Green , received t h e ACQ G l obal ‘ U A E G a m e - c h a n g e r o f Th e Year Award ’, an o t h er p resti gi ous a c c o l a d e t h e c o m p a n y h as co llect ed in wh at is t u r n in g i nto a be n c h m a r k y e a r. T his award is a p ar t icu lar h o n o u r as the no m i n a t i o n p ro c e s s is t h o ro u g h ly in d ep en d en t an d t h e wi nners a re c h o s e b y t h e i n d u st r y it self .

deVere’s busi ness i s a peopl e one, based on responsi bi l i ty, confi dence and purpose. A s such the company pl aces g re a t emphasi s on the trai ni ng and professi onal and personal devel opment of i ts 450-pl us team of i ndependent fi nanc i a l advi sers (I FAs)

de Ve re , t h e c o m p a n y To d a y d e Ve re s e r v e s over 80,000 clients in more than 100 c o u n t r i e s w o r l d w i d e an d h as m o re t h an $ 1 0 b illio n o f funds un d e r a d v i s e m e n t . Th e co m p an y p ro vid es b esp o ke, sp e ci al i st gl o b a l f i n a n c i a l s o l u t io n s t o in t er n at io n al, lo cal m ass affl uent, a n d h i g h - n e t - w o r t h clien t s. de Ve re h e l p s c l i e n t s g ro w, m axim ise an d saf eg u ard t h e i r weal th. T h e re f o re , d e p e n d i ng o n wh ere t h ey are in t h eir lif e cy cl e and on t h e i r p e r s o n a l c i rcu m st an ces an d o b ject ives, wealt h m a n a g e m e n t w i l l t y p ically en co m p ass d evisin g , im p lementi ng a n d re v i e w i n g s t r a t eg ies f o r savin g , in vest in g , t ax eff ic i ency, e d u c a t i o n f e e p l a n n in g , m o r t g ag es, d eb t m an ag em en t, re t i re m e n t p l a n n i n g , e st a t e p l a n n in g , a n d in su r a n ce s. One to one advice O n e o f t h e k e y t r i g g er s o f d eVere’s su ccess is it s sin g le -mi nded a p p ro a c h t o i t s c l i e n t s n eed s. Th e co m p an y d eliver s it s servi ces on a o n e - t o - o n e , t ailo r- m ad e b asis, en ab lin g it t o t ake each c li e n t ’s g o a l s a n d exp ect at io n s in t o co n sid er at io n . T h i s i s b a c k e d b y t h e co m p an y’s u n iq u e relat io n sh ip wi th the w o r l d ’s t o p f i n a n c i al in st it u t io n s, en ab lin g it s clien t s to gai n e x c l u s i v e a c c e s s t o so m e o f t h e m o st ad van t ag eo u s f inanci al pro d u c t s a v a i l a b l e o n t h e m ar ket . The early years de Ve re w a s f o u n d e d b y Nig el Green in 2 0 0 2 in a sin g le Hong Ko n g o ff i c e . T h i s was aro u n d t h e t im e t h at t h e n u m b er of expat w o r k e r s b o o m e d . I t was also t h e t im e t h at Ho n g K o n g was ha n d e d b a c k t o C h i n a, wit h Ch in a’s p led g e t o ret ain Hong Ko n g ’s c a p i t a l i s t s t r u ct u re. T h i s s e a - c h a n g e b ro u g h t wit h it a g ro win g d em an d f o r hi ghl y tai l o re d f i n a n c i a l p ro d u ct s t h at ad d ressed t h e u n iq u e requi rem e n t s o f t h o s e w o rkin g an d livin g ab ro ad – req u irem ents that de Ve re s a t i s f i e d w i t h a t r ail- b lazin g p o r t f o lio o f f in an c i al s e r v i c e s a n d p ro d u ct s. G ro w t h A l i t t l e o v e r a d e c a d e sin ce it s lau n ch , d eVere n o w h as 71 off i c e s a ro u n d t h e wo r ld , an d as t h e d em an d f o r t h e c ompany’s a d v i c e a n d s e r v i c e s g ro ws, so d o es t h is o ff ice n et wo r k. Key t o t h i s g ro w t h is a f o cu s o n a sin g le g o al – t o p rovi de un r i v a l l e d i n v e s t m en t p o r t f o lio s an d lead in g ed g e f in a nci al a d v i c e , s e r v i c e s a n d p ro d u ct s t h at are relevan t n o t o n l y to a gl o b a l m a r k e t p l a c e b u t t o t h e in d ivid u al n eed s o f eac h and e v e r y d e Ve re i n v e s to r.

From graduate trai ni ng to fast-track promoti ons, deVe re I FA s are encouraged to up-ski l l and real i se thei r ful l career pote nti a l , take on greater responsi bi l i ti es and ul ti matel y offer cl ie nts a n i ndustry-l eadi ng servi ce based on i ntegri ty and knowl e dge . Technology From day one, N i gel G reen recogni sed that wi thi n tech nol ogy there was a better way to servi ce the needs of an ever-i ncreasi ng worl dwi de cl i ent base. Thi s i nsi ght dro v e the busi ness forward and, whi l st never l etti ng go of the pri nc i pl e of personal servi ce, enabl ed deVere to devel op and then domi na te on an i nter nati onal stage. The resul t i s that today, deVere i s one of, i f not the mo s t technol ogi cal l y advanced fi nanci al consul tanci es i n the worl d. The effi ci enci es and possi bi l i ti es that thi s i nvestment bri ngs to the organi sati on are di rectl y transferred to the benefi t of the company’s cl i ents. Markets Whi l st the AC Q G l obal Award recogni ses deVere’s extra ordi na ry successes i n the Uni ted Arab Emi rates, whi ch i s a key a re a for the company, deVere today has stretched i ts i nfl uence a round the gl obe, bri ngi ng i ts products and servi ces to the doors te ps of i ts cl i ents, wherever they choose to l i ve and/or work i n the worl d. A n ethi cal company deVere takes i ts responsi bi l i ti es to the communi ti es tha t i t serves very seri ousl y. The organi sati on has al ways been a n a v i d fund-rai ser but recentl y l aunched i ts Foundati on, an u mbre l l a organi sati on under whi ch i t i s abl e to co-ordi nate i ts c ha ri ty acti vi ti es more cohesi vel y and, consequentl y, more effic i e ntl y spread the money i t rai ses. Through the Foundati on, deVere set i tsel f a target of ra i s i ng £1 mi l l i on a year and wi th fund rai si ng acti vi ti es spanni ng e v e ry conti nent, bri ngi ng tangi bl e l i fe i mprovements to the wi de s t range of peopl e who are i n need, thi s target has been me t. The future deVere i s an organi sati on that never sl eeps. Consi stent year-on-year growth has brought wi th i t an ever expan di ng cl i ent portfol i o – and an ever wi deni ng range of servi c e s wi th recent examples ranging from Workplace Solutions - a new pensi ons di vi si on ai med at addressi ng changi ng U K pens i on pol i cy - to a new i nvestment strategy di vi si on, headed by l eadi ng i nter nati onal i nvestment strategi st, Tom El l i ott. A s the company moves i nto new terri tori es i ncl udi ng C hi na a nd A fri ca, breaki ng new fronti ers and real i si ng market pote nti a l , one thi ng remai ns constant – a commi tment to provi de ma rk e t l eadi ng fi nanci al advi ce, products and servi ces on a pe rs on to person basi s and to create, grow and protect the weal th of cl i ents wherever they may be i n the worl d.

SOUTH AFRICA TRAINING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR, EKURHULENI ARTISANS AND SKILLS TRAINING CENTRE GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (EDUCATION & TRAINING), MARTHIE JANSEN VAN RENSBURG, EKURHULENI ARTISANS AND SKILLS TRAINING CENTRE

EKURHULENI ARTISANS AND SKILLS TRAINING CENTRE 43b Maxwell Street Kempton Park Johannesburg 1619 Contact Details: 011 394 1488 www.eastc.co.za

SOUTH AFRICA – GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (EDUCATION & TRAINING), MARTHIE JANSEN VAN RENSBURG, EKURHULENI ARTISANS AND SKILLS TRAINING CENTRE Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre started as a very small Training Centre in April 2006. I (Marthie) felt a calling to help the unemployed people off the streets in Kempton Park in a way that they will become self-sustainable. I had a vision and was determined to make it work. I knew if these people had some sort of hand skills, emotional support and upliftment that they will be able to find employment along with support their loved ones, start a career or even become entrepreneurs themselves. I have gone through a lot of research of rare skills needed in the industry and also with which skills people will find employment (what I like to call employable skills). My focus was strongly based on the fact that it must be affordable, doesn’t take a long time to achieve and it must be in a way that every one, 16years and older, educated or uneducated, able or disabled, male or female can take advantage of this. From there on I started with Boilermaking and Welding. I extracted the most important employable skills out of these trades, categorised it and combined all of it in a way that it fits in my criteria. That is how I developed Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre with a curriculum unique to

Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre and South Africa. Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre’s mission is and always will be to create platforms that guide individuals providing them with the necessary skills to excel in a field of specialty. This is achieved by providing superior training presented by specialists in each area. We started off with only 24 students. From there we have grown to 21 112 up to December 2014 that we have trained in different fields. Our curriculum has grown from Boilermaking and Welding to Rigging, Pipe Fitting, CNC Programming, Plumbing, Electrical, Aircon and Refrigerating, Sheet Metal Work, Basic Hand and Tool Skills, Bricklaying, Painting / Decorating, Quality Control, Engineering Drawings, Engineering Measurements, Cutting Torch, Plasma Cutting, Angle Grinder, Carpentry, Welding Test and Pre Trade Test Training. Our students come from all walks of life, like I have envisioned it 9 years ago. From young and old, educated and uneducated, able and disabled, male and female. Companies prefer to send staff and unemployed youth to Ekurhuleni Artisans and Skills Training Centre, for the reason that these renewed short courses and the ability to customise the courses to the needs and requirements of the companies. Companies prefer short courses so that the employees do not spend long periods away from site and it promotes lifelong learning as the technology improves and industry demands changes.

MOZAMBIQUE L AW F IRM OF THE YEAR - F E R NA NDA LO PE S & A S SO CIA D O S A DVO GA D O S P RO JECT FIN AN CE L AW F I R M O F T H E YE A R - F E R NA NDA LO P E S & A S S O CI A D O S A DVO GA D O S L AWY ER OF THE YEAR - F E R NA NDA LO P E S, F E R NA NDA LO P E S & A S S O CIA D O S A DVO GA D O S

Firm Overview: FL&A – Fernanda Lopes & Associados was incorporated in 1995 and since then has increased its activity and is about to increase from 2 to 3 partners. Currently, 10 lawyers compose the team. The firm has associations and has best-friend ties with several law offices across the world. The firm provides integrated legal services to its clients, tailored to meet their needs. Due to the quality and innovation of its services, FL&A currently ranks amongst the largest law firms in Mozambique, and is one of the most recognized local law firms. Main Areas of Practice: Corporate: The firm provides legal services in the corporate field, on incorporation of companies and opening of branches, increase of share capital, M&A, bankruptcy and insolvency as well as restructuring. With experience and a solid knowledge in corporate law matters, the team of lawyers of the corporate area of practice are well familiarized both with domestic and international companies. Email:

fernanda.lopes@fla.co.mz

Contracts: The firm provides legal services in the contracting and commercial fields, preparing several types of contracts – sale and purchase, lease, distribution, franchising, etc., as well as conducting due diligences and issuing the related reports.

With extensive and sound knowledge in contract law matters, the team of lawyers of the contracting and commercial area of practice are well familiarized both with domestic and international companies Email: alferio.dgedge@fla.co.mz Banking & Finance: The firm provides legal services in the fields of securitizations and project finance, collateral instruments, etc. Email: amalia.garrine@fla.co.mz Employment: The firm provides legal services in the fields of employment contracts, restructuring and dismissal, transfer of staff, outsourcing, foreign employees and expatriates, collective relations, employment litigation and general employment advice. Email: carla.sousa@fla.co.mz Real Estate: The firm provides legal services in the fields of property finance, property acquisition, land law, hotel and leisure. Email: guilhermina.manjate@fla.co.mz Intellectual Property & IT: The firm provides legal services in the fields of industrial property, advertising, marketing, and consumer rights, distribution and franchising. Email: Carla.sousa@fla.co.mz Litigation: The firm provides legal services in the fields of company, contracting and commercial as well as civil litigation and dispute resolution. The litigation practice area links with other related practice areas. Email: fernanda.lopes@fla.co.mz

SUDAN SOUTH SUDAN - C OMMERCIAL L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR, LOMORO & CO. ADVOCATES SOUTH SUDAN - C USTOMER SERVICE L AW FIRM OF THE YEAR, LOMORO & CO. ADVOCATES

Lomoro & Co Advocates Lomoro Centre, next to KCB Buluk, Juba South Sudan Mobile: +211(0) 955 189 648 +211(0) 926 661 274 Telephone: +211(0) 955 155 666 info@lomoroadvocates.com lomoro@lomoroadvocates.com ser vice@lomoroadvocates.com lomoroadvocates@gmail.com

WHO WE ARE: Lomoro & Co. Advocates is a leading law firm in South Sudan and the first law firm to provide work as local counsel on infrastructural and project financing and act generally as the leading corporate & commercial law firm. We serve both local and international clients. Our Clientele includes government institutions, Embassies, international NGOs and companies working in South Sudan. The law firm is internationally recognised and globally ranked and has been preferred law firm by so many international law firms because of its quality and professional work. Lomoro Robert is the Managing Partner and is a well-known practitioner recognized globally for his outstanding work. He has received a number of awards and recognition on his individual merits. DEPARTMENTS OF THE LAW FIRM: Corporate & Commercial Law Department The Corporate & Commercial Law Department of the firm which deals with corporate matters of our clients such as government institutions, Embassies, international NGOs and companies is highly respected and has made Lomoro & Co. Advocates the first law firm to provide work as local counsel on infrastructural and project financing and act generally as the leading corporate & commercial law firm dealing in all areas such

as information related issues, insurance, immigration, contracts, banking, leases and securities/mortgages, among others. Our researches on these areas and our legal advisory role have remained unchallenged. The Department has facilitated clients who want registration of their companies, business organisations and NGOs who are for first time entering South Sudan. We provide advice and carryout the registration process for all these clients. We do provide legislative drafting. Our lead partner, Lomoro Robert has extensive knowledge of legislative drafting, having participated in the drafting of the Transitional Constitution of Central Equatoria State, 2011 and participated in drafting of a number of bills and which have become Acts of Parliament, both at national and state level. Other Departments Of The Law Firm Other departments of the Law firm include the (i) Department of Land and Security Transaction deals with issues related to drafting tenancies, leases, mortgages, charges, debentures and general advice on security and land transactions; (ii) Department of Litigation; and (iii) Department of Research and Training. Despite the division of departments, the Law Firm works as a team and therefore readily available to attend to each needs of our client.

SOUTH AFRICA INDE P E N D E N T IN VE STM E NT A DV I S O R Y O F TH E Y E AR, N OVAR E IN VEST MEN T S M ULT I- M A N AG E R FU ND PR OV I D E R O F TH E Y E A R, N OVAR E IN VEST MEN T S GAMECHANGER OF TH E Y E AR, M R. J J H E NN, NOVAR E IN VEST MEN T S

Novare Investments Fifth Floor, The Cliffs, Office Block 1, Niagara Way, Tyger Falls Carl Cronje Drive, Bellville, 7530 Tel: +27 (0)21 914 3944 Fax: +27 (0)21 914 7733 www.novareinvestments.com Mr. JJ Henn, CEO

Novare Investments, the independent multi-manger, was recently voted the Best Multi-Manager Fund Provider in South Africa at the Global Fund Awards 2015 in London. The Global Fund Awards is an international awards program, sponsored by Barclay Hedge and the Isle of Man Fund Association that recognises fund performance and excellence in global financial services. The awards honour funds, funds of funds, hedge funds, and funds of hedge funds, as well as service providers working behind the scenes to manage and advise on various aspects of the funds industry. The organisers of the awards said Novare had amassed a wealth of investment knowledge in Africa. The group’s experience, local knowledge and network mean that

Novare is widely respected as an indispensible business partner for those looking to invest in Africa. Eugene Visagie, head of hedge fund investments at Novare Investments said the group was appreciative of the recognition of its multi-management capabilities. “Our goal is to be recognised as the multi-manager fund provider of choice. We follow a focused, specialist approach to investment management with an innovative research framework incorporating traditional and alternative asset classes into our unique product offering. “Our approach and philosophy combine to provide clients with superior multi-manager products that are based on risk cognisant investment performance, exceptional service delivery and ethically sound and sustainable investment decisions,” said Visagie.

SAUDI ARABIA GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR (HEALTHCARE ) - PROF. TAWFIK KHOJA, THE HEALTH MINISTERS' COUNCIL

Prof. Tawfik Khoja Executive Board Health Ministersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Council for Cooperation Council States Diplomatic Quar ters, Next to Chinese Embassy. Opposite to Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. E-mail: sgh@sgh.org.sa Mobile: +966505485892, +966549800700

It is an intergovernmental Regional organization based in Riyadh which involves in its membership seven countries: The UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Yemen. MISSION s 0ROMOTION OF COOPERATION COORDINATION BETWEEN THE -EMBERS IN HEALTH FIELDS s $ISSEMINATION OF HEALTH KNOWLEDGE s !SSESSMENT OF THE EXISTING HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS AND STRATEGIES

s $ISCUSSING THE DRAFT ANNUAL BUDGET AND THE FIND FINANCIAL REPORT s 3TUDYING THE DRAFT INTERNAL RULES REGULATIONS OR BYLAWS FOR THE (-# s &OLLOW UP THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ADOPTED PLANS AND PROGRAMS s !SSISTING THE $IRECTOR 'ENERAL IN HIS TASKS The Executive Board )T FOLLOWS UP THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE (EALTH -INISTERS RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS )T CONSISTS OF THE $IRECTOR 'ENERAL AND THE TECHNICAL FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE APPARATUS REQUIRED TO PERFORM WORK

s 0ROMOTE COOPERATION WITH THE !RAB AND )NTERNATIONAL (EALTH Organizations. s 0ROCUREMENT OF SAFE AND EFFICIENT PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS HOSPITAL SUNDRIES AND EQUIPMENT OF HIGH QUALITY AT APPROPRIATE PRICES THROUGH GROUP PURCHASING AND 'ULF CENTRAL REGISTRATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL companies and products. s #ONDUCTING JOINT SURVEYS AND RESEARCH OF COMMON INTEREST TO 'ULF 3TATES s /RGANIZING CONFERENCES SEMINARS AND TRAINING COURSES TO BUILD capacities. It consists of 4HE %XECUTIVE BODY WHICH IS CONCERNED WITH s 0REPARING THE DRAFT AGENDA FOR THE (-# #ONFERENCES

The main functions are s &OLLOW UP OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE (EALTH -INISTERS RESOLUTIONS s 0REPARING FOR THE %XECUTIVE "ODY AND THE #OUNCIL MEETINGS s 0REPARING DRAFTS OF RULES FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS ANNUAL BUDGET BALANCE SHEET PLANS PROGRAMS JOINT PROJECTS AND SUPERVISING implementation. s &OLLOW UP OF WORK OF THE TECHNICAL AND CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES AND SUPERVISING PREPARATION OF STUDIES AND RESEARCH ADOPTED BY THE #OUNCIL s 0REPARING UNIFIED DRUG PRICING AND GROUP PURCHASING POLICIES s #OORDINATION WITH INTERNATIONAL !RAB AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS s 0REPARING ANNUAL REPORTS ABOUT WORK OF THE #OUNCIL AND ITS ACHIEVEMENTS

SOUTH AFRICA GAM E CHAN GE R OF THE YEAR, PETER MOUNTF OR D, SUPER GR OUP

Telephone: +27 11 523 4000 Email: peter.mountford@supergrp.com Address: 27 Impala Road, Chislehurston, Sandton, Gauteng, South Africa, 2196.

The ACQ Global Awards SOUTH AFRICA - GAMECHANGER OF THE YEAR is Peter Mountford, the CEO of JSE Listed, Super Group Limited. Peter has more than 20 years of senior management experience mainly within the SA Breweries group (SAB). This experience included roles such as Group Financial Director of The Lion Match Company Ltd and Chief Executive Officer of SAB Diversified Beverages incorporating Appletizer, Liquifruit, Ceres, ValprĂŠ, Associated Fruit Processors and Supply Chain Services. Peter is a qualified Chartered Accountant with a MBA (with distinction) from Warwick University. His other business experience includes the role of Managing Director of SAB Diversified Beverages which included SABâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Supply Chain Services and Logistics interests. He was previously the Managing Director of Super Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Logistics and Transport division until June 2002, when he joined Imperial. Peter rejoined Super Group as the CEO of the Logistics Transport division in March 2008. In July 2009 Peter was appointed CEO of Super Group. Peter is also a director of the Road Freight Association. At the time Peter was appointed CEO of Super Group, Super Group was in trouble. The Banks had frozen their funding lines to the company and the Company was making large losses as a result of a number of underperforming business units. Peter, supported by his management team, sold or closed a number of businesses that were not considered core to Super Group. Since then under the steady leadership of Peter, Super Group has grown steadily through organic growth in the core divisions and selected focused acquisitions. Some of the highlights include the acquisition of Safika Oosthuizens a bulk Coal Transport Business, Digistics, a business servicing the Quick Service Restaurants, a number of Dealerships and other niche Logistics Businesses.

The Group has listed its Australian Subsidiary, SG Fleet, on the Australian Stock Exchange and acquired the Allen Ford Group in the UK, a group of 13 Ford and 2 Kia Dealerships. Super Group recently announced the acquisition of IN tIME Logistics in Germany which completed at the end of October 2015. Some of the key principles of Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Management Philosophy include: - A commitment to honesty, transparency and accountable business; - Recognizing the Corporate value of all stakeholders and creating a culture that respects the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integrity and that underpins â&#x20AC;&#x153;fairâ&#x20AC;? business; - Sustainability is at the core of delivering all Stakeholder value and has certainly impacted on measurements such as social programs and environmental impacts; and - The commitment to strong financial performance in a balanced and environmentally sensitive solution. Peter says some of the best advice he has received during his career was from Meyer Khan, a former Chairman of SAB, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Business is a continual calculation and an instinctive exercise of judgmentâ&#x20AC;?. Super Group is a leading transport logistics and mobility group, headquartered in South Africa. The Group includes supply chain, dealerships and fleet solutions businesses focused on offering a comprehensive range of services, utilizing world-class skills and technology.

NIGERIA L AW Y E R O F T H E YEA R, A JI B OL A OLUYEDE - TRLPL AW

Introduction

Dispute Resolution:

TRLPLAW is a union that successfully consummates the vision by various distinguished law firms in Africa, Europe and America, to forge a collaborative multinational commercial law practice of the highest quality, with ability to provide a spectrum of exceptional, diverse legal services worldwide. The firm maintains an assiduous team of experienced, erudite partners globally. These partners work alongside our brilliant associates -adeptly serving clients with utmost dedication, with the primary aim of providing excellent, viable solutions in complex and challenging legal environments.

TRLPLAW’s litigation team, led by its Principal Partner, Prince Ajibola Oluyede . has been consulted and acted in respect of high profile matters in the United Kingdom and Nigeria.

Practice Areas TRLPLAW comprises two core practice groups: a dispute resolution and a transactions practice, comprising, inter alia: Banking and Finance | Civil and Criminal Litigation | Alternative Dispute Resolution | Corporate and Commercial Law | Energy and Natural Resources | Maritime and Admiralty | Entertainment Law | Intellectual Property | Real Estate and Urbanisation Law | Infrastructure and PPP Law | Employment and Trade Unions Law | Corporate Governance | Immigration | Securities | Project Finance | Tax Energy and Natural Resources: The firm has advised and continues to provide legal services to the largest concessionaire in the recently concluded power privatisation scheme in Nigeria. We currently are advising a client with regard to default by its financial partners in respect of the development of its Oil Prospecting Licence for proven deposits in the Nigerian offshore field. Project Finance: The TRLPLAW Nigeria Transactions team is well equipped in advising companies on projects from initial stages of capital raising to debt financing of its projects and businesses. For example we are currently advising: (i) on the financing of a major real estate and urbanisation project (valued at over 550Billion Naira – i.e. about 2.5 Billion U.S. Dollars) involving a concession of about 1,300 hectares of prime land in Lagos on a Build Operate and Transfer basis with the Federal Government of Nigeria;

Our Commercial litigation team has also handled some of the biggest commercial disputes in the Nigerian courts in recent times, including: (i) the securing of orders from the Nigerian Federal High Court requiring 22 Nigerian banks to pay a backlog of funds (by the banks’ estimation running into Trillions of Naira – i.e. Billions of US Dollars) due to the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) as stamp duties denotable by 50 Naira postage stamps and to proceed to remit the payment as applicable and deductible from electronic transfers and payments for goods and services through the banks above the threshold of N1000. According to Central Bank of Nigeria figures, there are about 900 million such transactions monthly passing through the banks; (ii) Ensuring the renegotiation and re-implementation of a debt restructuring agreement between one of the largest petroleum products importers in Nigeria and the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) valued at over 152 Billion Naira (about 1 billion US Dollars) through a combination of aggressive litigation and conciliation leading to out of court settlement and entering of consent judgments in all the cases filed on behalf of the beleaguered client. (iii) Obtaining a proper implementation of the Nigerian Lotteries Act on behalf of a client with the only exclusivity Licence in Nigeria to conduct lotteries and assist the lotteries board in regulating the lotteries industry. Clientele: - Corporates: small, medium and large corporate organisa tions - Individuals: High Networth Individuals (HNIs), business men, artists etc. - Associations: association of companies. Most Recent Recognitions Inter alia... s 7HO S 7HO ,EGAL s !CQUISITION )NTERNATIONAL %XCELLENCE IN %NERGY $ISPUTES s !CQUISITION )NTERNATIONAL ,EADING !DVISER FOR #ORPORATE Finance s !#1 'LOBAL !WARDS ,AWYER OF THE 9EAR 0RINCE Ajibola Oluyede)

NIGERIA

Head Offices Africa Lagos D96 Landbridge Avenue Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria Tel: +234 1 453 3100 | Fax: +234 1 453 4479 Email: lagoshq@TRLPLAW.COM

Abuja 84 Kwame Nkrumah Street Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria Tel: +234 9 290 4607 | +234 9 290 4617 Email: abujahq@TRLPLAW.COM USA California 880 Westfirst Street, Suite 313 Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA Tel:(216) 626-4100 | (216) 280-3515OM Email: californiahq@TRLPLAW.COM UK London 288 Bishopsgate London EC2M 4QP Email: londonhq@TRLPLAW.COM Partners: R. Ajibola Oluyede (Africa/UK/USA) | Olufunmi Oluyede (Washington DC/Lagos/London) | David Iyalohme (California, USA) | Adegoke Oluyede (Abuja, Nigeria) | Victor O. Munis (Nigeria/London, UK) | Ifeoma Esom (Lagos) | Chibuzo Nwosu (Abuja)

Website: http://www.trlplaw.com

EAST AFRICA S M A L L L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R, T U M U S I I M E , K A B E GA & C O M PA N Y A DVO C AT E S C O M M E R C I A L L AW F I R M O F T H E Y E A R, T U M U S I I M E , K A B E GA & C O M PA N Y A DVO C AT E S

RONALD OINE

1ST FLOOR, 9 YUSUF LULE ROAD BOX 21382, KAMPALA, UGANDA

BRENDA LWANGA

TEL: +256 414 230478 FAX: +256 414 347067

www.tumkab.com ENOS K. TUMUSIIME Partner

IVAN KYATEKA

MACDOSMAN KABEGA Partner

Introduction Tumusiime, Kabega & Co. is one of the leading Law Firms in the East African region. Practicing in almost all areas of law, the firm has earned the much deserved respect in legal circles for its exceptional achievements since it was founded. With a team of dedicated, highly skilled and experienced lawyers who have over time gained expertise in various areas of law, the firm has developed a niche in corporate commercial law, banking, finance, construction law, immigration law, tax law, real property law, among others. Tumusiime,

Kabega

Co.

has

built

loyal and satisfied clientele comprised of multinational corporations, foreign companies, foreign investors, local corporations, foreign governments, banks, among others. The name of Tumusiime, Kabega & Co. has become synonymous with legal services of the highest caliber and client satisfaction. We draw on our in-depth understanding of the East African business environment and vast experience to provide our clients with solutions to a wide range of legal issues. Our pedigree is international, hence we offer an expert jurisdictional service renowned for its professionalism and discretion.

M/s Tumusiime, Kabega & Co offers legal services in the following areas; * Arbitration Law * Aviation Law * Banking & Finance * Bond Issue * * * * * *

JONATHAN TIBISAASA

* Petroleum & Mineral Exploration * Infrastructure Financing * Privatization & Acquisition

ARBITRATION

* Real Property Law & Conveyance * Taxation Law * Civil and Commercial Litigation * Telecommunications Law

Uganda. * Recovery of Contractors’ claims, the largest Contractor in Uganda. (Three Arbitral causes) * Recovery on behalf of a Kenyan company

* Transportation Law Experience TRANSACTION ADVISORY AND NEGOTIATION OF CONTRACTS * Tanzanian / Uganda Bilateral Agreement for the Dar es Salaam/Kampala Railway operations, * Kenya / Uganda Bilateral Agreement for the Mombasa – Kampala – Kasese Railway operations, * Contract for the acquisition of Railway Tank Wagons between Uganda and a Spanish company, * Contract for the supply of Railway Wagons between Uganda and a Zimbabwean company, * Contract for the supply of 13 Locomotives between Uganda and a German company, * Contract for the supply and installation of a Microwave Telecommunications System between Uganda and a French company covering 550 Kilometers, * Contract for the construction of a railway line and Port between Uganda and a Danish

Areas of Practice

Commercial & Corporate Law Construction contract negotiation contractor’s claims Insolvency Practice Insurance Intellectual Property & Patents Legal Audits & Due Diligence

ARETHA UWERA

company, * Contract for the supply of Ballast Hopper Wagons, between Uganda and a Spanish company, * Contract for the Construction of High Voltage Power Lines between Uganda and a Danish

and

company, * Contract for the construction of a HydroPower Project between Uganda and a Danish company, * Part of the team that drafted the Treaty of East African Co-operation, (later East African Community).

* Lead Counsel for recovery of a Contractor’s claim for the largest Office building in

(Contractor) in a claim against the Government of Uganda. (Road and Buildings). * Recovery of a Contractor’s Claim on behalf of a French company in a claim against Government of Uganda. (Road Construction Project). * Recovery of a Contractor’s claim on behalf of an Indian company in a claim against the Government of Uganda. (Road Construction Project). LITIGATION * Successfully represented a Multinational Telecom company in a Tax Claim of UGX 117,000,000,000 (Uganda). * Successfully represented a European Corporation against a Tax Claim of UGX 212,000,000,000

(Uganda),

involving

Double Taxation Agreements. * Defended a local company against a Tax claim of UGX 85,000,000,000. * Recovered UGX 8,000,000,000 for a South African company from the Uganda Revenue Authority. * Successfully defended a Chinese investor in a Multi – Billion Shilling Case. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY * Successfully enforced Trade Mark rights for a European Chemical firm in Uganda. * Successfully enforced Trade Mark rights for a soft drinks manufacturer in the region. TAX ADVISORY AND LITIGATION * World Bank funded design of a taxation system for a new Nation in the region. * IMF funded design of a tax Code for a West African country.