Mesirow Financial Expands London Alternative Investment Team

CHICAGO, September 23, 2008 — Mesirow Financial International UK, Limited ("MFIUK") today announced that it has hired two investment professionals to further expand its London-based international research and investment capabilities. They will be dedicated to Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc's alternative asset subsidiary, Mesirow Advanced Strategies, Inc. which is one of the largest alternative asset managers in the world.

John Collins joins the firm as a senior analyst focused on hedge fund manager research covering European hedge funds across various disciplines. Previously, Collins served as senior investment consultant for Watson Wyatt, where he focused on manager research. In that role, he headed research on multi-strategy funds globally, and was a member of the global long/short equity team. Collins has also held various roles for McKinsey & Company and Citibank in London.

Also joining the firm as head of the UK/Continental Europe client coverage team is Dermot Keegan. Keegan most recently headed up the institutional marketing/client service group of Old Mutual Asset Managers (UK). Prior to that, Keegan served in several roles for ABN AMRO Asset Management, including heading the UK business and global consultant relations.

"Today, the UK/Continental Europe region represents a significant and growing segment of Mesirow Financial's global client base and investment research activities," said Martin B. Kaplan, chief executive officer of Mesirow Advanced Strategies, Inc. "With John and Dermot joining the London office, we now have four, full-time investment professionals in London to complement our team of 90+ professionals here in Chicago. These strategic additions not only allow us to serve our international client base more efficiently, but also give us a more effective means of finding and researching the best hedge fund managers globally, a win-win for us and our clients."

"Since the opening of the London office in 2007 and its recent move to larger premises at Sackville House, 40 Piccadilly, we have been focused on thoughtfully expanding our international presence," added James C. Tyree, chairman and chief executive officer of Mesirow Financial. "We have already seen a dramatic increase in the number of international mandates that we receive and we expect this trend to continue as our Investment Management business becomes increasingly global."

Notes to Editor
Mesirow Financial International UK, Limited is a subsidiary of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. Mesirow Advanced Strategies, Inc., is one of the largest alternative asset managers in the world with more than $16 billion in assets under management. Its parent company, Mesirow Financial, is a major independent financial services firm offering Investment Management, Investment Services, Insurance Services, Investment Banking, Consulting and Real Estate. The firm has more than $32 billion in assets under management and 1,100 employees in locations across the country and in London. For more information about Mesirow Financial, visit its Web site at www.mesirowfinancial.com.

For more information, contact: Katie Schimmel, Mesirow Financial, 312.595.6684.

 

The Mesirow Financial name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc., © 2007, Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not necessarily complete and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Any opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. It should not be assumed that any recommendations incorporated herein will be profitable or will equal past performance. Nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any Mesirow Financial investment vehicle(s).

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