ASSET4 Announces Strategic Relationship With Merrill Lynch

MERRILL LYNCH ACQUIRES GLOBAL LICENSE TO INCORPORATE ASSET4’S INVESTMENT INFORMATION
MERRILL LYNCH TAKES MINORITY EQUITY STAKE IN ASSET4

NEW YORK and ZUG, Switzerland.-ASSET4 Ltd, a leading provider of corporate ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) information announced today that Merrill Lynch has entered into a strategic marketing relationship with ASSET4 and has acquired a global license to incorporate ASSET4’s integrated ESG investment information into its investment research and product structuring. In addition, Merrill Lynch has made a minority investment in ASSET4.

Mike Stewart, head of Global Cash Equities at Merrill Lynch, stated, “We recognize the growing importance of ESG information to the investing and corporate community and believe ASSET4 is a global leader in providing such information.”

Added Candace Browning, president of Merrill Lynch Global Research, “The ASSET4 framework enhances our ability to address the increasing demand from individual and institutional clients to review sustainability criteria. This new information source will allow Merrill Lynch analysts to augment their research analyses by also evaluating the non-financial aspects of companies.”

“This agreement with Merrill Lynch is another major win for ASSET4 and another indication that we are the leading provider of extra-financial information. In our hyper-transparent world, leading asset managers are clearly recognizing the need for precise, quantifiable ESG information for investment research, quant models, financial products and portfolio monitoring. We are very excited to have one of the foremost players in the wealth management and capital markets industries as a client and non-controlling investor. With Merrill Lynch and other leading financial institutions behind ASSET4, we are setting the standard for a new generation of investment research information,” said Peter Ohnemus, CEO, president and co-founder of ASSET4.

The ASSET4 solution offers investment professionals with a premier source for comprehensive and impartial ESG information, as well as the tools necessary to track, analyze and benchmark the practices and performance of their funds, portfolios and companies. By monitoring 900 specific economic, environmental, social and governance data points, the ASSET4 system enables users to see beyond the purely financial aspects of corporate performance.