Closes First M&A Deal DnB NOR Markets, the Investment Banking Division of DnB NOR Bank ASA, one of the world's leading financial services groups serving the international maritime, energy and oil service sectors, announces the formation of Corporate Finance Asia, a Singapore based investment banking team. Joachim J. Skorge will head the new unit, which will function as the Asian Corporate Finance office of DnB NOR Markets, serving clients in the shipping, offshore, logistics and energy industries, as well as assisting other DnB NOR clients with their Asian investment banking needs. "Our strategy is to provide comprehensive investment and corporate banking services for DnB NOR's global shipping, offshore, logistics and energy clients. Over the last three years our group has successfully advised clients on multiple complex cross-border M&A transactions as well as equity and debt issues within our target industries" said Bern E. Blikstad, Head of DnB NOR Markets' Mgroup head, aritime Industries Group and Hans Petter Aas, DnB NOR's Head of Shipping, Offshore and Logistics, in a joint statement. "We now have Corporate Finance teams in New York, Oslo and Singapore and can offer our clients truly global investment banking capabilities. Our reach is even further enhanced through 100 plus maritime and energy relationship bankers out of our offices in London, New York, Houston, Singapore, Shanghai and Norway." DnB NOR has over the last 12 months gradually built an investment banking track record in Asia, which includes acting as a co-manager in the Initial Public Offerings of Pacific Shipping Trust and PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk in Singapore. The Corporate Finance team closed its first M&A transaction in Asia last week, acting as the sole financial adviser for the French company CMA CGM S.A., the third largest container shipping group in the world, in connection with its acquisition of Cheng Lie Navigation in Taiwan. Skorge has spent nine years in investment banking and joins Corporate Finance Asia from DnB NOR Markets, Inc. in New York where he project managed numerous M&A and capital markets transactions and also held a particular responsibility for DnB NOR's clients and investment banking projects in Asia. He holds a Master of Business and Economics from the Norwegian School of Management. DnB NOR Markets is Norway's leading investment bank and capital markets operation, offering equities trading, corporate finance, foreign exchange and interest-rate dealing. Contact: Joachim J. Skorge, Head of Corporate Finance Asia DnB NOR Markets, Singapore +65 62 12 06 70 Bern E. Blikstad, Head of Maritime Industries Group DnB NOR Markets, Oslo +47 22 94 81 34
DnB NOR Markets forms Corporate Finance Asia
| Source: DnB NOR Bank ASA