Raphael Cheminat

Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. (NSC) is a wholly-owned brokerage subsidiary of Nomura Holdings, Inc. (TSE: 8604; NYSE: NMR). Headquartered in Tokyo, the firm was founded in 1925. NSC places a strong emphasis on research, both fundamental and quantitative. In addition to stock and bond underwriting, their activities include IPO and M&A advisory, wealth management, separately managed accounts, fund wrap services, prime brokerage and structured equity finance. Their clients include institutions, hedge funds, private banks and private equity funds as well as corporate clients and retail investors.

Citigroup Global Markets Japan, Inc. (CGM-JP) is a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Citigroup Japan Holdings GK, ultimately held by Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE: C) in the US. Previously known as Nikko Citigroup Ltd., the firm was founded in 1999 as a joint venture between US-based Citigroup and Nikko Securities, based in Japan. Headquartered in Tokyo, CGM-JP provides brokerage services to governmental institutions, financial institutions, multinational corporations and institutional investors. Their sales and trading, distribution and research capabilities span a broad range of asset classes, currencies, sectors and products including equities, commodities, credit, futures, foreign exchange (FX), emerging markets, G10 rates, municipals, prime finance and securitized markets.

UBS Securities Japan Co., Ltd. (UBS-SJ) is part of the investment banking division and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Switzerland-based UBS AG (SWX: UBSN; NYSE: UBS). Located in Tokyo, the firm was established in 1988. The firm's culture emphasizes cross-business cooperation with fellow subsidiaries both in Japan and globally, combining the reach of a global group with local knowledge and insight. One of the largest securities operations in Japan, UBS-SJ provides investment products and services to Japanese institutional and corporate clients, as well as to foreign investors doing business in Japan. The firm's business is organized in three departments: FIRC (fixed income, rates and currencies), equity and investment banking. The investment banking division specializes in large-cap mergers and acquisitions, performing market research and analysis of M&A deals from a global perspective. The equity department is research-oriented and covers an extensive universe of large-cap Japanese firms. They also cover small- and mid-cap equity, and have specialist expertise in the automobile, auto parts, machinery and pharmaceutical sectors. Services provided to corporate clients include assistance with IPOs, block trades, convertible bonds, and warrants.

Part of Daiwa Securities Group, Inc., Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd. conducts economic research and provides financial and investment advisory services. The company is based in Tokyo, Japan. The Japanese company was founded in 2008. Yoriyuki Kusaki has been the CEO of the company since 2016.

Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd. (MUMSS) is an independent securities brokerage firm headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The firm was founded in 1948 through a joint venture between Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Holdings Co. Ltd. and Morgan Stanley Japan Holdings Co. Ltd. MUMSS offers domestic retail brokerage services to corporate and institutional clients.

Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd. (Broker) (Mizuho Securities-Broker) is the brokerage division of Mizuho Securities Co. Ltd., ultimately owned by Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (TYO: 8411; NYSE: MFG) in Japan. The firm was originally founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Tokyo with a network of offices throughout Japan as well as overseas representation through Mizuho entities or strategic partners (in Great Britain, Switzerland, the US, Hong Kong, Mainland China, South Korea, Singapore and India). Mizuho Securities-Broker provides enhanced equity and fixed income execution services for their clients who includes private individuals in Japan, domestic and foreign institutions, non-financial companies, financial institutions and public corporations in the securities and investment banking fields.

RBS Securities Japan Ltd. (Broker) (RBSSJ) is the Japan-based securities arm of RBS Securities Japan Ltd., ultimately owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc (LSE: RBS) in Great Britain. Established in 1986 and located in Tokyo, RBSSJ is a brokerage firm which follows a client-led strategy which emphasizes innovation for a range of clients including banks, sovereigns, agencies, supranationals and insurers. Their activities encompass bond analysis, trading, Japanese bonds and fixed-income related products in particular bond futures, and derivatives including stock index futures and fund-linked derivatives. The firm designs and markets structured products linked to all asset classes including bonds, loans, hybrid capital, covered bonds, liability management, ratings and investor communication advisory. Their products are supported by a world class research team which incorporates economics, market strategy and quantitative analysis into a library of publications and products.

Part of SAS Rue la Boétie, Crédit Agricole CIB (Tokyo Banch) is a financial institution that offers a comprehensive range of solutions to help clients manage their cash flow and cover their working capital requirements. The company is based in Tokyo, Japan. Additionally, the team provides advice on rating and capital structure to corporates and financial sponsors. Crédit Agricole CIB is a specialized entity of the Crédit Agricole Group that focuses on financing and investments for large corporates and financial institutions. The Japanese company's private investment banking division specializes in wealth management and supports high net worth individuals and family holding companies. The company's acquisition finance & advisory team is responsible for originating, arranging, and executing acquisition and event-driven financings for corporate clients.