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Empresas y finanzas

SBI Holdings and FPT Form Exclusive Investment Alliance


    SBI Holdings, Inc. (TOKYO:8473) and the Corporation for Financing
    and Promoting Technology (FPT), Vietnam's largest information
    technology group, today announced their plans to form an exclusive
    investment alliance targeting Vietnam's fast-growing economy. The
    equity alliance makes good on the promises of both Japan and Vietnam's
    Prime Ministers to strengthen economic and cultural ties between their
    two countries.

    The first fund planned under the new joint stock fund management
    company, FPT Capital, will take part in the equitisation process of
    large State-owned enterprises (SOEs), especially those dealing with
    finance and banking, as well as incubate emerging sectors such as Life
    Sciences, Information Technology and Internet Services. Vietnam's
    Ministry of Post and Telematics recently announced the country had
    climbed up into the global Top Twenty list of nations with the highest
    Internet penetration, a development that could help clear the way for
    more electronic businesses. At the same time, the National Steering
    Committee for Enterprise Renovation and Development (NSCRD) reports
    that up to 713 SOEs have been earmarked for equitisation in the coming
    years; a process the government is taking steps to accelerate.

    SBI Holdings' CEO, Yoshitaka Kitao, embraced his firm's entree
    into South East Asia together alongside FPT. "We have taken the time
    to get to know FPT intimately and believe they represent the New
    Vietnam, a forward-thinking company and progressive leadership for us
    to partner with and tap into this rich nation's thoroughbred
    investment opportunities. Our fund with FPT is only a first step in a
    well-planned strategy to invest in and groom quality businesses and,
    wherever possible, create pathways into Japanese markets. Ours is a
    comprehensive Vietnam strategy and we are pleased to join ranks with
    FPT Group."

    FPT's CEO, Truong Gia Binh, hailed the announcement with SBI. "We
    have chosen to partner with one Asia's most skilled and successful
    venture capital groups. SBI Holdings' DNA and record of growth closely
    follows our own. But more than just capital, FPT will benefit from
    SBI's know-how in fund management, financial services, IT investing
    and provide us with a direct link to Japan's capital markets. We see
    in them a like-minded long-term partner dedicated to working with us
    to revolutionize and improve the lives of every day Vietnamese
    citizens. Given the success of FPT in software outsourcing to Japan,
    we do believe that the new initiative of partnering with SBI Holdings
    in fund management will further realise our globalisation aims."

    About FPT Corp.

    FPT is Vietnam's largest information and communication technology
    company. FPT is the Vietnamese market leader in mobile distribution,
    systems integration, software outsourcing and development, telecom,
    Internet and e-media content, and computer assembly. International
    technology partners include IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, Cisco System, and
    Intel. FPT is also a leader in technological training having enrolled
    28,000 since 1999 in its tech academies throughout the country.
    Established in 1988, FPT employs the largest number of informatics
    engineers and specialists in the country. The company has about 8,000
    employees. Visit http://www.fpt.com.vn for more detailed information.

    About SBI Holdings, Inc.

    SBI Holdings (TOKYO:8473) is the recently spun-out,
    separately-traded former investment arm of Softbank Corporation
    (formerly-known as SOFTBANK INVESTMENT). Today, SBIH's operations
    cover three broad business areas: (1) Asset Management including
    Venture Capital; (2) Brokerage and Investment Banking; and (3)
    Internet-Enabled Financial Services. In addition to managing a family
    of venture capital funds, many of the firm's 70 companies have taken
    leadership positions in various consumer-oriented online financial
    services such as equities and commodities brokering, home equity
    loans, and insurance comparison. Internationally, the firm has
    recently formed international joint partnerships with Goldman Sachs
    and groups controlled by Singapore's Temasek Holdings and The State
    Bank of India. SBI also plans to launch Japan's first full-service
    Internet bank sometime this year, in concert with Sumitomo Trust &
    Banking, as well as a new life insurance business with AXA Japan and a
    non-life insurance company with Aioi Insurance Co. SBI's corporate
    website: www.sbigroup.co.jp