ASSET4 Announces Strategic Relationship with Merrill Lynch

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
premiere 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.

Merrill Lynch

Merrill Lynch is one of the world's leading wealth management,
capital markets and advisory companies, with offices in 38 countries
and territories and total client assets of approximately $1.7
trillion. As an investment bank, it is a leading global trader and
underwriter of securities and derivatives across a broad range of
asset classes and serves as a strategic advisor to corporations,
governments, institutions and individuals worldwide. Merrill Lynch
owns approximately half of BlackRock, one of the world's largest
publicly traded investment management companies, with more than $1
trillion in assets under management. For more information on Merrill
Lynch, please visit www.ml.com.

ASSET4 AG

ASSET4 provides a new generation of investment research
information to professional investors allowing them to incorporate
objective and measurable ESG (environmental, social, governance)
information into their decision-making processes. The ASSET4
information and tools enable clients to improve investment
performance, reduce risk, develop innovative products, drive down
research costs and monitor the ESG aspects of their portfolios. ASSET4
has 200 employees and is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland with
locations in London, New York and Mauritius. It is a proud signatory
of the United Nation's Principles for Responsible Investment. For more
information on ASSET4, please visit www.asset4.com.