Fund Manager:
Verde Management (Delaware registered)

Fund Name:
Verde Asia Fund

Launch Date:
Mar-07

KEY Characteristics:
The Verde Asia Fund is based on the philosophy that companies with strong progressive managements that embrace good corporate governance, ethical business practices and corporate social responsibility add long term value and hence improve shareholder returns. To identify companies that are managed for sustainability, the fund management actively undertakes 'due diligence' on matters such as corporate governance, executive compensation, internal audit, environmental and employment practices. In addition to this quantitative research, the fund uses research provided by Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) to gather qualitative information on specific companies. Both quantitative and qualitative factors are weighed in making investment decisions.

The fund takes a philosophically Asian approach towards shareholder activism by nudging corporate change through advocacy, rather than pursue a more typically western hard-as-nails approach. Its focus is mainly concentrated on building constructive relationships with corporate managements. While the fund may advocate change based on improved corporate governance and economic issues such as spin-offs and asset sales, it does not intend to acquire companies outright. As part of its strategy, the fund may also publicly praise companies who make progress in terms of running well managed competitive companies and who demonstrate positive attitudes toward good corporate governance and other qualitative issues.

The jurisdictions in which Verde expects to concentrate are Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and possibly even Hong Kong, should opportunities arise for shareholder activism.