Ambi Venkateswaran

The Sharper Image Corp. retails appliances and consumer electronic devices. It engages in business-to-business wholesale operations, as well as owns and operates online auction Web site and an online outlet store to help manage refurbished and close-out inventory. The company was founded by Richard J. Thalheimer in 1977 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

FIG LLC, operates as Fortress Investment Group (Fortress), is a hedge fund manager headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1998 and is a subsidiary of Fortress Operating Entity I LP, ultimately owned by SoftBank Group Corp. (TYO: 9984) in Japan. Fortress manages assets on behalf of institutional clients and private investors worldwide across a range of credit and real estate, private equity and permanent capital investment strategies.

Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd. provides non-life insurance services. It offers fire, marine, accident, car, and automobile liability insurances. It also deals with asset and contribution pension plan management. The company was founded in August 1879 and is headquartered Tokyo, Japan.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. LP (KKR) is a private equity subsidiary of KKR & Co. Inc founded in 1976 by Henry Kravis, George Roberts and Jerome Kohlberg. The firm is headquartered in New York.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (GS&Co.) is a securities brokerage firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1927, the firm is a subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS). GS&Co. provides services to help hedge funds manage risk, monitor portfolios, maintain liquidity and build their businesses. They offer clients access to global equity and derivatives markets, as well as foreign exchange, commodities, European Lefts, rates and credit across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The firm proactively monitors capital markets, searching for pockets of liquidity and news that may require changes to those strategies. Integration with the Goldman Sachs network gives clients access to the firm's sectored block trades and their insights into price discovery. Their electronic trading program provides clients with tools to manage their trades from pre-trade analytics to post-trade analysis.

ORIX USA Corp. provides investment banking and financial advisory services. Its services include asset management, corporate finance, equipment leasing and asset-based lending, investment, loan originations, merchant banking, real estate finance, and venture finance. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX.

Ernst & Young provides accounting services. Its services include auditing, accounting, tax and transaction services, assurance and advisory business, online transaction advisory and a wide range of financial services. The company was founded by Arthur Young and Alwin C. Ernst in 1881 and is headquartered in Kansas City, MO.

Leeds Equity Partners LLC (Leeds Equity Partners) is a private equity firm founded in 1993 by Jeffrey T. Leeds and Bernstein Robert. The firm is headquartered in New York.

Part of Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley Japan Ltd. is a Japanese company that provides investment banking and institutional securities services. The company is based in Tokyo, Japan.

The Norinchukin Bank operates as a financial institution for agricultural, forestry and fishery cooperatives in Japan. It operates through the following divisions: Food and Agriculture, Retail, and Investment. The Food and Agriculture business provides risk money through capital investments and human resources development; provides support services for agriculture-related technologies and management improvement; and promotes export support of agricultural, fishery and forestry products. The Retail business provides a range of financial functions as a member of JA Bank and JF Marine Bank. The Investment business manages funds entrusted with JA Bank and JF Marine Bank. The company was founded in December 20, 1923 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Garrison Investment Group LP (GIG) is a SEC-registered investment advisor and hedge fund manager headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 2007 and is a subsidiary of GIG GP LLC. GIG manages investor capital through a diversified set of vehicles which include private equity format funds and corporate credit lending funds as well as separately managed accounts. In addition, they manage collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) through their affiliates.

Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd. engages in the financial instruments business that includes sales and trade of equity and bond, research, and investment trusts. It operates through the following business divisions: Retail, Corporate Investment Services, and Markets and Products. The Retail business division markets equities, bonds, investment trusts, and insurance for individual clients. The Corporate Investment Services business division offers securities solutions, investment banking, management strategies and raising funds for corporate clients. The Markets and Products division handles the product development. The company was founded in July 1917 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Tiger Information Systems, Inc. operates as a staffing, recruiting, and training agency. It provides financial, HR and office staff, office support, employee benefit, financial presentation and applicant screening services. The company is headquartered in New York, NY.

The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), a unique public-private partnership aimed at promoting innovation and enhancing the value of businesses in Japan, was launched in July 2009. Leveraging the rich history of Japanese technological prowess, the INCJ aims to provide financial, technological and management support in order to promote the creation of next-generation businesses through 'open innovation,' or the flow of technology and expertise beyond the boundaries of existing organizational structures. The INCJ will draw on funding as well as management and technological expertise from the public and private sectors. The INCJ is actively reviewing various investment opportunities in areas of environment and energy, electronics and IT, bio-tech, and infrastructure such as water supply, railway service, and nuclear power supply. Each investment will be thoroughly vetted to ensure it meets the exacting standards of the INCJ's Innovation Network Committee, which will make the final investment decisions. The INCJ is capitalized at 92 billion yen, with the Japanese government injecting 82 billion yen and 19 private corporations (refer to details in Appendix below) providing a further 10 billion yen. The government will also provide guarantees up to a total of 800 billion yen for INCJ investments, giving it an investment capability of approximately 900 billion yen (US$10 billion). The INCJ will be established for a period of 15 years.

StoneCastle Partners LLC provides asset management and financial advisory services. Its activities include cash management, investment management, investment banking, and financial advisory. The company was founded by Joshua Stuart Siegel and Matthew Reuben Mayers in June 2003 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Hegemon Capital LLC is a private equity special opportunity asset manager founded in 2005 by Brian Prince. The firm is headquartered in Tampa, FL.

Masan High-Tech Materials Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of metal and mineral properties. It owns and develops the Nui Phao Mine. The company was founded on April 27, 2010 and is headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Thayermahan, Inc. engages in the provision of maritime security solutions. It offers its services to homeland security, military and intelligence, infrastructure, energy, and environment and academia sectors. The company was founded Michael J. Connor, Richard June Hine, and John Kao in 2016 and is headquartered in Groton, CT.

Rb Capital SA engages in the provision of financial solutions. It provides financial consultancy and services. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.