Masayasu Noguchi

SBI Securities Co., Ltd. is the broker/dealer subsidiary of SBI Financial Services Co. Ltd., itself a subsidiary of SBI Holdings, Inc. (TYO: 8473) in Japan. The firm was founded in 1944 as SBI eTrade Securities Co., Ltd. and changed their name to SBI Securities Co., Ltd. in 2008. Headquartered in Tokyo, SBI Securities provides securities trading, underwriting and private placement services, which are offered through the Internet and call centers. Besides domestic stocks, the product lineup extends to investment trusts, foreign stocks, futures and options, FX (foreign exchange margin trading), domestic and foreign bonds, etc. to meet the various needs of investors, supporting efficient fund management of individual investors.

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.