20 September 2007

Financial experts from across the country will be visiting Newcastle this week to attend an ‘Alternative Investment’ seminar hosted by leading North East investment management firm Wise Speke.

The event, being staged at St James’ Park at 12 noon today, aims to demystify the subject of hedge funds through a series of lectures by two of the UK’s most respected financial specialists; Mike Lenhoff - chief strategist and head of research at Brewin Dolphin Securities and Simon Armstrong - founding partner of Saltus Partners LLP.

Mike Lenhoff, a familiar name in financial media and regular commentator on market conditions said: “Hedge funds are often regarded as providing unique risk and return properties that not easily found in traditional stock or bond investments.

"Some investors employ hedge funds to diversify their portfolios but for others concerns about leverage, transparency and general media hype, has created a no-go zone around them. The aim of our seminar is really to help further understanding within the industry on this unique investment area."

Simon Armstrong added: "We’ll be looking at how hedge funds first came about, what they aimed to achieve as well as illustrating how a sensibly selected group of hedge funds can sit alongside equities and fixed income assets in a broad investment portfolio to contribute consistent, lower risk returns."

Over 50 people from across the financial sector, as well as those looking to get a better understanding of the hedge fund market, are expected at the event which will also examine the current state of the financial markets.

Wise Speke is a division of Brewin Dolphin Securities and employs more than 300 people in its Newcastle and Teesside offices.

ENDS

Media contact: For further information or confirm your attendance on the day, please contact Liz Davies of Golley Slater PR on 0191 2459020 or email liz.davies@golleyslater.co.uk

Notes to editors

Brewin Dolphin Securities Limited ("BDS") is the principal operating company of Brewin Dolphin Holdings PLC which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. BDS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is a member of the London Stock Exchange.

BDS is the largest independent private client investment manager in the UK. The Group manages £21 billion of funds on behalf of more than 100,000 clients, and of this £10 billion is on a discretionary basis. BDS has 38 offices and is corporate adviser to around 140 small and medium sized quoted companies.

The Group provides complete investment management for private investors, charities and pension funds and trades as:

Brewin Dolphin in England, Wales and the Channel Islands
Bell Lawrie in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Hill Osborne in the East Midlands
Wise Speke in the North of England
Stocktrade is the BDS Execution-Only division. www.stocktrade.co.uk

Please see Media Centre section on www.brewindolphin.co.uk for details and photos of all commentators and analysts throughout the BDS Group.