BDA advises AXA Private Equity on acquisition of German specialty chemical company

Business Development Asia LLC (“BDA”) is pleased to announce that AXA Private Equity has acquired more than 70% of the shares in CABB GmbH, a German specialty chemicals company.  The remaining shares will be held by the company’s management.

CABB, formerly part of Clariant, is headquartered in Sulzbach/Taunus, Germany and produces monochloroacetic acid (MCAA) and a range of specialty intermediates with application in the PVC, pharmaceutical, agrochemical and personal care industries.  With expected 2006 revenues of €140m, CABB is a global leader in the production of MCAA and has a strong presence in Europe, North America and South America, and with the support of AXA Private Equity, CABB will explore partnership opportunities with Asian producers.

BDA and Close Brothers plc acted as financial advisors to AXA, from identification of the opportunity through to its execution. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The BDA transaction team was led by Andrew Huntley, Managing Director +44 20 7655 3500.

About AXA Private Equity

AXA Private Equity, an AXA Investment Managers company, with offices in Paris, Frankfurt, London, New York and Singapore, is a world leader in private equity players covering the whole range of activities (LBO, expansion, venture, co-investment, mezzanine, primary, early secondary and secondary funds of funds) with an exceptional expertise. AXA Private Equity manages and/or advises private equity funds with assets in excess of €10bn for some of the world’s leading investors. With a constant focus on transparency, performance and sustainable profitability, AXA Private Equity is supported by the expertise of its staff and its international experience.

About BDA

Business Development Asia LLC was founded in 1996. BDA assists multinational corporate and financial sector clients to identify and execute acquisitions, divestments, JVs, restructuring and capital raising, in Asia and internationally. The company is headquartered in New York with offices in London, Bahrain, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Tokyo. BDA employs 50 full-time professional staff across its eight offices, supplemented by a team of senior advisors around the world. BDA’s client list includes Air Products, Cadbury Schweppes, Celestica, Dow Chemical, DuPont, Ecolab, Great Lakes, Hercules, Huntsman, Inabata, Kimberly-Clark, Lear, Lubrizol, Mars, Morgan Stanley, Nalco, Parker Hannifin, Reuters, Rohm & Haas, Ryder, Siemens, SigmaKalon, Sumitomo Chemical, TATA Auto Components, Tenneco, Tredegar, Visteon, WR Grace, and the British Government. Further information on BDA is available at www.bdapartners.com