OPP.L Regulatory News (OPP)

8 Mar 2007 09:46

Origo Sino-India PLC08 March 2007 ORIGO INVESTS IN NEW ASIA WEEKLY MAGAZINE Origo Sino-India PLC ("Origo")(LSE:OSI), the investment and strategic advisorycompany focused on the private equity markets of China and India,is pleased to announce that it has acquired 10% of the issued share capital ofAsia Weekly, a new weekly English language magazine targeting a pan-Asian readerbase. Founded by Jasper Becker, Asia Weekly (www.asia-weekly.com)draws on Becker's twodecades of world class reporting and publishing throughout Asia with the BBC,the Guardian, The Independent and South China Morning Post. Registered,published and printed in Hong Kong, Asia Weekly's distribution already exceeds20,000 copies per week. Drawing on the English-language media in Asia and thebest foreign reporting around the world, Asia Weekly briefs readers on the pastweek's events from Asia. Distributed initially in Hong Kong, China, India and Philippines throughsubscription, news stands and handouts, the magazine targets local andexpatriate business-people, journalists and diplomatic readers. Asia Weekly'scontent spans all sectors from business and investing, to books and films,travel and property attracting a wide reader base both in terms of gender, ageand areas of interest. Chris Rynning, CEO of Origo commented: "Asia Weekly's team is outstanding, their cost base very attractive and there isan opening in the market with the demise of Far Eastern Economic Review andseveral other Asian editions. Asia Weekly has what it takes to survive andprofit." Jasper Becker, Publisher of Asia weekly, commented: "We are creating a new concept magazine for Asia with a wide range of qualitycontent, targeting a comparatively wide demographic audience.". END For further information please call:Christopher Joll/Tim McCall, MJ2 020 7491 7776 Notes to Editors 1. Origo Sino-India plc ("Origo"): • Origo is an established and profitable private equity investor and strategic consultancy business, which provides its shareholders with exposure to growth opportunities and private equity returns in China and India. • Origo's business model is to generate capital gains from private equity investment in growth companies from which it also generates fees for consultancy services related to further fundraisings, M&A and strategic development. • Origo is aligned with two major institutions which provide a source of high quality deal flow. In China, Origo work closely with China Equity, a leading private equity firm, whose chief executive is on Origo's board. In India, Origo has entered into a memorandum of understanding with SBI Capital Markets, one of longest established companies in the Indian Capital Markets. A former chairman of SBI is on the board of Origo. • Origo has signed agreements with 4 Chinese companies and 7 Indian companies to provide both financing and advisory services and more than 20 potential investments in the pipeline. • At the AIM Placing in December 2006 Origo raised £12.8 million gross of new money via a placing of 25,673,238 Ordinary Shares at 50 pence per share. Each Ordinary Share carries a Warrant exercisable at 55p. Seymour Pierce Ltd is the nominated adviser and broker. 2. Jasper Becker For more information on Jasper Becker, you can go to www.jasperbecker.com. Jasper draws on more than 20 years of reporting experience for leading mediacompanies including Associated Press, The Guardian, BBC, South China MorningPost and the Independent. Jasper has contributed features to Vanity Fair,National Geographic, Marie Claire, Travel & Leisure, the International HeraldTribune, The Spectator, The New York Times, The Asian Wall Street Journal andBusiness Week. In May 2002, he gave evidence about North Korea at a hearing heldby the US House of Representatives International Relations Committee. Jasper hassuccessfully published several books with global distribution, including TheChinese, Hungry Ghosts, Dragon Rising, The Lost Country and Rogue Regime. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange