Annual New York Benefit Raises Nearly Half a Million Dollars for Emerging Charities

Organizers of the 2007 Emerging Markets Charity Benefit (EMCB) estimate that once all payments have been received that over $450,000 was raised at the annual industry gala in New York.  This year’s event took place on December 5, 2007 at the Sheraton Hotel’s Metropolitan Ballroom on West 53rd Street in New York City, and sold out its 550 seats for the second consecutive year.  Combined, the industry’s 2007 benefits in London and New York have once again raised in excess of $1 million dollars for EM charities.

Simon Treacher (BlueBay Asset Management) served not only as the evening’s live auctioneer, but also proved to have the evening’s deepest pockets, winning a visit to a microenterprise project in Nicaragua, donated by JPMorgan’s Joyce Chang, with a $10,000 bid.  Other top auction items included two British Airways business class tickets between North America and Europe, picked up by Dylan Blair of Merrill Lynch for $6,800; and a soccer jersey signed by Pele, won by JPMorgan’s Vladimir Werning for $6,000 after a dramatic Argentine-Brazilian bidding war.  In addition, other items on the block included a Kawasaki motorcycle, a walking safari in South Africa and the use of vacation homes in Hawaii, the Hamptons and Thailand.

MarketAxess once again generously opened its corporate wallet by donating half the proceeds of its Fourth Annual Charity Trading Day (the remaining 50% was donated to the industry’s October 2007 London benefit).  Since 2003, MarketAxess has donated over $300,000 to Emerging Markets charities from its Annual Charity Trading Days.

Proceeds from the event are expected to be disbursed shortly.  Funds will benefit seven organizations: 

• EMpower - A grant-making foundation which connects the Emerging Markets community with innovative grassroots organizations enabling young people to lead healthy, productive lives www.empowerweb.org;

• NESST, which provides financial and capacity-building support to social enterprises in Central Europe and Latin America www.nesst.org;

• The Resource Foundation, which cultivates relationships between private development organizations worldwide by leveraging capital and information resources to increase the self-reliance and living standards of the disadvantaged www.resourcefnd.org;

• Sri Lanka Cares, which rebuilds and restores homes lost and damaged by the Asian Tsunami www.srilankacare.org;

• Trickle Up, which works to alleviate poverty by providing seed capital for people in EM countries to start small businesses www.trickleup.org;

• WaterPartners International, which works to promote health in Latin America, Africa and Asia by increasing access to safe drinking water www.water.org;

• and WorldFund which provides financial, managerial and technical assistance to partner schools in impoverished Latin American neighborhoods www.worldfund.org.

The EMCB will shortly confirm the date and venue of next year’s gala, and continues to welcome new members interested in the 2008 event.  If you are interested in joining the Planning Committee, please contact Jonathan Murno of EMTA at jmurno@emta.org.

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EM Benefit London Shatters Previous Records

Although exact numbers have yet to be tallied, the EM Benefit held in London on October 26, 2007 is expected to have raised over £330,000 (US$693,000).  The event was held at the Old Billingsgate Market on the River Thames, and sold out all 960 seats within 36 hours of going on sale in late June. 

The theme of this year’s event was “Russia:  Fire and Ice.”  To get the crowd in the appropriate mood, guests were greeted at the door by Russian soldiers restraining wolves, and then entered into a Siberian forest.  Eight-foot tall portraits of Tsarist generals hung from the Billingsgate ceilings while an ice sculpture of St. Basil’s Cathedral made sure no one missed the bar.

Channel Five sportscaster Jonny Gould, having the night off from his World Series commentary duties, returned as the evening’s auctioneer.  Previous auction records were shattered as a week at a villa in Spain fetched a staggering £28,000 ($58,800), while a week’s rental of a luxury villa in St Lucia was sold at £17,000 (US$35,700) and dinner with Cherie Blair raised £14,000 (US$29,400).  Other items which went on the block included tickets to Led Zeppelin’s sold-out reunion concert, the use of a villa in St. Vincent and an assortment of fine French wine.

Guests were entertained by Cossack dancers, a live band (Rain, returning for the fourth year by popular demand), and a d.j.  Two aerial artists also performed, as audience members held their breaths and event organizers clutched their insurance policies to their chests.  Gamblers were also able to try their hand at the event’s casino tables.

Funds from the event will be disbursed to Cotlands, which works with children affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa; Downside Up, which provides support and education for children in Russia with Downs Syndrome; Health Unlimited, which provides health-care to rural populations in a number of emerging countries, and Task Brasil, which offers shelter and vocational training to street children in Rio de Janeiro.

The Benefit was generously sponsored by Dresdner Kleinwort, MarketAxess, RBS Renaissance and Standard Bank.  Additional support was provided by RBC Capital Markets, UBS and Santander and chaired by Emma McClintock (Barclays Capital), Mike Cook, Judith Wheelan (Barclays Capital) and Jonathan Murno (EMTA).

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NYC CHARITY BENEFIT BREAKS FUND-RAISING RECORD

The 2006 Emerging Markets New York Charity Benefit raised over $450,000, surpassing the record of $341,000 set the two previous years.  The sold-out event was held on Wednesday, December 6, 2006 immediately following the EMTA Annual Meeting.  Event Chair Jonathan Murno noted that EMCB’s expense ratio was approximately 25%, unusually low for a charity gala.

Beneficiaries of the 2006 event were:

• EMpower, which funds a number of health and education programs around the globe www.empowerweb.org

• NESsT, which provides financial and capacity-building support to social enterprises in Central Europe and Latin America  www.nesst.org

• Trickle Up, which works to alleviate poverty by providing seed capital for people in EM countries to start small businesses  www.trickleup.org

• and Water Partners International, which works to promote health in Latin America, Africa and Asia by increasing access to safe drinking water www.water.org.

Funds were raised by sales of tables at the event, advertisements in the evening’s souvenir program booklet and casino tables, as well as live and silent auctions.  BlueBay Asset Management’s Simon Treacher served as the evening’s auctioneer, helping to raise over $50,000 in the live event.  Among the top auction items were a Brazilian beach vacation (including round-trip business class airfare) acquired by Robert Koenigsberger (Gramercy) for $11,000, a one-week stay in a Hawaiian condo sold to Citigroup’s Alex May for $5,000, and a Notre Dame vs. USC college football package picked up by Hema Kailasam of Deutsche Bank for $4,250.  A guaranteed spot in the 2007 New York City Marathon, lunch with the celebrated FT columnist Martin Wolf and an Omega watch were bid on as well.

MarketAxess sponsored the NY Charity Benefit for the third consecutive year by donating funds from its Annual Charity Trading Day held on September 27, 2006.  Since 2004, MarketAxess has donated a total of US$360,000 to the New York and London industry benefits.  ING Financial Markets LLC, JPMorgan and Lehman Brothers were also event sponsors.

The EMCB Committee issued checks totaling $320,000 to the four beneficiaries of the event in early January.  Final disbursements will be made as soon as all remaining pledges have been collected.

The Committee continues to welcome new volunteers as it sets its sights on the 2007 event.  For additional information, please contact Jonathan Murno of EMTA at jmurno@emta.org.

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MARKETAXESS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EMTA, ANNOUNCES THIRD ANNUAL CHARITY TRADING DAY
MarketAxess Holdings Inc., the operator of a leading electronic trading platform for U.S. and European high-grade corporate and Emerging Markets bonds has announced that its third annual Charity Trading Day will be held on September 27, 2006. As it has since 2004, MarketAxess, in partnership with EMTA, will donate all Emerging Markets trading revenues from that date to Emerging Markets charities.  This year, in addition to client-to-multi dealer trading revenues, MarketAxess will also donate revenues from Emerging Markets trading on DealerAxess, its recently launched interdealer trading platform.

“Emerging Markets Charity Trading Day provides the opportunity to share our firm’s success with young people who are faced with poverty and limited opportunity,” said Richard M. McVey, chairman and chief executive officer of MarketAxess. “One of the most important characteristics of each of these charities is that they don’t simply provide handouts—they help rebuild children’s lives and create better futures through training, education, healthcare and public works.”

The charities that will benefit from this year’s donations, decided by each event’s committee, include:

• EMpower, which connects the Emerging Markets community with innovative grassroots organizations enabling young people to lead healthy, productve lives.

• Cotlands, a long-serving South African non-profit agency that continues to meet the needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS.

• Task Brasil, an organization that funds projects to improve the lives of Brazilian street children and adolescents, allowing them to enter mainstream society.

• Health Unlimited, which works with indigenous communities and communities affected by conflict and political instability to achieve better health.

• NESST, an organization that provides financial and capacity-building support to social enterprises in Central Europe and Latin America.

• Trickle Up, an organization that seeks to alleviate poverty by providing seed capital for people in EM countries to start small businesses.

• WaterPartners International, which promotes health in Latin America, Africa and Asia by increasing access to safe drinking water.

Through the past two Charity Trading Days, MarketAxess has raised a total of $293,075 for Emerging Markets charities.  The total amount of this year’s donations will be announced at the Emerging Markets’ debt industry’s annual London and New York benefits, which are scheduled for Friday, October 6, 2006, and Wednesday, December 6, 2006, respectively.

“The Charity Trading Day is a brilliant initiative that deserves the support of the market,” said Guido Mosca, head portfolio manager of The Rohatyn Group, a trading participant for the past two years. Leveraging the trading day is a visionary way of giving back to the emerging countries,” he added.

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LONDON EM BENEFIT BREAKS ATTENDANCE AND FUNDRAISING RECORDS

A record 1,000 Emerging Markets professionals crammed the Grosvenor House Hotel’s Great Room on Friday, October 6, 2006 for the annual London EM Benefit Ball.  The “Tango Argentino” gala marked the third consecutive year the benefit has sold out—despite the number of available seats being increased from 750 to 1,000!

Entertainment at the black-tie ball included a d.j. and—back by popular demand—a performance by the band Rain.  Several in attendance surprised the crowd with their vocal talents, performing as guest artists on hits such as “Stand by Me,” while other EM-ers demonstrated terpsichorean skills by joining the event’s professional tango dancers for a spin on the dance floor.  Guests also had the opportunity to score a goal past semi-professional goalies and ride in a simulated horse race.

Channel Five sportscaster Johnny Gould won universal acclaim as the evening’s auctioneer.  Attendees bid a total of over £106,000 ($201,000) at the live and silent auctions, breaking the previous record for the EM charity events in London and New York.  The evening’s top prize—a ten-day excursion through Argentine Patagonia and Buenos Aires – fetched £13,000 ($24,700).  Other notable items included dinner at The Ivy with BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson (which raised £10,000 ($19,000) for the second consecutive year), as well as one-week use of luxury villas in Spain and St. Lucia, which raised £9,000 ($17,100) and £7,000 ($13,300) respectively.  A signed copy of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, the opportunity to record a single produced by Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera, and a day aboard a racing yacht for fourteen also brought in considerable sums for charity.

Proceeds from the evening will be donated to Cotlands, www.cotlands.org, which provides support for children affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa; Task Brasil, www.taskbrasil.org.uk, which provides shelter and vocational training for street children in Rio de Janeiro; and Health Unlimited, www.healthunlimited.org, which provides basic health care to rural communities around the globe.

In his remarks to the crowd, EMTA’s Jonathan Murno praised his co-chairs Elaine Skinner-Reid (Royal Bank of Canada) and Emma McClintock (Blue Bay Asset Management) for their “infectious enthusiasm and endless dedication, which never fail to inspire and amaze.”  Judith Wheelan (Barclays Capital) was also saluted for her work on behalf of the Benefit committee.  The event was sponsored by Barclays Capital, MarketAxess and Standard Bank.  Additional support was provided by Royal Bank of Scotland and West LB.

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NEW YORK EM BENEFIT DISBURSES $340,000 AND PICKS 2006 BENEFICIARIES
Checks representing final disbursements for the 2005 New York Emerging Markets Charity Benefit (EMCB) were issued in May 2006 to the four charities selected as the 2005 industry charity gala beneficiaries.  Total disbursements equaled $339,149, nearly matching the amount of funds raised the previous year.  Funds were raised by sales of tables, ads, and auction items, as well as a $101,000 donation from the MarketAxess Charity Trading Day held last September.

EMPower, the organization founded by former Emerging Markets professionals, received the largest grant, which totaled $135,660.  In addition, grants of $67,830 each were awarded to ProMujer, the Resource Foundation and World Education & Development Fund.

The EMCB Benefit Committee held meetings earlier this Spring to evaluate the nine EM charities nominated as potential beneficiaries for the industry’s 2006 charity gala.  The Committee reviewed the annual reports and financial statements provided by the nominated beneficiaries, and selected five semi-finalists at its April 26 meeting.  These semi-finalists were interviewed by the Committee on May 8, 2006. 

As a result, the Committee voted to select the following four charities as 2006 beneficiaries:

• EMPower, a grassroots charity which funds a number of health and education programs around the globe www.empowerweb.org;

• NESST, which provides financial and capacity-building support to social enterprises in Central Europe and Latin America www.nesst.org;

• Trickle Up, which works to alleviate poverty by providing seed capital for people in EM countries to start small businesses www.trickleup.org; and

• Water Partners International, which works to promote health in LatAm, Africa and Asia by increasing access to safe drinking water www.water.org.

Based on the positive feedback it received, the Committee has confirmed that the 2006 Benefit will again be held at Capitale on Wednesday, December 6, 2006.  Once again, the event will immediately follow EMTA’s Annual Meeting.

The Committee continues to invite the participation of new members.  Please contact Jonathan Murno at jmurno@emta.org or (44-207) 996-3165, if you are interested in helping plan and market the 2006 event.

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OVER $340,000 RAISED AT EM CHARITY BENEFIT IN NEW YORK
According to preliminary estimates, the EM debt industry’s Annual New York Charity Benefit raised over $340,000, matching the amount raised at the 2004 event. The EMCB Committee noted that its expenses stood at only 23% of gross revenues, down from 26% the previous year; this represents an exceptionally low ratio for a benefit dinner.

450 Emerging Markets professionals attended the event, which was held at Capitale Restaurant on December 1, 2005, and immediately followed EMTA’s Annual Meeting. Based on feedback from previous attendees, the gala was streamlined and maximized mingling among members of the EM debt trading community. The benefit was held on World AIDS Day, and event organizers pointed out that some of the evening’s proceeds would be disbursed to organizations in emerging countries combating the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Funds for the evening’s beneficiaries were raised via table sales, souvenir program ad sales, a silent auction and a casino. A major boost to the event’s fundraising efforts was a $101,037.50 donation from the electronic dealer MarketAxess. This represented 50% of the firm’s profits from its Second Annual Charity Trading Day, held in September 2005. MarketAxess donated an equal amount to the EM debt industry’s London event last fall.

Proceeds from the event will be distributed to:

• EMPower (www.empowerweb.org), which funds a number of health and education programs around the globe;

• ProMujer (www.promujer.org), which makes micro-loans to women in Bolivia, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru;

• The Resource Foundation (www.resourcefnd.org), which partners with local nonprofits in Latin America to promote economic development and sustainable agriculture; and

• World Education and Development Fund (www.worldfund.org), which promotes education in Latin America.

EMCB began issuing initial disbursements totaling $87,000 in late December 2005. The remaining proceeds will be distributed to event beneficiaries as soon as final pledges are collected.

EMTA extends its congratulations and thanks to the Benefit Committee for another year of hard work and dedication in organizing the event. 2005 Benefit Committee members included Maria Garcia (Lehman Brothers), who served as Head of Sales for the EMCB, Tom Baluk (J.P. Morgan), Glenn Edelson (Goldman Sachs), Hema Kailasam (Deutsche Bank), Chandra Metzler (Deutsche Bank), Anne Milne (Deutsche Bank), Dennis Rodrigues (MarketAxess), Denise Simon (HSBC Halbis Partners), Marcy Swank (ING Financial Markets LLC), Adam Weiner (Oppenheimer Funds), Rossanna Scanlon (The Options Group) and EMTA’s Jonathan Murno (Committee Chair).

The Committee continues to welcome new members. Please contact Jonathan Murno at jmurno@emta.org if you would like to become involved.

MarketAxess presents the EMCB with a check for $101,037 at its annual gala. Left to right: Jonathan Murno (EMCB Chair; EMTA), Dennis Rodrigues (MarketAxess’ Emerging Markets Product Manager), Maria Garcia (EMCB Head of Sales; Lehman) and Rick McVey (CEO, MarketAxess).

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London EM Benefit Disburses £240,000
Emerging Markets Benefit, Ltd., (EMBL) the organization in charge of the London charity benefit, recently issued checks totaling £240,000 ($448,800) to four organizations working to improve health and education in Emerging Countries.  The beneficiaries included Cotlands, which works with HIV/AIDS-affected children in South Africa and Task Brasil, which provides support and vocational training to street children in Rio de Janeiro.  EMBL also awarded grants to SOS Children to fund education in Jamaica, and to Health Unlimited for its health and education projects in Guatemala and Peru.

EMBL Co-Chairs Elaine Skinner-Reid and Jonathan Murno both made visits to beneficiaries in April 2006.  Skinner-Reid returned to Cotlands in Johannesburg, where she met with children in both the hospice and sanctuary who have benefited from EMBL’s previous donations.  Murno opened Task Brasil’s new shelter for teenage street children in Rio de Janeiro, while also visiting the infants and pregnant teenagers Task Brasil shelters.

The EMBL committee has scheduled this year’s London benefit, which will be held at the Grosvenor Hotel for Friday, October 6, 2006.  Tables for ten will go on sale in late June 2006.  The 910 seats for the 2005 event sold out in two business days so firms interested in attending are advised to act quickly.  The event will again be sponsored by MarketAxess’ Charity Trading Day, as well as by Standard Bank.

The EMBL continues to welcome new sponsors and individuals interested in working on the event.  For further information, please contact co-chairs Elaine Skinner-Reid (Elaine.Skinner-Reid@rbccm.com), Emma McClintock (emma.mcclintock@bb.com.br) or Jonathan Murno (jmurno@emta.org) or (44-207) 996-3165.

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Nights Out with Led Zeppelin Star Jimmy Page and BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson to Be Auctioned at London Benefit
Members of the annual Charity Benefit Committee in London are putting the final touches on the annual gala, slated for September 30, 2005. The event’s 900 tickets were sold out in only two days this year after the event was moved back to Billingsgate (the landmark 19th-century former fish market on the Thames) in order to accommodate more attendees.

This year’s theme is "Caribbean Classic," and proceeds will benefit Cotlands (providing care for children affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa), Task Brasil (working with street children in Rio de Janeiro), SOS Children (which will use proceeds for an education project in Jamaica) and Health Unlimited (whose grant will be earmarked for a health and education project among indigenous people in Guatemala). Last year’s event raised over £150,000, more than twice the amount raised in 2003.

The event features dinner, drinks, two live bands and a dj, and several extra surprises. Live and silent auctions will also be held, with items including a night out with legendary Led Zeppelin rock star Jimmy Page, dinner at the Ivy with BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson, an exclusive box for 12 at the Tennis Masters Tournament at the Royal Albert Hall, a classic Les Paul Gibson guitar, vacation home rentals in St. Lucia and Turkey, a week-long luxury vacation in Jamaica (including business-class airfare), a cooking class for ten in Provence and many more unique prizes. A full list of silent and live auction prizes will be posted on EMTA’s website shortly.

The event is being sponsored by Bear Stearns, MarketAxess and Standard Bank. Additional support is being provided by Royal Bank of Scotland and WestLB. Hats-off to them all, as well as to the London Benefit Committee, which include Emma McClintock (BB Securities), Clare Turnbull (Bear Stearns), Jonathan Murno (EMTA) and Elaine Skinner-Reid (RBC).

For further information, please contact Jonathan Murno at jmurno@emta.org or at (646) 637-9105.

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NYC CHARITY BENEFIT RAISES $340,000, UP 70% FROM 2003 GALA
The Emerging Markets Charity Benefit in New York was the industry’s most financially successful in years, raising over $340,000. The NYC event raised 70% more than in 2003, when $200,000 was raised and distributed to charities. Expenses accounted for 26% of the event’s budget, an unusually low expense ratio for a benefit dinner.

Combined with the more than £150,000 (US$292,500) raised at the October 28, 2004 London gala, a total of more than US$632,500 was raised for charities in 2004 by the Emerging Markets debt industry.

The "Bombay Nights" event had an Indian theme, featuring fine Indian cuisine and sitar music. The event was held at the fashionable Puck Building in downtown Manhattan and attended by a sell-out crowd of 475 EM professionals.

During the event, Rick McVey, Chief Executive Officer of MarketAxess presented a check to committee organizers for $45,500, representing 50% of the proceeds from the firm’s Charity Trading Day, held on October 6, 2004. MarketAxess had also presented a similar check to the London Benefit Committee two months earlier.

In addition to the MarketAxess’ Charity Trading Day sponsorship, table sales and program advertisements, organizers also raised money for the Benefit by conducting live and silent auctions. Lucky bidders won a number of prizes including trapeze lessons, circus and opera tickets, fishing and golf excursions, sailing cruises and vacations in Vermont, Scotland and France. Comedian Johnny Lampert served as auctioneer after delivering his own stand-up routine.

On December 15, 2004, initial checks totaling $116,000 were disbursed to the evening’s three beneficiaries: EMPower, ProMujer and SAAAIDS. EMPower, founded by former and current EM professionals, funds a number of health and education projects throughout the Emerging Markets. ProMujer provides micro-finance loans to women in Latin America, while SAAAIDS works to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in India. Final checks will be issued to the charities as soon as final payments have been received from attendees and auction winners.

Congratulations and thanks to the Benefit Committee for another year of hard work and dedication in organizing the event. Benefit Committee members included Tom Baluk (J.P. Morgan), Maria Garcia (Lehman Brothers), Hema Kailasam (Deutsche Bank), Mike Marian (Alliance Capital), Chandra Metzler (Deutsche Bank), Dennis Rodrigues (MarketAxess), Denise Simon (The Atlantic), Marcy Swank (ING Financial Markets), Sue Waterbury (Goldman Sachs), Adam Weiner (Oppenheimer), and EMTA’s own indefatigable Jonathan Murno (Committee Chair).

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EM BENEFIT NYC MAKES FINAL DISBURSEMENTS FOR 2004, PLANS 2005 EVENTS
Final disbursements from the 2004 Emerging Market Charity Benefit (EMCB) were issued in April 2005, following the collection of the last remaining donations. A total of $342,493.49 was disbursed to three organizations working to improve the lives of people in emerging countries: EMPower, founded by former and current Emerging Market professionals, which funds a number of health and education projects; ProMujer, which provides micro-finance loans to women in Latin America; and SAAAIDS, which works to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in India.

2004 proceeds were 70% above 2003 disbursements of $200,835 and more than double the $161,359 raised by the Emerging Markets debt industry in 2002. The event’s expense ratio was 26%, an unusually low expense ratio for a benefit dinner.

The EMCB Planning Committee held meetings on April 5 and May 10, 2005 to discuss preparations for this year’s gala. After visiting several possible venues, the Committee selected Guastavino’s on East 59th Street in Manhattan as the site for the event, slated for December 1, 2005. Additional details will be announced shortly.

At its next meeting, on June 13, 2005, the Planning Committee selected finalist beneficiaries for the 2005 event. The Committee voted to select 4 beneficiaries in 2005:

• EMPower, which funds a number of health and education programs around the globe www.empowerweb.org

• ProMujer, which makes micro-loans to women in Bolivia, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru www.promujer.org

• Resource Foundation, which partners with local nonprofits in Latin America to promote economic development and sustainable agriculture www.resourcefnd.org

• World Education and Development Fund, which promotes education in Latin America www.worldfund.org

2004 Supporter feedback on the beneficiaries is welcome. Please provide comments no later than Tuesday, June 22 to Jonathan Murno at jmurno@emta.org.

Other charities included Accion International, Goal USA, NESST, SAAIDS and The Sri Lanka Care Foundation. EMCB’s Planning Committee seeks to fund smaller, well-run organizations which have 501(c) (3) tax exempt status, with annual operating budgets of less than US$5 million and for which EMCB proceeds would provide meaningful assistance. Because EMCB wishes to assist charities in as wide a variety of emerging countries as possible, it will also take into account geographic diversity.

For more information, please contact a member of the 2005 Benefit Committee: Jonathan Murno (EMTA, Committee Chair), Tom Baluk (J. P. Morgan), Maria Garcia (Lehman Brothers), Hema Kailasam (Deutsche Bank), Chandra Metzler (Deutsche Bank), Anne Milne (Deutsche Bank), Owi Ruivivar (Goldman Sachs Asset Management), Dennis Rodrigues (MarketAxess), Denise Simon (The Atlantic), Marcy Swank (ING Financial Markets), and Adam Weiner (Oppenheimer).

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"Under a South African Sky" Industry Benefit in London Raises Funds for EM Charities
The Emerging Markets Annual London Benefit was held at the Park Lane Hilton on Thursday, October 28, 2004. The black tie gala broke previous attendance records when all 750 available seats were sold out in eight business days in September 2004. Apparently few of the evening’s revelers were disappointed as the ballroom remained at full capacity until its 1 am closing time.

The event, "Under a South African Sky," included South African drummers, a live band, a dj, dinner (who can forget that tiramisu?), dancing, as well as live and silent auctions. Also included as part of the evening’s entertainment was a drawing to determine the winner of a raffle. Simon Treacher of BlueBay Asset Management ended up holding the lucky ticket for a diamond, donated by jeweler Wint & Kidd, worth £10,000, to be designed to his specifications.

The generosity of the EM crowd was quickly evident as a number of items were sold off at considerable sums. Up on the auction block were holiday trips to St. Lucia, Turkey, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, South Africa and the USA, as well as a cooking course in France, polo lessons, golfing trips, couture items, diamond earrings, a day on the set of the BBC program "Top Gear" and memorabilia signed by the England rugby squad, the Chelsea football team and the Rolling Stones. Fundraising was also boosted by MarketAxess and Standard Bank, both of which sponsored the event. Co-sponsorship funding was provided by WestLB and Central Search.

Proceeds from the evening, which event organizers hope will reach at least £120,000 (US$220,000), will be distributed to Cotlands, an organization fighting HIV/AIDS in South Africa; Task Brasil, which works to educate street children in Brazil; and ChildHope UK, which serves to educate children in a variety of EM countries. The Committee expects to make disbursements shortly as final auction proceeds are received.

Photos from the event are still available at http://www.capitallifephotography.co.uk/events.php. Please enter user name ‘redfridge’ and password ‘hilton.’

Hats off to Committee Co-chairs Elaine Skinner (RBC) and Jonathan Murno (EMTA), as well as Emma McClintock (BB Securities), Ingrid Iversen (Insight Investments), Monika Machon (AIG), Nadia Saliba (Goldman Sachs), Joanne Horner (Standard Bank), Paul Charman (WestLB), Dominic Holland (MarketAxess), Clare Turnbull (Bear Stearns) and Tania Kotsos (RBC) for their boundless enthusiasm and hard work on making the Benefit such an unqualified success.

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EM LONDON Benefit REPRESENTATIVES VISIT AIDS ORPHANAGE BENEFICIARY IN SOUTH AFRICA
Elaine Skinner-Reid (RBC) and Jonathan Murno (EMTA), Co-Chairs of the recent London Emerging Markets Benefit (EMBL), visited the Cotlands AIDS orphanage in Johannesburg, South Africa on March 17, 2005. Cotlands is one of the three beneficiaries of the London industry galas, and recently received £67,900 (US$132,400) from the Benefit.

Cotlands’ Executive Director Jackie Schoeman and Corporate and Trusts Manager Allison Gallo accompanied the EMBL representatives on stops to meet children being served by Cotlands’ home-based care program. The program offers support to adults caring for HIV-positive children in the poverty-stricken townships outside of Johannesburg. The home care program provides basic foods for caregivers who may be too ill to prepare cooked meals, as well as anti-retroviral drugs, which are not widely available in southern Africa despite being commonplace in developed countries.

The EMBL representatives were introduced to Calvin, a 5-year-old with AIDS and tuberculosis who lives with his mother and five other adult relatives, all of whom are HIV+. Schoeman and Gallo explained that Calvin’s health has dramatically rebounded since he began receiving anti-retroviral drugs in 2004. The Co-Chairs also met Alicia, an HIV+ 8-year-old who lost her parents to AIDS and is now being raised by her elderly grandmother. Due to poor nutrition, Alicia’s growth has been stunted and she appears much younger than her actual age. Despite having to use an oxygen mask due to breathing difficulties, Alicia was all smiles during the short visit.

The EMBL representatives concluded their visit at the Cotlands orphanage and hospice where 60 children, most of whom are HIV+ and who have lost their parents due to the pandemic, are cared for. Many of the children were visibly delighted when they were given small gifts such as coloring books and toy cars.

Schoeman expressed her gratitude to the EM debt industry for its generous donation. She noted, "The EMBL gift is equivalent to 5% of our 2005 operating budget, and will be used to bolster our home care projects in the provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal." She added that the EMBL donation will also finance the construction of a new kitchen which will provide meals to 200 orphaned children.

Cotlands will provide regular updates to the EMBL committee on its work, as well as on the progress of some of the specific children benefiting from the EM industry’s donation. Schoeman and Gallo noted that with 28% of pregnant South African women estimated to be HIV+, the prognosis for children in South Africa continues to be extremely troubling.

The EMBL Committee continues to welcome new members. Please contact Elaine Skinner-Reid at elaine.skinner-reid@rbccm.com or by phone at (44-207) 029-7009, or Jonathan Murno at jmurno@emta.org or by phone at (44-207) 996-3165 for further information.

EM Benefit Disburses Over 750,000 South African Rand (US$127,000) to Cotlands in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Left to right: EMBL Co-Chair Elaine Skinner-Reid, Alison Gallo and Jackie Schoeman of Cotlands, Jonathan Murno of EMTA.

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LONDON Benefit Disburses Funds to Charities
The London Charity Benefit Committee has begun disbursing funds to the Event’s beneficiaries.  The Benefit, held on October 28, 2004, raised over £150,000 for charities working to promote health and education in EM countries.

London Benefit Co-Chairs Elaine Skinner (RBC) and Jonathan Murno (EMTA) presented representatives from Task Brasil with a cheque for £63,400 (US$123,600) in London on January 20, 2005.  This represents approximately 25% of the organization’s annual budget and will be used to provide shelter, food, medicine and vocational training for 40 Brazilian street children for one year, as well as pay the salaries for staff at the shelter.

In addition, a similar grant was also issued in January 2005 to Cotlands, a hospice and care center for children affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa.  This represents approximately 5% of Cotland’s annual budget and will be used to construct a kitchen to provide meals to children whose parents are too ill to provide adequate nutrition.  The grant will also fund a hospice and outreach program in two of the areas in South Africa with the highest rates of HIV-infection in the country.  Representatives of the Benefit Committee plan to visit the site in March 2005.

The Benefit Committee hopes to complete grant disbursement shortly as final pledges are collected.  Initial planning on the 2005 Benefit has begun and those interested in joining the Benefit Committee are urged to contact Elaine Skinner at Elaine.Skinner@rbccm.com or Jonathan Murno of EMTA at jmurno@emta.org.

EMBL Benefit Co-Chairs Elaine Skinner (RBC) and Jonathan Murno (EMTA) present Task Brasil representatives with a check for £63,400 in London on January 20, 2005
Photo: Mike Sweeney

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EM BENEFITS SURPASS $5 MILLION LEVEL IN DONATIONS DISTRIBUTED TO EM CHARITIES FOLLOWING DECEMBER GALA IN NEW YORK
Organizers of the NY Emerging Markets Charity Benefit announced they had raised over $200,000 at the industry gala held on Thursday, December 4, 2003.  Since the first benefit was held nine years ago, the Emerging Markets industry in New York City and London galas has raised over $5 million for Emerging Market charities.  This year’s NYC event was held at the Altman Building in the Chelsea section of Manhattan.

The evening’s theme was Exotica, and featured live belly dancers and food from the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.  Live and silent auctions contributed almost $50,000 to the pot, as bidders vied for holidays in Kiawah Island, South Carolina and Provence, France, golf outings, fishing trips, a vintage car race, a gym membership and a professional photography shoot.  Mike Gagliardi of Trust Company of the Atlantic was joined as auctioneer by CNBC anchor Michelle Caruso-Cabrera.

This year’s beneficiaries included EMPower, ProMujer and World Education and Development Fund.  Former Emerging Markets professionals founded both EMPower and World Education and Development Fund, while ProMujer counts a number of Emerging Markets professionals amongst its Board of Directors.  Further information on these worthy organizations can be found at: www.empowerweb.org, www.promujer.org, and www.worldfund.org. 

Michelle Cabrera-Caruso of CNBC served as a surprise guest auctioneer.

EMTA’s Director of Research Jonathan Murno, fresh from working on the October 2 London benefit, succeeded in some cross pollination between the New York and London fundraisers, including a trans-Atlantic swap of auction items (thanks to Marta Cabrera of EMPower, Monika Machon of AIG and former Bank of America officer (and EMTA Director) Alex McLeod), improvements on the souvenir program booklets, the donation of souvenir shot glasses from the London event to New York, additional fundraising ideas, and, of course, the spectacular event invitation (produced by Guy Cross of Bear Stearns).

Initial disbursements of $37,000 were made to each of the three beneficiaries in December 2003; a final disbursement will be made as soon as the final commitments are received.  The money will be used to fund, among other projects, classrooms in Argentina and Brazil, HIV/AIDS prevention in Uganda, healthcare for street children in Mexico, India and Vietnam, children’s centers in South Africa and scholarships in Mexico.

Those interested in joining the Benefit Committee for the 2004 EM Benefit next year are urged to contact Denise Simon of Atlantic Company at (646) 364-2312, Sue Waterbury of Goldman Sachs at (212) 902-5789 or Jonathan Murno of EMTA at (646) 637-9105.

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2003 EM BENEFIT ATTENDEES IN LONDON RAISE MONEY TO A SAMBA BEAT
800 Emerging Markets professionals attended one of the largest industry benefits ever in London on Thursday, October 2, 2003.  The net profits from the evening will be distributed to three charities, including organizations working with street children in Brazil and AIDS orphans in South Africa.

The event was held at the Old Billingsgate Market on the Thames, a 19th Century listed building which offered an unobstructed view of Tower Bridge to the many foreign visitors (including a large Russian contingent) in attendance. The evening’s theme was Brazil, and a Carnival-like energy filled the evening.  Batacada, a Brazilian drumming troupe which merges a traditional samba beat with new fusion, was brought over from Paris for the event, while Viramundo provided the evening with additional music and dancers.  Both groups ensured that the dance floor was at maximum decibels and overflow capacity for the bulk of the evening.

Mark Franklin (Citigroup Investments) revealed yet again that he is a man of many talents, when he auctioned off a number of unique prizes, including stays at holiday homes in Scotland, Switzerland and St. Lucia, as well as the opportunity to literally create one’s own wine at a French vineyard.  Some items even attracted telephone bids from New York professionals unable to attend in person.  The bidding got into a frenzy when a holiday to Rio de Janeiro went on the block; it finally sold for £13,000.  A silent auction which included a day’s use of a fully-crewed sailboat, use of a vacation home in France and Chelsea vs. Manchester United tickets also raised funds for the charities.  Kelly Shea of Julius Baer proved to be the undisputed casino queen in one of the other activities of the evening.

Event organizers included Brigitte Dowsett and Clare Turnbull of Bear Stearns, Simon Treacher of BlueBay Asset Management, Elaine Skinner and Paul Charman of West LB, and Jonathan Murno of EMTA.  The group planned the entire event, a smashing success by any measure, in a record twelve weeks.

Emerging Markets Benefit Ltd committee members: (from L to R):  Paul Charman, Elaine Skinner, Simon Treacher, Brigitte Dowsett, Jonathan Murno and Clare Turnbull.

Organizers noted that the EM debt community in London had “really stepped up to the plate,” volunteering their time, assistance and some of the evening’s supplies.  One of the most generous gifts was from former EMTA Board Member Alex Mcleod, who donated 500 bottles of wine to the event, while Unibanco picked up the cost of the Brazilian bands.  A number of restaurants, travel agents and other companies also pitched in with prizes.

The Emerging Markets debt community in New York will be holding its own charity bash on Thursday, December 4, and the two groups have been informally trading ideas.   A London event organizer couldn’t help but point out that one of the auction items fetched almost three times the price paid in New York last year when it was auctioned off in October in London, apparently throwing the gauntlet down to the New York trading and investment community!

2002 EM CHARITY BENEFIT RAISES OVER $175,000
Despite adverse weather, the Annual Emerging Markets Charity Benefit (EMCB) raised approximately $175,000 at its gala “Sushi Samba” dinner on Thursday evening, December 5, 2002.  The event was held at Studio 545, a photography studio in midtown Manhattan, and immediately followed EMTA’s Annual Meeting.

EMTA’s Michael M. Chamberlin opened the event by saluting the industry firms which sponsored it, while also thanking Benefit Committee members for their excellent work in organizing the gala.  Chamberlin also took the opportunity to express the industry’s appreciation to Glenn Grossman for his efforts over the past several years in founding the Charity Benefit and organizing past years’ events.

Michael Gagliardi (The Atlantic), ably assisted by Logistics Committee Chair Denise Simon (The Atlantic), served as the evening’s auctioneer extraordinaire, raising over $31,000 from an extremely enthusiastic crowd.  Attendees were also entertained by both a seven-member mariachi band and a live d.j., and fundraising Co-Chair Sue Waterbury (Goldman) was not shy about leading her fellow EM professionals in some very funky dance moves.

The proceeds of the December 2002 event will be divided among EMPower, Save the Children and the World Wildlife Fund.  To date, the Annual Benefits have raised over $1.7 million for charities assisting people throughout the Emerging Markets.  Checks totaling $92,000 were distributed to the three beneficiaries on February 11, 2003, with a final distribution scheduled to occur as soon as remaining pledges have been collected.

Following the event, the tireless Benefit Committee met on January 9, 2003 to discuss preliminary plans for the 2003 benefit.  EM professionals interested in becoming involved may contact Denise Simon (The Atlantic) at (646) 364-2312, Sue Waterbury (Goldman Sachs) at (212) 902-5789 or Jonathan Murno (EMTA) at 646-637-9105.

SEVENTH EMERGING MARKETS CHARITY BALL IN LONDON DEDICATED TO MARTIN QUINTIN-ARCHARD
The Seventh Emerging Markets Charity Ball will be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Friday, March 16, 2001. The theme of this year’s event will be "The Silk Route." The event will be dedicated to the memory of Martin Quintin-Archard, a former Charity Ball trustee from 1993 to 1998 who passed away tragically last October on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. As many will know, ‘QA’ was a larger-than-life pioneer of the Emerging Markets debt trading industry.

A total of over £1.9 million [US$2.85 million] has been raised since the first Charity Ball was held in March 1994, with £1.8 million [US$2.7 million] being distributed to over 75 specific projects at organizations such as Oxfam, CARE and Save the Children. The numerous grant recipients include health and education projects in Malawi, Mali and Mozambique, demining efforts in Angola, HIV education/preven-tion among the street children of Brazil, drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation in Chile, poverty alleviation in Vietnam, and a childhood immunization program in Burma.

Because of the overflow at the last event, attendance at this event will be limited to 800. Those interested in attending are urged to act quickly to ensure ticket availability.

For further information, please contact Stephanie Field at Lazard at stephanie.field@lazard.com.

FOURTH ANNUAL NEW YORK EMERGING MARKETS BENEFIT DINNER RAISES OVER $300,000 FOR CHILDREN'S CHARITIES
Net proceeds of over $300,000 were raised at the Fourth Annual Emerging Markets Benefit for Children's Charities on December 7, 2000. The event, which was held at the Manhattan Center in New York City, immediately followed EMTA's Annual Meeting and drew a crowd of over 400 Emerging Markets professionals. In addition to ticket sales to the evening's dinner, a live auction also raised nearly $27,000.  Members of the EM debt community bid on items ranging from a pair of boxing gloves signed by boxing champion Muhammad Ali (which brought in $5,000) to fellowships which will be used to help gain the release of abducted children in Uganda and purchase schoolbooks for Haitian children.

EMTA was pleased to be involved in planning the Benefit, which was underwritten by BNP  Paribas.  Sponsors and major donors included Cantor Fitzgerald, Deutsche Bank, ING Barings and J.P. Morgan, Salomon Smith Barney and UBS Warburg. Congratulations to Glenn Grossman and Mary Moglia (BNP Paribas) for yet another year of tireless dedication in spearheading this event.