AIM Admission

Conygar Investment Company PLC(The) 23 October 2003 Not for release in or into the United States of America, Canada, Japan, Australia or South Africa 23 October 2003 The Conygar Investment Company PLC Admission to AIM and commencement of dealings The Conygar Investment Company PLC is pleased to announce the admission to the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange of its Ordinary Shares and the commencement of dealings therein. Conygar was formed by Robert Ware, the former deputy chief executive of MEPC, as a vehicle to acquire property assets and interests with development and investment potential. The executive directors of Conygar are Robert Ware, Gavin Davidson and Peter Batchelor. The Company's strategy will be to invest in assets and companies where the board of Conygar believes it can add value through its expertise, and which the board of Conygar believes is likely to result in strong capital growth. Conygar will invest in assets and companies which meet the board of Conygar's fundamental investment criterion of offering significant up-side potential for capital growth over the medium and long-term. The Company will have an active approach to the management of its investments and the Directors will play an important role in their medium and long-term development. Robert Ware served first as corporate development director and then as deputy chief executive of MEPC between June 1997 and June 2003. Gavin Davidson will be the property director of the Company. Gavin was a director of MEPC, with responsibility for MEPC's business parks portfolio, between May 1999 and June 2003. Peter Batchelor, former company secretary and head of taxation and corporate finance at MEPC, will be the finance director of the Company. Michael Wigley and Nigel Hamway are the non-executive Directors of Conygar. Michael was a stockbroker in the City of London from 1964 until his retirement in 1999. Michael is Deputy Chairman of the Legg Mason Investors International Utilities Trust plc and a non-executive director of BFS Income and Growth Trust plc. Nigel has been a director of Charterhouse Development Capital since 1991. The Directors believe that the credibility gained by the admission of the Company's share capital to trading on AIM will enhance the Company's potential to make investments, acquisitions and generally improve the Company's commercial opportunities. Conygar has raised £4.1 million via a placing, managed by Bridgewell, of 8,200,000 Ordinary Shares at a placing price of 50 pence per share. In addition, the Company has raised £0.5 million through a subscription for 1,000,000 Ordinary Shares at the Placing Price by Robert Ware (the 'Subscription '). Following Admission, the Company is expected to have net funds available of approximately £4.42 million. The Directors of Conygar will be interested in 3,000,001 Ordinary Shares representing approximately 32.6 per cent. of the issued ordinary share capital of Conygar. Subject to certain exceptions, the Directors have agreed not to dispose of any interests in the securities of the Company before the second anniversary of Admission. Options were granted to the Executive Directors over 1.25 million Ordinary Shares on 22 October 2003, pursuant to the Conygar Investment Company Share Option Plan. The Options are subject to performance criteria, which, for all Options granted, will require the Company's share price to increase by at least 20 per cent. compound per annum over a two year performance period. For the initial tranche of options granted on 22 October 2003, share price performance will be measured taking the Placing Price as the starting point. Further details of the Option Scheme are contained in the admission document of Conygar. Placing Statistics: Placing Price 50 pence Number of Ordinary Shares issued pursuant to the Placing 8,200,000 Number of Ordinary Shares in issue on Admission 9,200,001 Gross proceeds of the Placing and the Subscription available to the Company £4.60 million Net proceeds of the Placing and the Subscription available to the Company £4.45 million Enquiries: The Conygar Investment Company PLC Robert Ware, Executive Chairman Tel: 020 7629 7270 Deloitte & Touche Corporate Finance Adam Hall Tel: 020 7936 3000 Jonathan Hinton Bridgewell Securities Limited Ben Money-Coutts Tel: 020 7003 3000 Finsbury Faeth Birch Tel: 020 7251 3801 Deloitte & Touche Corporate Finance and Bridgewell are acting as nominated adviser and broker respectively to Conygar. Deloitte & Touche Corporate Finance is a division of Deloitte & Touche LLP. Deloitte & Touche LLP and Bridgewell are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in respect of regulated activities. The Directors of Conygar accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement which has been approved by Deloitte & Touche LLP (whose principal office is 1 Stonecutter Court, 1 Stonecutter Street, London EC4A 4TR) for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the Directors, who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case, the information contained in this announcement is in accordance with the facts, and this announcement makes no omission likely to affect the import of such information. With the exception of any responsibility arising from the approval for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, Deloitte & Touche LLP have not undertaken, and will not owe, any other duty to any person in relation to this announcement save for Conygar, to whom they have acted as financial advisers only. Prices and values of, and income from, shares may go down as well as up. This announcement does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, an offer, invitation or inducement to purchase or subscribe for any securities nor shall it or any part of it form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract or commitment whatsoever. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation regarding the securities of Conygar and does not constitute, and is not to be taken as constituting, the giving of investment advice by either Deloitte & Touche LLP or Bridgewell. Copies of the admission document for Conygar will be available during normal business hours on any weekday (except public holidays) at the offices of Macfarlanes, 10 Norwich Street, London EC4A 1BD for a period of one month from today. This announcement and the information contained herein is not for publication, distribution or release in or into the United States of America, Canada, Japan, Australia or South Africa. Definitions The following definitions apply throughout this announcement, unless the context requires otherwise: 'Admission' the admission of the Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM 'AIM' the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange 'AIM Rules' the rules of AIM 'Bridgewell' Bridgewell Securities Limited 'Conygar' or 'Conygar Investments' or the ' The Conygar Investment Company PLC Company' 'Directors' the directors of the Company, being the Executive Directors and Non-executive Directors 'Executive Directors' Robert Ware, Peter Batchelor and Gavin Davidson 'London Stock Exchange' London Stock Exchange plc 'MEPC' MEPC Limited (formally MEPC plc) 'Non-executive Directors' Michael Wigley and Nigel Hamway 'Options' options over Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Option Scheme 'Option Scheme' The Conygar Investment Company Share Option Plan 'Ordinary Shares' ordinary shares of 5p each in the Company 'Placing' the placing by Bridgewell of up to 9,999,999 Ordinary Shares This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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