Issue of Equity

Bear Stearns Private Equity Limited
02 May 2008


Bear Stearns Private Equity Limited
Issue of shares
2 May 2008

The Company has today issued 8,743,857 redeemable participating preference
shares of 0.01 pence each designated as equity shares (the 'Equity Shares').
Application has been made to the UK Listing Authority for the Equity Shares to
be admitted to the Official List and to the London Stock Exchange for admission
of the same number of redeemable participating preference shares to trading on
the London Stock Exchange. The Equity Shares have been issued for cash at
USD1.75 each and will rank pari passu with the existing redeemable participating
preference shares in issue.

Dealings are expected to commence in the new Equity Shares on 8 May 2008.

Following the issue, the total number of issued share capital and voting rights
in the Company (excluding treasury shares) is 292,644,449 Equity Shares and
59,196,837 zero dividend preference shares (the 'ZDP Shares'). These figures may
be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they
will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to
their interest in, the Company under the FSA's Disclosure and Transparency
rules.  The Company holds 1,397,764 Equity Shares and 274,822 ZDP Shares in
treasury.



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