CLSA

CLSA is an award-winning brokerage house covering the Asia-Pacific Markets from a headquarters in Hong Kong. [cite news |url=https://www.clsa.com/public/about_clsa/index.cfm?id=9|title=About CLSA |publisher="CLSA website listing of awards" |date=2005] [cite news |url=http://www.kld.com/release.cgi?id=3437|title=CLSA Relief Fund Raises Over $2.3 Million to Support Tsunami Victims |publisher="KLD Research and Analytics" |date=2005-01-20] Founded in 1986, CLSA was originally partially owned by Credit Lyonnais and CLSA's senior executives - principally, its late chairman, Gary Coull. CLSA now has Crédit Agricole as its major shareholder.

CLSA's lack of significant investment-banking business contributes to its reputation among clients - largely worldwide fund managers - for independence in its brokerage research. International publications like the "International Herald Tribune" refer to CLSA as "a leading Hong Kong brokerage". [cite news |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/07/17/business/shop.php|title=CLSA Family-run firms greet new era in Hong Kong|publisher="International Herald Tribune" |date=2006-07-17] Despite its reputation for broking stocks rather than investment banking, the company has recently become more involved in this aspect of finance; in June 2007, CLSA undertook the largest solely led IPO in India during the past five years. [cite news |url=http://www.business-standard.com/general/storypage.php?&autono=288540|title=CLSA does India's largest sole-led equity deal for Max|publisher="Business Standard" |date=2007-06-20]

CLSA's assest-management subsidiary, CLSA Capital Partners, listed an IPO for a portfolio company on Hong Kong's stock exchange in January 2007 with a market capitalization of about US$225 million [cite news |url=http://www.altassets.net/news/arc/2007/nz10064.php|title=CLSA Capital Partners IPO their portfolio company|publisher="The Alternative Assets Network" |date=2007-02-01]

CLSA has over 900 staff in 11 Asia-Pacific markets as well as offices in London and New York. Over the years, CLSA's analysts and research teams have won numerous awards. [cite news |url=http://www.iiresearchgroup.com/pdfs/pressrel_AsiaSls_06.pdf|title=UBS Retains #1 Ranking; Significant Improvement Made By CLSA|publisher="Institutional Investor" |date=2006-05-23] Perennial winners in the past decade were Dr. Jim Walker, for his Asia-wide economic research, and Jing Ulrich, for her research coverage of China. [cite news |url=http://old.institutionalinvestor.com/includes/rankings/show.asp?searchtype=A&iyear=2000&teamID=3&id=1254|title=CLSA Global Emerging Markets: First Team - China|publisher="Institutional Investor" |date=2000]

Each year, CLSA hosts global investors' forums in Hong Kong and China. Bill Clinton was a keynote speaker in 2002. [cite news |url=http://www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org/052202-sp-cf-gn-hkg-sp-remarks-to-clsa-investors-forum.htm|title=Speech: Remarks to CLSA Investors' Forum |publisher=Clinton Presidential Center|date=2002-05-22]

The company has not been without controversy. In 2005, CLSA pulled out of the running in an annual research poll by "AsiaMoney" magazine when news came out that some CLSA staffmembers had tried to influence the voting. [cite news |url=http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20050819/20050819_56_248636.html|title=CLSA pulls out of broker poll |publisher="Radio Television Hong Kong"|date=2005-08-19] In May 2007, the Financial Times reported that Softbank withdrew a threat of legal action against CLSA after the brokerage house issued a partial apology in regard to a critical report about the Japanese communications conglomerate. [cite news |url=http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=clsa&aje=true&id=070526000964|title=Softbank withdraws legal threat to CLSA|publisher="Financial Times"|date=2007-05-26]

CLSA is the major sponsor of the Singapore Slingers in the NBL.

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