Mesirow Financial to Open Hong Kong Office

CHICAGO, August 4, 2011 – Mesirow Financial today announced that it plans to open a Hong Kong office in the fourth quarter of 2011. Mesirow Financial Hong Kong Limited will be a subsidiary of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc., and will be initially staffed with senior investment professionals and client relationship personnel of the firm's fund of hedge funds group, Mesirow Advanced Strategies, Inc.

The expansion into Asia is part of Mesirow Financial's broader global development strategy, which saw the opening of a London office in June 2007 and a joint venture partnership with Mubadala Development Company in Abu Dhabi in February 2011. "An unwavering trend in our industry has been globalization," said Richard Price, chief executive officer of Mesirow Financial. "In order to serve our increasingly international client base, it is critical to have local presence in all major markets." With the opening of the Hong Kong office, Mesirow Financial will now have a presence in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

"Being on the ground in Hong Kong will provide many benefits to our clients," added Marty Kaplan, chief executive officer for Mesirow Advanced Strategies. "It will foster stronger relationships with our existing client base in Asia, which represents approximately 30% of our assets under management. It will also strengthen our research capabilities by enhancing our market knowledge within the region and providing for greater sourcing opportunities in selecting Asian hedge fund managers."

Note to Editor:
Mesirow Financial Hong Kong Limited and Mesirow Advanced Strategies, Inc. are both subsidiaries of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. Mesirow Advanced Strategies is a widely recognized alternative investment manager with $14.3 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2011. Mesirow Financial is an independent, global financial services firm offering expertise in Investment Management, Global Markets, Insurance Services and Consulting. The firm has $57.3 billion in assets under management, of which $28.7 billion are in currencies and commodities, and 1,200 employees in locations across the United States and in London. For more information about Mesirow Financial, visit its website at mesirowfinancial.com.

The Mesirow Financial name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc., © 2011, Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not necessarily complete and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Any opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. It should not be assumed that any recommendations incorporated herein will be profitable or will equal past performance. Nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any Mesirow Financial investment vehicle(s).

Securities offered through Mesirow Financial, Inc. member NYSE, SIPC. Insurance services provided through Mesirow Insurance Services, Inc.