AIA to advise RI companies

JAKARTA (JP): Investment and financial advisory firm AIA Capital Corporation and the Blackstone Group, a private New York- based investment bank, announced on Thursday that they had formed a partnership to pursue restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and related capital raising advisory assignments in Asia.

Under the partnership agreement, the two institutions will collaborate on an exclusive basis in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong and on a nonexclusive basis in other Asian markets, to help ailing companies in the countries restructure and raise capital.

AIA's managing director Jamie C. Gonzalez said that in the wake of the Asian economic crisis, many Asia-based corporations were in need of advice on restructuring their operations and raising capital.

AIA Capital Corporation is the flagship investment and financial advisory unit for Asia of insurance and finance company American International Group Inc. (gis)