DLJ Merchant Banking Partners Spins Off from Credit Suisse

NEW YORK, March 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Credit Suisse today announced that DLJ Merchant Banking Partners ("DLJ MBP"), the bank's mid-market leveraged buyout business, has spun off into an independent advisory firm, aPriori Capital Partners L.P. ("aPriori Capital"), established by the existing DLJ MBP management team led by Colin Taylor and Susan Schnabel.  

aPriori Capital will manage the DLJ Merchant Banking Partners III, L.P. and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners IV, L.P. private equity funds (together with related vehicles, the "MBP Funds"), collectively representing approximately $2 billion of value across 22 portfolio companies as of December 31, 2013. Colin Taylor and Susan Schnabel, Co-Heads of DLJ MBP, will continue to manage the MBP Funds and lead aPriori Capital.  All other investment professionals comprising the DLJ MBP management team are joining aPriori. As the new general partner and investment manager of the MBP Funds, aPriori is expected to be a strong platform for the DLJ MBP team to manage and maximize the value of the MBP Funds as well as raise capital in the future.  The new firm will continue to operate from offices in New York, Los Angeles and London.

Nicole Arnaboldi, Vice Chairman of Credit Suisse's Asset Management business, said, "We are pleased to have completed this spin-off and are grateful for the efforts and performance of the team over many years at DLJ and Credit Suisse.  We wish aPriori Capital much success in the future."

"The team is excited by the opportunity to establish an independent fund advisory business and a new platform for the future.  We appreciate the strong support we have received from our investors throughout this transition and in particular would like to thank Credit Suisse for their partnership and support over the past 14 years," said Colin Taylor and Susan Schnabel, Co-Heads of aPriori Capital.

This spin-off is part of Credit Suisse's previously announced divestment plans.

Credit Suisse AG
Credit Suisse AG is one of the world's leading financial services providers and is part of the Credit Suisse group of companies (referred to here as 'Credit Suisse'). As an integrated bank, Credit Suisse is able to offer clients its expertise in the areas of private banking, investment banking and asset management from a single source. Credit Suisse provides specialist advisory services, comprehensive solutions and innovative products to companies, institutional clients and high net worth private clients worldwide, and also to retail clients in Switzerland. Credit Suisse is headquartered in Zurich and operates in over 50 countries worldwide. The group employs approximately 46,000 people. The registered shares (CSGN) of Credit Suisse's parent company, Credit Suisse Group AG, are listed in Switzerland and, in the form of American Depositary Shares (CS), in New York. Further information about Credit Suisse can be found at www.credit-suisse.com.

aPriori Capital Partners
aPriori Capital Partners is a leveraged buyout fund advisor that completed its spin-out from Credit Suisse on 31 March 2014.  Formerly known as DLJ Merchant Banking Partners, the firm is focused on mid-market opportunities in the US and Europe and manages the DLJ Merchant Banking Partners III, L.P. and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners IV, L.P. private equity funds.  These funds collectively represent approximately $2 billion of value across 22 portfolio companies as of December 31, 2013.  The firm is headed by former DLJ Merchant Banking co-heads Colin Taylor and Susan Schnabel and operates from offices in New York, Los Angeles and London.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking information
This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In addition, in the future we, and others on our behalf, may make statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements relating to the following:

• our plans, objectives or goals;
• our future economic performance or prospects;
• the potential effect on our future performance of certain contingencies; and
• assumptions underlying any such statements.

Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "intends" and "plans" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. We do not intend to update these forward-looking statements except as may be required by applicable securities laws. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that predictions, forecasts, projections and other outcomes described or implied in forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you that a number of important factors could cause results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include:

• the ability to maintain sufficient liquidity and access capital markets;
• market and interest rate fluctuations and interest rate levels;
• the strength of the global economy in general and the strength of the economies of the countries in which we conduct our operations, in particular the risk of continued slow economic recovery or downturn in the US or other developed countries in 2012 and beyond;
• the direct and indirect impacts of continuing deterioration or slow recovery in residential and commercial real estate markets;
• adverse rating actions by credit rating agencies in respect of sovereign issuers, structured credit products or other credit-related exposures;
• the ability to achieve our strategic objectives, including improved performance, reduced risks, lower costs, and more efficient use of capital;
• the ability of counterparties to meet their obligations to us;
• the effects of, and changes in, fiscal, monetary, trade and tax policies, and currency fluctuations;
• political and social developments, including war, civil unrest or terrorist activity;
• the possibility of foreign exchange controls, expropriation, nationalization or confiscation of assets in countries in which we conduct our operations;
• operational factors such as systems failure, human error, or the failure to implement procedures properly;
• actions taken by regulators with respect to our business and practices in one or more of the countries in which we conduct our operations;
• the effects of changes in laws, regulations or accounting policies or practices;
• competition in geographic and business areas in which we conduct our operations;
• the ability to retain and recruit qualified personnel;
• the ability to maintain our reputation and promote our brand;
• the ability to increase market share and control expenses;
• technological changes;
• the timely development and acceptance of our new products and services and the perceived overall value of these products and services by users;
• acquisitions, including the ability to integrate acquired businesses successfully, and divestitures, including the ability to sell non-core assets;
• the adverse resolution of litigation and other contingencies;
• the ability to achieve our cost efficiency goals and cost targets; and
• our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing.

We caution you that the foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive. When evaluating forward-looking statements, you should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and events, as well as the information set forth in our Annual Report 2012 under "Risk factors" in the Appendix.

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SOURCE Credit Suisse AG