Collins Stewart Announces Formation of Healthcare Investment Banking Alliance

NEW YORK, April 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Collins Stewart LLC is pleased to announce the formation of a US healthcare investment banking alliance with Beal Advisors and Liberty Tree Advisors. The purpose of this alliance is to target, originate and execute public and private equity transactions in the healthcare sector. Both Beal Advisors and Liberty Tree Advisors are US-based boutique healthcare advisory firms. Georgia Erbez – founder of Beal Advisors (www.bealadvisors.com) – has previously worked at Jefferies & Company, Inc., Cowen and Company, and Hambrecht & Quist. David Stone – founder of Liberty Tree Advisors (www.libertytreeadvisors.com) – has previously worked at Flagship Ventures (an early-stage venture capital firm focused on life sciences) and Cowen and Company. In addition, Mr. Stone has served on the Boards of Directors for a number of life sciences companies.

Hank Erbe, Head of Investment Banking and Capital Markets at Collins Stewart LLC commented:

"We are excited to be working closely with Beal Advisors and Liberty Tree in targeting the healthcare sector. We anticipate significant new issue equity activity from healthcare companies and feel that these alliances represent a powerful combination of complimentary capabilities in capital markets and advisory services."

Georgia Erbez, Founder and Managing Director of Beal Advisors commented:

"Our focus has been on advising US healthcare companies on mergers and acquisitions as well as select private placements. Clearly, Collins Stewart's world class research and distribution capabilities will offer our clients significant resources going forward."

David Stone, Founder and Managing Director of Liberty Tree Advisors commented:

"The market for capital raising in the US healthcare sector is significant and growing. The alliance with Collins Stewart will enable us to provide equity research, and expanded distribution as well as ongoing advisory services to our clients."

Beal Advisors/Liberty Tree Advisors Senior Management Biographies

Georgia Erbez is a Managing Director and founded Beal Advisors in 2008. Georgia has over 20 years of experience in Investment Banking, and has focused on providing comprehensive investment banking services solely to life sciences companies for over 12 years. Georgia has experience across a broad array of transactions, including IPOs, follow-ons, PIPEs, convertible debt and mergers & acquisitions advisory services. From 2005 to 2008, Georgia was a Senior Vice President in the life sciences investment banking group at Jefferies & Company, Inc. From 1998 to 2002 she was with the healthcare investment banking group at Cowen and Company, most recently as Director. From 1997 to 1998, Georgia was an Associate with the investment banking group at Hambrecht & Quist and focused on healthcare services and life sciences companies. Georgia began her career in 1989 with the investment banking group at Alex. Brown & Sons where she focused on life sciences, medical technology and healthcare services companies. Georgia has completed over 65 financing and merger transactions in the healthcare industry valued at over $6.3 billion. She received her B.A. in International Relations with an emphasis in Economics from the University of California, Davis in 1989.

David Stone is the Founder and Managing Director of Liberty Tree Advisors, LLC, a boutique consulting and investment banking firm that helps emerging life sciences companies grow. Previously, he was a partner at Flagship Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on creating, financing, and building innovative companies in the Life Science and Technology sectors. A veteran of Wall Street, David followed the Biotechnology sector for nearly ten years at Cowen and Company, where he built a highly regarded research and investment banking practice. David began his career in biotechnology in 1983 as a Project Manager and later Communications Director at Genetics Institute, a leading biotechnology company later acquired by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. He earned a B.S. in Microbiology from Colorado State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Collins Stewart plc is a leading independent financial advisory group listed on the London Stock Exchange (CLST.L). Collins Stewart plc employs some 800 staff worldwide and is organized around four operational divisions: Advisory, Corporate Broking, Securities and Wealth Management, all served by its unique research tool, Quest™. For more information, please visit www.collins-stewart.com.

Collins Stewart LLC currently deals with over 1,200 US Financial Institutions and Hedge Funds, offering best execution and research in US equities and derivatives. The company also has a dedicated sales team distributing European product to US institutions.

The above description of Collins Stewart plc is communicated by Collins Stewart Europe Limited, a company authorized and regulated in the UK by the Financial Services Authority ("FSA") (with firm reference number: 182011). The FSA's principal place of business is at 25 The North Colonnade, London, E14 5HS.

The above description of Collins Stewart LLC is communicated by Collins Stewart LLC, a registered broker-dealer with the US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Insurance Protection Corporation (SIPC).

SOURCE Collins Stewart LLC