Hermes Equity Ownership Services Appoints Glass Lewis to Provide Proxy Research and Vote Execution Services

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- London-based Hermes Equity Ownership Services Limited (Hermes EOS), the advisory service which enables its clients to be responsible investors and owners of companies, today announced that it has appointed Glass Lewis & Co., LLC, a leading governance research and proxy advisory firm, to provide proxy research and vote execution. Hermes EOS is part of the Hermes group which is owned by one of the largest pension funds in the world, the BT Pension Scheme, and leads the field internationally in responsible investment and corporate ownership. With over 40bn pounds Sterling in assets under advice and 25 dedicated staff it is the largest and most innovative service of its kind in the world.

In addition to its extensive corporate engagement services, Hermes EOS promotes the good governance and performance of the businesses in which its clients invest by consulting with regulators, governments and key decision and policy makers around the world. With the alliance, Hermes EOS' clients will now have access to the full suite of Glass Lewis' industry-leading services, including its highly-regarded ViewPoint voting platform with integrated Proxy Paper research and custom recommendations on 20,000 companies in 100 markets around the world.

Colin Melvin, Chief Executive Officer of Hermes Equity Ownership Services said "We are delighted to be working closely with Glass Lewis in meeting our clients' requirement in voting their shares and further developing our responsible asset ownership services. In recent months we have seen a huge increase from pension funds and companies wanting to engage in good governance practices and expect this trend to continue in the future."

"Our alliance with Hermes EOS is a big step forward for our expansion throughout Europe," said Katherine Rabin, Chief Executive Officer of Glass Lewis. "Hermes is a global pioneer in the field of responsible investment; I look forward to sharing resources to better serve investors globally."

About Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC

Glass, Lewis & Co. is a leading investment research and global proxy advisory and voting services firm, serving over 500 institutions that collectively manage more than $15 trillion. Glass Lewis helps institutional investors make more informed investment and proxy voting decisions by identifying business, legal, governance and financial statement risk at 20,000 companies worldwide. Founded in 2003, Glass Lewis is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Washington, D.C., Paris, Lugano, Tokyo and Sydney.

About Hermes Equity Ownership Services Limited

Hermes EOS is a substantial, multi-national, multi-skilled global resource within Hermes that advises and represents pension funds and other long-term investors as good corporate owners. It is dedicated to representing its clients in engagements with companies on issues relating to their long-term value and on public policy and best practice internationally. Hermes EOS also helps its clients to develop and implement policies and strategies on responsible asset management, corporate governance and related matters.

About Hermes Fund Managers (Hermes)

Hermes is a multi boutique asset manager comprising a series of specialist investment partnerships with a truly long-term and responsible approach to delivering investment returns. We offer our clients the best combination of specialist investment teams and products along with a robust operating platform from which to operate.

Hermes offers investment solutions which range from alternative strategies such as fund of hedge funds, commodities, private equity and our engagement focus funds to real estate, specialist equity products and fixed income, including global inflation linked bonds. Hermes invests assets on behalf of over 180* clients across these product areas and has 21.6bn pounds Sterling* under management.

Hermes is the advisor and principle investment manager for the BT Pension Scheme (BTPS) and BTPS is also the 100% owner of Hermes. This unique relationship gives us a long-term parent whose requirement for investment excellence is perfectly aligned with that of all of our other clients and provides a privileged insight which informs our product development.

* As at 30 September 2009

SOURCE Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC