Baring Asset Management is an active manager engaged in a complete range of investment mandates for clients around the globe. Products range from EAFE Equity (fully active and active/passive), Global Equity, US Equity, Regional Equity, Emerging Markets Equity and Fixed Income, Global Fixed Income and Currencies as well as an array of balanced offerings. Firm wide assets under management exceeded C$60 billion at the end of 2002.

Baring believes that combining growth and value disciplines in stock selection and country allocation leads to superior results over time. The many forms of portfolio risk are actively managed, including the multi-faceted Value at Risk (VaR) for all assignments.

Fundamental research and analysis is a cornerstone of Baring's investment process in which the discipline of quantitative screening contributes to objective comparisons to consensus views. Security selection and thematic emphasis derives from the bottom-up perspective shared by over 120 investment professionals strategically located in London, Boston, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The London-based Strategic Policy Group formulates country and currency strategies by drawing on the firm's considerable depth of research and analysis. Six regional equity Specialist Investment Teams (U.S., U.K., Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Emerging Markets) and a Fixed Income Team are responsible for research and stock and bond selection within their areas of expertise.

Baring Asset Management gained its first Canadian client in 1977. The firm's Canadian office in Toronto has been operating since 1988. Randall J.P. O'Leary, Managing Director, Canada is responsible for all aspects of the business.