Providence, Rhode Island, USA, September 20, 2004 — The Global Venture Network announced today that Paul B. Kazarian, Founder and Managing Director of Japonica Partners, the proactive management and investment firm, will be the Private Equity Investor Keynote Speaker for the 5^th Annual Global Private Equity Limited Partner conference held at New York City’s Metropolitan Club on October 14^th.

Mr. Kazarian will open the conference with a keynote address on the topic of "Rejuvenating Global Consumer Products Companies for the 21^st Century" to the global audience of 300 leading private equity investors who collectively manage over $1.2 trillion in assets.

He will discuss this topic within the context of:

• The current "thrive or die" target-rich environment for global consumer products companies
• Japonica’s major investment efforts
• Japonica’s unique operating structure

Japonica Partners is a proactive management and investment firm. Japonica’s teams discover Value Gaps, change cultures & operations, and create value through hands-on management. Japonica Partners has overseen the creation of approximately $2.0 billion in shareholder wealth and achieved triple-digit returns without relying on excessive financial leverage.

Among the Limited Partner Institutional Investors participating in the conference are UK-based The Wellcome Trust ($18 billion AUM), TIAA-CREF ($274 billion AUM), the New York State Common Retirement Fund ($115.7 billion AUM), Government of Singapore Special Investment ($100 billion AUM), Allianz Private Equity Partners, Swiss Re, and Grove Street, who is an advisor to both The California Public Employee’s Retirement System ($140 billion AUM) and one of Europe’s largest investment firms, AlpInvest (Euro 11.5 billion AUM), who manages the two largest Dutch pension funds (Euro 148 billion and Euro 49 billion AUM). Also participating are Goldman Sachs’ Private Equity Group, Citigroup Alternative Investments, AIG Private Equity Funds Group, and Hamilton Lane.

James Hahn, Chairman of conference organizer Global Venture Network commented, "There is great demand to hear from Japonica Partners' Paul B. Kazarian. Japonica has a top-tier reputation in billion dollar situations, they see rich opportunities in the current global market, and their partnership is uniquely LP friendly. We expect this conference to be our best ever."

Japonica's major investment efforts include: the $630 million reorganization of 12 Allegheny International businesses; creating Sunbeam-Oster, a Fortune 356 global consumer products company; a $1.6 billion proactive white-knight tender offer for Chicago Northwestern; and its innovative $2.4 billion proposal to rejuvenate Borden, the beleaguered $7 billion conglomerate.

The Annual Global Private Equity LP Conference organized by Global Venture Network will showcase 5 panels consisting of Direct Investors, Limited Partners, Fund of Funds, and top industry experts, as they review and summarize private equity investing, and make their predictions for 2005 and beyond.  Seating is limited to 300 alternative asset investors, including CFOs, endowments, foundations, and pension fund managers. An updated conference agenda is published on http://www.GlobalPrivateEquity.org

Contact:

James Hahn

Global Venture Network

201 264 3241

jhahn@globalventurenetwork.com

Contact:

Chet Hollister

Japonica Partners

401 861 6160

chollister@japonica.com