Ralph Lasta

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (Credit Suisse Securities USA) is the broker/dealer division of Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, an investment banking company headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1998 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Credit Suisse (USA), Inc., ultimately owned by Credit Suisse Group AG (SWX: CSGN) in Switzerland. Credit Suisse Securities USA offers a suite of equities, solutions and credit products and services which includes global securities sales, trading and execution, prime brokerage and comprehensive investment research. Their clients include financial institutions, corporations, governments, institutional investors, such as pension funds and hedge funds, and private individuals around the world.

BNP Paribas operates as an investment advisor. It provides capital markets, securities services, financing, treasury and advisory solutions. The firm’s services are provided via four core business lines: Global Markets, Securities Services, Financing Solutions and Advisory. The company is headquartered in New York, NY.

UBS Securities LLC is an investment bank and registered broker/dealer headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1998 as UBS Warburg LLC. They are a subsidiary of UBS Americas Holding LLC, ultimately held by UBS Group AG (SWX: UBSG, NYSE: UBS) in Switzerland. UBS Securities is a primary dealer in US Government securities and provides a full range of investment banking services which includes corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, trading and sales, fixed-income, equity research, private banking, underwriting and prime brokerage operations. The firm also provides advisory services and access to capital markets for corporate, institutional, intermediary and alternative asset management clients.

Part of Van Eck Associates Corp., Van Eck Securities Corp. operates as a brokerage dealer. The company is based in New York, NY. The CEO of the company is Jan Frederick van Eck.

Founded in 1969, HSBC Securities (U.S.A.) Inc. is an SEC-registered brokerage firm and registered futures commission merchant located in New York City. The firm is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings, Inc. and their ultimate parent is HSBC Holdings Plc. (NYSE: HBC). HSBC Securities (U.S.A.) is a member of FINRA, the NYSE and the SIPC. Their securities and annuity products are provided by registered representatives and insurance agents of HSBC Securities (U.S.A.). In California, HSBC Securities (U.S.A.) conducts insurance business as HSBC Securities Insurance Services. Insurance products are offered through insurance agents of HSBC Insurance Agency (U.S.A.) Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Bank U.S.A. NA and an indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc. The company also engages in investment banking underwriting, dealing and brokering of debt and equity securities and futures contracts and is a primary dealer in U.S. Government and federal agency securities.

VentureBeat, Inc. provides news and information about companies. It offers economic, financial and business strategy consultancy services. The company was founded by Matt Marshall in September 2006 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is a registered broker-dealer subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Domestic Holdings, Inc., ultimately owned by Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) in the US. Headquartered in New York City, the firm was founded in 1987 and provides debt and equity services including underwriting, M&A advice, securities dealing and brokerage and trade execution. Their client base ranges from large global institutional investors to hedge funds at the cutting edge of innovation in the industry.

Duke University is an academic university that offers undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. It also has publications and research services. The university was founded in 1838 and is headquartered in Durham, NC.

Harvard University engages in the provision of teaching and research. It has twelve degree-granting Schools in addition to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, offering a global education. The university was founded in 1636 and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (GS&Co.) is a securities brokerage firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1927, the firm is a subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS). GS&Co. provides services to help hedge funds manage risk, monitor portfolios, maintain liquidity and build their businesses. They offer clients access to global equity and derivatives markets, as well as foreign exchange, commodities, European Lefts, rates and credit across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The firm proactively monitors capital markets, searching for pockets of liquidity and news that may require changes to those strategies. Integration with the Goldman Sachs network gives clients access to the firm's sectored block trades and their insights into price discovery. Their electronic trading program provides clients with tools to manage their trades from pre-trade analytics to post-trade analysis.

Fitch Ratings, Inc. is a global rating agency and investment research firm headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded by John Knowles in 1913 as Fitch Publishing Co. They are a subsidiary of Fitch Group, Inc., ultimately owned by The Hearst Family Trust. Fitch Ratings seeks to provide independent and prospective credit opinions, research and data to the world's credit markets. Their approach is based on a foundation of local market experience that covers capital markets in over 150 countries. The firm's ratings analysis and rating decisions are based on established criteria, methodologies and ratings definitions which they apply in a consistent manner. Fitch Ratings provides coverage of the following markets: Economics, Banks, Insurance, Sovereigns, Corporates, Structured Finance, Public Finance – International, Public Finance – US, Infrastructure & Project, and Finance.

Creative Artists Agency LLC operates as an entertainment and sports agency. The firm offers brand management, entertainment property selling, communications, market research, trend forecasting, strategic marketing, and counsel and philanthropy consulting services. The company was founded by J. Rowland Perkins II, Ronald Meyer, Bill Haber, Michael S. Rosenfeld, and Michael Ovitz in 1975 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.

Part of Marsh & McLennan Cos., Inc., Evaluation Associates LLC is a company that provides financial consulting services. The company is based in Norwalk, CT. The CEO of the company is Steven C. Case. Evaluation Associates was acquired by Mercer Investment Consulting LLC from Milliman, Inc. on June 30, 2011.

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas provides metro rail transit systems. It operates bus, light rail, future commuter rail, and METROLift (paratransit) services. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.

Vault.com LLC operates an online platform for job seekers and professionals. Its website allows users to search information, rankings, reviews, and job offers from companies. The company was founded 1966 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Thomas Publishing Co. LLC provides industrial products and supplier services information. Its publications include buying guides, product news magazines, software guides, product information exchanges, and a factory automation magazine. The firm offers information through books, magazines, internet, CD-ROMs, newsletters, e-commerce, and virtual back office systems. The company was founded by Harvey Mark Thomas in 1898 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Pantera Advisors LLC (Pantera) is a SEC-registered investment advisor and hedge fund manager headquartered in Menlo Park, California. The firm was founded by Daniel W. Morehead in 2003 as Pantera Capital Management LP. Pantera serves as the investment adviser, with discretionary trading authority, to private pooled investment vehicles, the securities of which are offered to investors on a private placement basis.

Van Eck Absolute Return Advisers Corp. (VEARA) is a SEC-registered investment advisor and hedge fund manager headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1955 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Associates Corp. VEARA provides investment advisory services to registered investment companies, private funds, and other pooled investment vehicles.

EFG-Hermes Asset Management SAE (EFG Hermes) is an investment management firm headquartered in 6th of October, Egypt. The firm was founded in 1984 and is owned by Egyptian Financial Group-Hermes Holding Co. (EGX: HRHO). EFG Hermes offers both conventional and Sharia-compliant mandates with products tailored to varying investor objectives.

Compulink Technologies, Inc. provides information technology consulting and network services. It offers network project , cloud, managed, server and network, cyber and network security services. The company was founded by Rafael Arboleda in 1986 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

Swiss Reinsurance America Corp. provides property and casualty reinsurance services. Its services encompass risk transfer, risk finance, and asset management. The company is headquartered in Armonk, NY.

Founded in 2004, Caravel Management LLC is a hedge fund manager located in New York City.

MESA Ventures LLC (MESA Ventures) is a venture capital firm founded in 2012 by Andrew W. Montgomery. The firm is headquartered in New York.

Founded in 1958, Merrill Lynch Piece Fenner & Smith, Inc. is an SEC registered broker/dealer located in New York City. The firm is a subsidiary of BAC North America Holding Co. and their ultimate parent is Bank of America Corp. (NYSE BAC).

Medison Ventures Ltd. (Medison Ventures) is a venture capital subsidiary of Medison Pharma Ltd. founded in 2016. The firm is headquartered in Petach Tikva, Israel.

Gavekal Capital Ltd. (Gavekal) is an independent fund management firm headquartered in Hong Kong. The firm was founded in 2002 by Louis-Vincent Gave, Charles Gave and Anatole Kaletsky. They started as an independent research firm, added fund management to their activities in 2005 and started offering data analysis services in 2008. Gavekal manages the assets of Gavekal Funds and Sub-funds as well as several managed accounts for institutional clients and a separately managed account in the form of Cayman Islands Funds.