INTELLIGENCE DISCOVERED

Cognolink is a primary research firm that connects investors and businesses to critical intelligence. We work with institutional investors, management consultants and corporations. While our clients have different investment styles and philosophies, what they share is a desire to access the most authoritative information.

In an information-heavy world, Cognolink has created new ways to cut through the noise. We know who to talk to and how to uncover the most elusive market insights. No advice or spin – just direct access to reliable intelligence from respected sources.

INTELLIGENCE DISCOVERED

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KEY FACTS ABOUT COGNOLINK

OFFICESLondon New York Shanghai

COVERAGEGlobal

LANGUAGESMulti-lingual team fluent in 25+ languages

CLIENTSPrivate equity firmsStrategy consultantsMutual fundsCredit and equity hedge fundsCorporations

Hong KongNew Delhi

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Cognolink delivers the knowledge investors and businesses need, how and when they need it. However complex the decision or obscure the question, we explore further and look deeper so you can act decisively every time.

Leading the way in primary research, we deliver competitive advantage by bringing you closer to the source. And, as a non-advisory partner to organisations including institutional investors, consultants and corporations, we are unbiased and wholly focused on supporting your search for the right answers and the best opportunities.

WE THINK SMARTERAt Cognolink, market insight and research know-how meet. Our deep understanding of sectors, geographies and investment strategies is matched by our ability to track down the best sources and ask the right questions.

WE ExPLORE FURTHER With research professionals on the ground in five countries – speaking 25+ languages – we are at home in all of the key markets where our clients are active. This front-line experience enables us to pinpoint the issues that matter and the sources that deliver.

WE FIND NEW PERSPECTIVES We recruit people with the mix of intelligence, curiosity and resourcefulness to think beyond the obvious and rise to the toughest research challenges. We are not content to find an answer; we work hard to find the best possible answers.

WE PRIzE INTEGRITYWe go beyond the bare requirements of compliance to act ethically in every area of our business. We are open and honest in our dealings and strive to behave responsibly as a partner to our clients and in the wider world.

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Every project is different. We work with you to decide which combination of our services will help you reach the best-informed decision.

PRIVATE CONSULTATIONSSometimes there is no substitute for one-to-one time with a specialist who has first-hand knowledge of their industry. Our Private Consultations are meetings or telephone calls with respected figures immersed in their fields and carefully chosen for their ability to deliver insight on a particular aspect of a company, sector or product.

SPOTLIGHT DISCUSSIONSOur conference calls and private meetings give you a front row seat on the latest market developments. We pinpoint emerging topics of interest to investors, and access thought-leaders with front-line experience to give their insight and perspective.

INTELLIGENCE REPORTS Our reports deliver a clear and unbiased snapshot of listed company performance based on insight from the most authoritative sources. Produced each quarter then released initially to a small number of clients, these exclusive reports are a unique and powerful tool for monitoring trends, understanding risks and spotting opportunities.

OUR SERVICES WE’RE DIFFERENT

By providing information from those at the heart of their business, Cognolink offers real industry insight in real time. No matter how niche or challenging the subject, we can deliver the expertise you need to support your decision making.

With five offices across three continents, our team of research professionals understands the nuances of each market and is ready to respond 24 hours a day. Our global sector coverage provides a uniquely local viewpoint in whichever territory or industry our clients are operating.

Read on to discover how we help our clients keep pace with developments across global markets.

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OUR COVERAGE

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Today, healthcare is the world’s largest industry, following decades of above-GDP growth. As an industry, healthcare has been instrumental in dramatically extending and improving quality of life across the developed world.

Stakeholders across the sector recognise that spending cannot continue to rise indefinitely and that all subsectors must consider the question of how to improve outcomes for more people at a lower cost.

For payers and providers, this means proactively devising competitive strategies that deliver financial results while providing the right services for consumers. This includes addressing their reimbursement systems and encouraging consumers to use services in the right way, including self-monitoring.

Pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers must explore new markets, balance their portfolios and demonstrate that they can protect pricing power in the face of decreasing clinical differentiation.

At Cognolink, we offer clients access to deep insight from on-the-ground specialists across the healthcare value chain.

We work with key opinion leaders, executives and prescribers who have a deep understanding of all aspects of the regulation, financing, management and delivery of services, so that our clients can get smart on the threats and opportunities of the sector.

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WE CAN HELP OUR CLIENTS ADDRESS A WIDE RANGE OF qUESTIONS, INCLUDING:

• What are the key performance indicators for Contract Research Organisations? How can we assess the quality of their offering?

• How does advertising and promotion expenditure affect sales of an OTC drug?

• How are the recent healthcare reforms in the US impacting payers, health carriers and pharmacy benefit managers?

• Given the considerable R&D costs, what is the scope of profit for medical device manufacturers?

• How are the trends in remote patient monitoring affecting treatment paradigms across therapy areas?

• How does the regulatory pathway for fertility care biosimilars work in Europe?

• What is the pace of generic erosion in the antidepressants market?

• What are the sourcing trends and demand for Omega 3?

HEALTHCARE

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WE CAN HELP OUR CLIENTS ADDRESS A DIVERSE RANGE OF BOTH BIG PICTURE AND HIGHLY SPECIALISED qUESTIONS, INCLUDING:

• What is the possible impact of the Bolkenstein directive on the Spanish testing, inspection and certification space?

• How volatile are prices in the Scandinavian electricity market, Nord Pool, and what makes them so volatile on a macro and micro level?

• How are topside process modules designed and constructed on FPSOs and other offshore oil rigs?

• What does the regulatory framework for hydrofracking look like in different European regions?

• How do operators of downstream oil and gas pipelines

outsource maintenance and repair services?

• How far has the drop in the demand for capital equipment affected the after-market business of key players in mining equipment?

• What are the implications of the British Government’s “Help to Buy” scheme on the UK residential housing sector?

• How will punitive tariffs on Chinese solar panels influence the German and the European solar market?

• What is the growth outlook for the South European car parking space over the next two to three years?

• What is the residual value of a combined heat and power (CHP) power plant?

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Its wide range of subsectors, each with inherently different dynamics, makes E&I a particularly challenging and exciting sector. Our services support our clients as they develop deep understanding of the opportunities and threats faced by these complex and capital intensive businesses.

Our team connects you to high-level strategic and operational specialist knowledge within all the leading and emerging players in the sector, addressing issues such as:

• The volatility of the mining sector• Deregulation and corporate consolidation in utilities• Infrastructure and technology investment in renewables• Decarbonised generation• The demand environment for process industries

We offer coverage of all the macro sectors within energy and industrials, but particularly pride ourselves on our ability to connect our clients with on-the-ground expertise in niche subsectors where they can discover valuable opportunities.

Some of our areas of deep knowledge include:

Mining & Metals

Transport & Infrastructure

Automotive Oil & Gas

Mining explosives and ammonium nitrate

Modular housing

Valve fluid and actuators

Well intervention

zircon Roofing materials

Specialty parts suppliers

Subsea cables

Potash Catenary systems

Powertrain Offshore development

ENERGY & INDUSTRIALS

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WE CAN HELP OUR CLIENTS ADDRESS DIVERSE qUESTIONS, INCLUDING:

TECHNOLOGY• What are the spending priorities among enterprises

for data warehousing alternatives?

• What is the competitive landscape of key vendors of IPS (intrusion prevention systems)?

• Can we quantify trends in payment mix (card, non-card, credit, debit, mobile) and product penetration in the payment providers sector?

• Where is the value added in LED technology and what are the associated margins?

MEDIA• What are the sports rights content costs

for TV in the Eastern European market?

• How do the go-to-market strategies of the key US broadcast satellite TV providers differ?

• What are the latest dynamics in free-to-air and digital broadcasting for kids’ TV in the Nordics?

• Can we quantify growth prospects for the Chinese out-of-home advertising space?

TELECOMS• What are the expectations for sales of the Samsung Galaxy

in China and how does that compare to the performance of the iPhone and the Sony Experia?

• What are the associated costs and constraints for MNOs of building an LTE network?

• What are the long-term technological threats to fixed wireless broadband from 4G and other technologies?

The borders between telecommunications, media and technology are dissolving fast, creating opportunities and threats for all players. Cognolink seamlessly gathers insight from the entire TMT value chain so that our clients can benefit from specialist knowledge in all relevant geographies.

TECHNOLOGYIn this rapidly changing sector our clients need access to front-line industry specialists who can help keep them up to speed so that they can make informed investment decisions. Our coverage includes leading industry expertise in software and hardware.

MEDIA Consumers are driving huge change in the way the industry thinks about its business models. Our experts come from within the leading and emerging media companies and can share their operational and strategic expertise in addressing challenges in branding and content for online, mobile and social networking.

TELECOMSDemand for telecommunication services is surging. Data usage in particular is growing exponentially. We can connect our clients to industry knowledge within all the major service companies and communications equipment suppliers.

 

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TMT

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WE CAN HELP OUR CLIENTS ADDRESS A RANGE OF qUESTIONS, INCLUDING:

• What is the size and competitive landscape of the Middle Eastern food retail market?

• Will there be a price war in US DIY retailing?

• Are there opportunities for M&A in Russian vodka manufacturing?

• What are the price and demand trends for animal by-products in Europe?

• What are the perceptions of the management style of the leading French hypermarket retailer?

• What kind of market penetration can online achieve in the fast fashion industry in Europe?

• What are US luxury brands experiencing in China at the moment?

• What is the cost benefit for moving manufacturing outside China to other Asian economies?

• What are the expectations for UK rent review inflation

on the high street?

• What is the opportunity for pushing through price inflation in the US wine and beer market?

• What is the gross margin in the US bed and furniture sector?

• What is the cost difference in Germany for distribution to supermarkets vs. the convenience channel?

The competitive landscape for consumer goods and retail is becoming increasingly challenging. Consumers are engaging more with technology, which has brought greater levels of price transparency and social interaction than ever before. Consequently, consumer goods and retail companies are facing significant operational, strategic and organisational questions:

• How should we create a seamless customer experience across channels and formats?

• How can we address commodity cost pressures?

• What is the optimal way to manage growth in developed and emerging markets?

• How should we adapt to shorter product life cycles?

An understanding of the issues and how companies deal with them is the key to identifying the likely winners and losers.

At Cognolink, we connect our clients to industry practitioners with first-hand knowledge of these issues. Our specialists give clients a deep understanding of the current and future shape of the consumer goods and retail sector.

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CONSUMER GOODS & RETAIL

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As the financial crisis evolves, the conversation is turning to which economies will be the winners and losers over the next five years.

Within this environment, policy makers and regulators are considering how to reset financial systems while institutions are faced with navigating shifting waters.

In Europe and the USA, banks are concerned with continued deleveraging and facing a regulatory squeeze, which is undermining their traditional business models.

In China, a new era of retail banking presents manifold opportunities for those who can evolve to benefit. Across all economies, consumer behaviour and product preferences are changing.

At Cognolink, we offer clients access to deep insight from on-the-ground specialists across the private and public spheres.

Our specialists can discuss topics ranging from macroeconomic and political trends to changing dynamics within every segment of the financial and business services value chain.

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WE CAN HELP OUR CLIENTS FIND ANSWERS TO MANY DIFFERENT qUESTIONS, INCLUDING:

• Are companies in the European credit insurance market planning to reduce coverage in the near future? Will premiums continue to increase?

• How do different European countries approach financial services regulation? How are the current discussions proceeding?

• What is the business model within real estate in China?

• What is the current supply and demand for corporate office space in the City of London?

• How have changes in Government funding affected the Polish childcare market? Which segments benefit the most?

• How have new health and safety measures impacted the servicing and maintenance of elevators in China?

• What are the vendor selection criteria and the procurement process in the computer-assisted legal and financial research services industry?

• What are the main factors under consideration when evaluating bids in the public tender process for interpretation services in Sweden?

• What is the corporate development and acquisition strategy of the key players in the express parcel delivery market in the US?

FINANCIAL & BUSINESS SERVICES

Email sales@cognolink.com

LONDON HEADqUARTERS71-81 Whitfield StreetLondon, W1T 4HG, UK

General +44 (0)20 7268 6600Fax +44 (0)20 7268 6603

NEW YORK OFFICE411 5th Avenue, 10th FloorNew York, NY 10016, USA

General +1 646 532 4569Fax +1 646 224 9575

SHANGHAI OFFICERoom 301, The Point Jing’An 555 Anyuan RoadShanghai 200040, China

General +86 (0)21 6157 0999Fax +86 (0)21 6157 0900

HONG KONG OFFICE16th Unit AB, On Hing BuildingOn Hing Terrace, CentralHong Kong

General + 852 2642 1885

NEW DELHI OFFICE1st Floor, Eros Complex Jangpura ExtensionNew Delhi, 110014India

General +91 11 4371 4001

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CONTACT US

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