Rampart and Nomura Ink Deal on Equity Option Strategies

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rampart Investment Management, a leading asset management firm specializing in option strategies, today announced it has signed a joint agreement with The Nomura Trust and Banking Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Japan’s Nomura Holdings, Inc. (TSE: 8604), to offer equity option strategies to Nomura’s Japanese high net worth clients.

The options program, named the Managed Covered Call (MCC) Trust, is Rampart’s first-ever international rollout of its options-based investment strategies. It is also the first time such a service has been offered to investors in Japan. Rampart currently manages and monitors customized covered call writing strategies, either directly or through financial intermediaries, for a wide variety of taxable and tax-exempt investors in the U.S. Rampart’s domestic investment model serves as the foundation for the MCC Trust program.

By working with Rampart, Nomura Trust and Banking will be able to extend its offering of active management services for high net worth clients and enable them to put their stock positions to effective use.

“Rampart’s capacity to assist investors with monetizing stock and market volatility to their benefit has resulted in increasing interest from international financial institutions that want to help their clients identify additional sources of cash flow by embracing option strategies,” said Ronald M. Egalka, president and chief executive officer of Rampart. “The MCC Trust underscores Rampart’s ability to deliver our option competencies globally beginning with our relationship with one of Japan’s leading trust banks.”

Rampart will implement its equity option strategies for Nomura’s high net worth clients by harnessing the capabilities of the Rampart Options Management System (ROMS^®), a mathematically-driven, proprietary technology platform. Rampart and ROMS can help Nomura’s clients capitalize on income potential and enhance portfolio returns on their concentrated equity positions while hedging against potential risk from fluctuating stock prices.

About Rampart

Founded in 1983, Rampart Investment Management is a leading asset manager specializing in option strategies. With more than USD 12.7 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2007, Rampart manages client positions and portfolios using domestic and international listed and over-the-counter (OTC) index and equity options. Rampart’s investment solutions can add value to a broad spectrum of U.S. and international financial service companies, tax exempt institutional clients, mutual funds, brokerage firms, insurance companies, asset managers, high net worth individuals, family offices, foundations, endowments, banks, and law firms. For more information, visit www.rimco.com.

Schneider Associates
Ashley DePaolo, 617-646-3317
adepaolo@schneiderpr.com