19th Nov 2007 08:00
Lonrho PLC19 November 2007 19th November 2007 This announcement and the information contained herein is restricted and is notfor publication, release or distribution in whole or in part to US persons or inor into the United States, Canada, Australia, the Republic of South Africa, theRepublic of Ireland or Japan. This announcement is an advertisement and not aprospectus. This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States orin any other jurisdiction. The shares of LonZim PLC (the "Company") have notbeen and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended(the "Securities Act") and may not be offered or sold in the United Statesunless registered under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from suchregistration. The Company has not been and will not be registered under the USInvestment Company Act of 1940, as amended. There will be no public offering ofthe shares in the United States. LONZIM PLC LonZim issues a pathfinder admission document in connection with its forthcoming listing by way of placing on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange LonZim Plc ("LonZim" or the "Company"), which has been established for theprincipal purpose of making investments in Zimbabwe, today announced itspublication of a pathfinder admission document in connection with itsforthcoming placing of ordinary shares (the "Shares") at 100p per share andadmission to trading on AIM (the "Offer"). The Company launched its roadshow and bookbuilding process today and after theconclusion of this process, the Company will seek admission to AIM and thebeginning of trading. While the Company will not have a particular sectoral focus, utilising theinvestment skills of the Directors and their advisors, the Company will seek toidentify individual companies in sectors best positioned to benefit should therebe improvements in Zimbabwe's economy. The Company may make investments in thetourism, accommodation, infrastructure, transport, commercial and residentialproperty, technology, communications, manufacturing, retail, services, leisure,agricultural and natural resources sectors. Lonrho PLC (AIM: LONR), the AIM traded conglomerate with a structured portfolioof businesses throughout Africa, has been appointed by the Company to providemanagement support services on the terms of a management services agreement. Lonrho, on behalf of itself and any of its subsidiaries or companies in whichLonrho has majority control of the board, has agreed not to make investments inZimbabwe or an area of Mozambique known as the Beira Corridor, during the periodof the Management Services Agreement. Lonrho has agreed to provide services tothe Company which will include but are not limited to: (i) sourcing investmentopportunities in the ordinary course of Lonrho's business; (ii) providingmanagement, accounting, human resources, financial, marketing, technical andother support services; and (iii) providing the board of directors of theCompany (the "Board") with access to specialist advice on Zimbabwe and Africa.All investment decisions will be taken by the board of directors of the Company. Renaissance Capital Limited has been appointed as sole bookrunner and broker forthe Offer. Collins Stewart Europe Limited has been appointed nominated adviserand broker to the Company. David Lenigas, Chairman of Lonrho stated : 'I am delighted that today we can launch the start of the bookbuilding periodfor LonZim. We see significant opportunities in Zimbabwe and the Directorsbelieve that LonZim will be well positioned to benefit from improvement in theeconomy over the long-term. Listing on AIM provides an excellent opportunityfor the Company to become a trusted and reliable vehicle in Zimbabwe. We believethat the Directors reputation and track record in Africa will provide long-termand reliable returns for our future shareholders.' ENQUIRIES Lonrho Plc +44 (0)20 7016 5105David Lenigas, Executive Chairman +44 (0)7881 825 378Geoffrey White, Chief Executive Officer +44 (0)7717 307 308Emma Priestley, Executive Director +44 (0)7867 785 177 Pelham PRCharles Vivian +44 (0) 20 7743 6672 +44 (0) 7977 297903Alisdair Haythornthwaite +44 (0) 20 7743 6676 +44 (0) 7714 721379 Renaissance Capital : Sole BookrunnerHasnen Varawalla +7 (495) 258 7965Simon Matthews +44 (0) 20 7367 7958 Collins Stewart Europe : NOMAD to LonrhoHugh Field +44 (0) 20 7523 8350 NOTES TO EDITORS About LONRHO: Lonrho Plc ("Lonrho") is an expanding conglomerate that is rapidly growing asuccessful business throughout Africa. Lonrho is listed on the London AIM stockexchange (LONR). Lonrho is strategically focused on the development of businessopportunities in infrastructure, transportation, support services and naturalresources. Lonrho has over 20,000 shareholders and substantial institutionalbacking to support its mandate to build a profitable business that plays afundamental role in the development of the African economy. Since 2006, Lonrho has invested in or acquired control of: • Hotel Cardoso - www.hotelcardoso.co.mz (retained) • Lonrho Mining - www.lonrhomining.com • Luba Freeport - www.lubafreeport.com • Fly540 - www.fly540.com • Norse Air - www.norseair.co.za • Swissta Holdings - www.swissta.com • SA Independent Liner Services • Bytes and Pieces • Celsys Limited - www.celsys.co.zw Investors may only subscribe for or purchase any shares referred to in thisannouncement on the basis of information in the admission document (the "Admission Document") to be published by the Company in due course in connectionwith the initial public offering of ordinary shares (the " Offering") and theadmission of its ordinary shares (the "Shares") to trading on the AIM market ofthe London Stock Exchange. This announcement has been prepared by and is the sole responsibility of theCompany. This announcement is an advertisement and not a prospectus and is notan offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities in theUnited States or in any other jurisdiction. Neither this document nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, orbe relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever in anyjurisdiction. Any offer to acquire securities pursuant to the Offering will bemade, and any investor should make their investment, solely on the basis ofinformation that is contained in the Admission Document. This announcement is based upon information which the Company considersreliable, but no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given by oron behalf of the Company, Lonrho Plc ("Lonhro") or Renaissance Capital Limited("Renaissance") or any of such persons' affiliates or their respective members,directors, officers or employees or any other person that it is accurate andcomplete and nor should it be relied upon as such. The information in thisannouncement is subject to change and none of the Company, Lonrho, orRenaissance have any obligation to update this document or to correctinaccuracies or omissions which may become apparent. All investments are subject to risk. The value of investments may fluctuate.Results achieved in the past are no guarantee of future results. An investmentin the Company is speculative and involves a substantial degree of risk,including the risk of total loss. Prospective investors are advised to seekexpert legal, financial, tax and other professional advice before making anyinvestment decision. Factual statements, statistical data, information regarding actual and proposedissues contained in this document, views expressed, and projections, forecastsor statements relating to various matters referred to in this document do notnecessarily represent the Company's, Lonrho's or Renaissance's own assessment orinterpretation of information. Prospective investors should not treat thecontents of this document as advice relating to legal, taxation or investmentmatters, and are to make their own assessments concerning these and otherconsequences of any investment, including the merits of investing and the risks. Renaissance is authorised under is authorised and regulated in the UnitedKingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting for the Company andno-one else in connection with the Offering and will not be responsible toanyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to itsclients or for providing advice in relation to the Offering, this document orany other matter. This press release does not constitute, and may not be used for the purposes of,an offer or an invitation to subscribe for Shares by any person in anyjurisdiction in which (i) such offer or invitation is not authorized; or (ii) inwhich the person making such offer or invitation is not qualified to do so; or(iii) to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or invitation. Notice to prospective investors in the UK This announcement is directed only at persons in the United Kingdom who are: (i)persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments whofall within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19 (5) ofthe Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2001; or(ii) high net worth bodies, corporate, unincorporated associations andpartnerships and trustees of high value trusts as described in Article 49 (2) ofthe Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2001.Persons within the United Kingdom who receive this announcement (other thanpersons falling within (i) and (ii) above) should not rely on or act upon thiscommunication. Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this document, including those relating to theOffering may be forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-lookingstatements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that couldcause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed orimplied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties andassumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of theplans and events described herein. None of Renaissance, Lonrho or the Company undertake any obligation to update orrevise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,future events or otherwise. A prospective investor should not place unduereliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of thisdocument. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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