Notification Of Major Interests in Shares

1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached:

Alternative Investment Strategies Limited

2. Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes):

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights 

X

An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached

An event changing the breakdown of voting rights

3. Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligation:

HSBC Holdings Plc

4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.):

HSBC Global Asset Management (International) Limited 

HSBC Investment Management 

HSBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited

Sinopia Asset Management (UK) Limited

5. Date of the transaction and date on which the threshold is crossed or reached:

24th April 2009

6. Date on which issuer notified:

29th April 2009

7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached:

From 9% to 7%.

8. Notified details:

A: Voting rights attached to shares

Class/type of shares 

 if possible using the ISIN CODE

Situation previous to the Triggering transaction 

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Number of Shares 

Number of Voting Rights 

Number of shares 

Number of voting rights 

% of voting rights

Direct  

Indirect 

Direct

Indirect

GB00B06GDT12

20,904,326

20,904,326

15,853,918

NA

15,853,918

N/A

7.00%

B: Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction 

Type of financial instrument 

Expiration date 

Exercise/ Conversion Period/ Date 

Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/ converted. 

% of voting rights

Total (A+B)

Number of voting rights

% of voting rights

15,853,918

7.00%

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable xv:

N/A

Proxy Voting:

10. Name of the proxy holder:

N/A

11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:

N/A

12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:

N/A

13. Additional information:

None

14. Contact name:

Barnie Knoetze

15. Contact telephone number:

+44 (0) 1481 - 710607