News Releases

BMO Capital Markets, the investment and corporate banking arm of BMO Financial Group (TSX, NYSE: BMO), today officially opened its Investment Banking Representative Office in Beijing.  The new office complements the suite of financial services that BMO Financial Group offers in China and enhances BMO's growing presence and profile amongst China's capital markets participants.

“Our new representative office will allow us to keep close contact with China's capital markets participants,” said Yvan Bourdeau, Chief Executive Officer, BMO Capital Markets.  “We have participated in a number of quite substantial capital-raising transactions here recently.  This new office, liaising with and working through parent company BMO Financial Group's professional teams in North America, will further strengthen our ability to help our Chinese and North American clients with equity capital markets services, as well as mergers and acquisitions advisory services.” 

Attending the opening were a number of Chinese government and regulatory officials, Canadian embassy officials, Chinese business leaders and a group of North American and European institutional investors, whose week-long tour of China culminates tomorrow in Beijing.  The tour, organized by BMO Capital Markets for its institutional investor clients, provides them with an opportunity to meet government and regulatory officials, public and private company executives, securities and advisory services providers and to visit rapidly-emerging economic development zones and other industrial sites in Shanghai, Chengdu and Beijing.

“Our long-standing relationships will allow us to bring together leading Chinese decision-makers and entrepreneurs with interested investors from abroad,” said Mr. Bourdeau.  “With the support of our corporate finance experts in Canada and the United States, we are well-equipped to continue to serve this country's growing capital markets.” 

BMO Capital Markets' Investment Banking Representative Office in Beijing increases BMO's capacity in the Chinese cities in which it operates, which also include Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Shanghai. 

“We will help BMO Capital Markets offer a broad range of investment and corporate banking services to Chinese and North American institutional, corporate and government clients,” said Tony Choy, Managing Director and Chief Representative of the Investment Banking Representative Office.  “As well, with our new representative office, BMO Capital Markets will be better positioned to help Chinese financial institutions securitize assets to improve their capital adequacy and assist Chinese securities firms that offer securitization products to their corporate and government clients.”

BMO Financial Group Financings in China

• In March 2005, BMO was the only Canadian bank selected to work alongside the Bank of China, China CITIC Bank, the Industrial & Commercial Bank of China and six other international banks as a market maker for foreign exchange trading in China. 
• In July 2005, BMO became the first Canadian bank to be approved to provide full Renminbi local currency service such as deposits and loans to both foreign and local companies in China, providing greater access to financial services in the country through its branch in Guangzhou.
• BMO is the only foreign bank to invest in China's very first and second asset-backed securities (ABS), originated in China by China Development Bank.
• In May 2006, BMO was selected as a co-lead manager for the US$11.2 billion initial public offering for the Bank of China.
• In August 2006, BMO's Renminbi service in China was enhanced, as it became the first Canadian bank approved for service in Beijing in the local currency.
• In September 2006, BMO Capital Markets was selected as a co-manager in the US$2.7 billion China Merchants Bank initial public offering.
• In October 2006, BMO Capital Markets was selected as a co-manager in the US$19.1 billion initial public offering for Industrial & Commercial Bank of China.

About BMO Capital Markets

BMO Capital Markets is a leading full-service investment firm offering corporate, institutional and government clients access to a broad range of products and services including investment and corporate banking, treasury services, market risk management, institutional investing and research.  With more than 2,000 employees, BMO Capital Markets operates in 14 North American offices and 26 locations worldwide.  BMO Capital Markets is a member of BMO Financial Group (TSX, NYSE: BMO).

For more information, please visit www.bmocm.com. 

- 30 -