November 2004
Thomas Weisel Announces Investment Banking Alliance in Israel
San Francisco, CA, November 22, 2004 – Thomas Weisel Partners LLC (TWP), a merchant bank focused exclusively on the growth sectors of the U.S. economy, has announced an investment banking alliance with Magnolia Capital Partners LTD located in Herzeliya, Israel and in California. Under the alliance, Magnolia Capital will market Thomas Weisel Partners investment banking services, including private equity placements, public equity financings, and mergers and acquisitions advisory, to corporations located in Israel.

“Israel has a strong track record in both incubating and sponsoring leading technology and growth companies and we have enjoyed working with some of the country’s most successful organizations,” said Blake Jorgensen, Co-Director of Investment Banking of Thomas Weisel Partners. “We look forward to expanding our presence in Israel and believe Magnolia Capital Partners will be a powerful force in leading that effort.”
“We are excited to build upon the premier position Thomas Weisel Partners has established as the investment bank of choice for growth companies in the U.S.,” noted Rani Cohen, CEO of Magnolia Capital Partners. “We believe that TWP provides their clients with a unique combination of deep knowledge of growth industries, superior execution capabilities, and senior level attention.”

Thomas Weisel Partners is one of the most active investment banks for growth companies providing underwriting and strategic advisory services in the consumer, healthcare, industrial, media & telecommunications, and technology sectors. TWP is the #1 underwriter of technology initial public offerings in the U.S., in terms of the number of transactions completed and in registration for 2004. Since the firm’s inception in 1999, TWP has completed nearly 500 investment banking transactions valued at over $160 billion in value. TWP is also a top trader of stocks listed on the New York Stock and NASDAQ exchanges, with an average daily trading volume of more than 60 million shares. In addition to investment banking and brokerage services, the firm also has five venture capital and private equity funds with over $2 billion of capital committed. TWP has approximately 560 employees with 64 partners and is headquartered in San Francisco with additional offices in New York, Boston, and Palo Alto, California.

Magnolia Capital Partners was founded by two Israeli technology executives with over 30 years of combined experience in the technology, venture capital and investment banking industries. Rani Cohen was formerly a managing director of Mofet Venture Capital and Aurum-SBC Ventures. Prior to becoming a venture capitalist, Mr. Cohen held executive management positions at Nexus Telecom and BVR Technologies and most recently held a CEO position with HyperRoll Inc.  Mr. Cohen also worked as an investment banker in the Technology M&A Group of Credit Suisse First Boston. Hagi Schwartz has held several executive positions at leading technology companies including service as the Chief Financial Officer of Check Point Software (Nasdaq: CHKP), Mercury Interactive (Nasdaq: MERQ), Noosh, Inc and Atrica, Inc. Magnolia Capital Partners has offices in Herzeliya, Israel and in San Francisco and Palo Alto, California.

Contacts:
Ann Akichika
Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications
Thomas Weisel Partners
Ph: (415) 364-2746

Rani Cohen or Hagi Schwartz
Magnolia Capital Partners
Ph: (408) 806-0886
Ph: (650) 387-4617