"Financial Technology Deal of the Year" Awarded to Marlin & Associates

NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- December 13, 2006 -- Marlin & Associates New York LLC ("Marlin") was recognized today by The M&A Advisor for leading the "Financial Technology Deal of the Year." Marlin also was nominated (and was a finalist) for awards in three different categories.

The M&A Advisor, a monthly newsletter that focuses on timely issues, trends and strategies for buyers and sellers of middle market companies, cited Marlin & Associates' role as the exclusive strategic and financial advisor to Brainpower N.V., one of Europe's leading providers of decision-support solutions for investment-management professionals. The award was based on the importance of the transaction, unique deal characteristics, transaction difficulty, and overall impact on the industry.

Brainpower is publicly listed on the Deutsche Bourse (Prime Standard) (BPW), registered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and operates offices in Lugano, Switzerland and Milan, Italy. The Company provides over 100 of Europe's leading investment management firms with an unusual level of insight into their portfolios and securities holdings.

On April 9, 2006, Brainpower entered into an agreement to be acquired by Bloomberg L. P., one of the world's leading global providers of data, news and analytics. The tender was completed on June 5, 2006. Bloomberg prefers to build applications and products internally. In this case, Bloomberg came to recognize the unique power of Brainpower's analytical products, as well as its highly talented technical staff.

This award follows a period of intensive activity at Marlin & Associates, including two other recent transactions that received special recognition by The M&A Advisor.

"Our firm enjoys long-term relationships with many of the world's most creative and forward-thinking financial, legal, and marketing technology and content businesses," said Ken Marlin, founder and Managing Partner of Marlin & Associates. "We are honored that The M&A Advisor chose to recognize Marlin & Associates' role as the Financial Technology Deal of the Year, out of so many other highly qualified nominees."

About Marlin & Associates

Founded in 2002, Marlin & Associates is a boutique investment banking and strategic consulting firm focused on providing highly strategic and specialized, transaction-related services to U.S. and international middle-market firms engaged in technology, information, on-line media and business-services. The firm is based in New York City with a Washington, DC office.

Marlin & Associates' professionals have advised on over 200 successfully completed transactions in the technology and information services sector. Recently, M&A announced that it has more than doubled its technology sector M&A business.

In addition to Brainpower, Marlin & Associates was the exclusive advisor to numerous technology-related firms that recently made strategic moves, including:

-- Hugin ASA of Oslo Norway, which Marlin & Associates advised on its recently announced agreement to be acquired by Euronext N.V. (AMS: NXTA) (PARIS: ENX), the pan-European exchange.

-- Triple Point Technology of Westport Connecticut, which Marlin & Associates advised on the sale of a majority interest to ABRY Partners, one of the most experienced and successful private equity firms in North America.

-- Cameron Systems (Vic) of Sydney, Australia, which Marlin & Associates advised on its sale to Orc Software of Stockholm, Sweden (STKM: ORC).

-- Derivative Solutions, of Chicago, which Marlin & Associates advised on its sale to FactSet Research Systems (NYSE: FDS).

-- Beauchamp Financial Technology Ltd. of London, England, which Marlin & Associates advised on its sale to Linedata Services of Paris, France (PARIS: LIN).

-- Global Securities Information, of Washington D.C., which Marlin & Associates advised on its sale to the Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC).

-- Interactive Technologies, Inc. of Summit, NJ, which Marlin & Associates advised on its sale to Fiserv (NASDAQ: FISV).

-- europrospectus.com, of East Sussex, UK, which Marlin & Associates advised on its sale to FactSet Research Systems (NYSE: FDS).

For further information visit: www.marlinandassociates.com

Contact Information: CONTACT: Michael Maxworthy +1-646-495-5141 Email Contact