Koninklijke Brill NV

M&A Activity • Apr 8, 2010

PRESS RELEASE

Brill acquires Global Oriental

Leiden (NL)/Folkestone (UK), 7 April 2010

Today academic publisher Brill of Leiden (Netherlands) announces the completion of the purchase of all publishing assets of Global Oriental Ltd (Folkestone, UK).

Global Oriental publishes books and a journal in the fields of Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Central Asian studies. Managing Director Paul Norbury will continue to develop these lists in the context of Brill"s own Asian studies programme, which will be strengthened by the increased focus on modern East Asian studies.

Founded in 1998, Global Oriental currently publishes some 40 new book titles per annum, as well as the journal Inner Asia. Brill also publishes some 40 new book titles in Asian Studies annually, as well as ten journals. Together they will offer over 750 scholarly book titles in the backlist. The book and journal catalogue of Global Oriental will benefit immediately from joining Brill"s wideranging electronic publishing programme.

Paul Norbury commented: "I am delighted that the Global Oriental imprint has found such an appropriate new owner with the will and capacity to build on its reputation, a commitment which will be widely welcomed by our author base. I believe that the new home at Brill for Global Oriental is a perfect fit, providing a secure future for the list and a wonderful opportunity to develop it."

Albert Hoffstädt, Publishing Manager at Brill, added: "We are extremely pleased with this esteemed publication list and grateful to have Mr. Norbury joining us. I am convinced that both authors and customers will welcome and benefit from this new combined program in Asian Studies."

The Global Oriental list is expected to add EURO 350,000 in revenues per annum. The acquisition takes effect 1 April 2010. Until further notice Global Oriental publications will be available through all its existing distribution channels.

About Brill

Founded in 1683 in Leiden, the Netherlands, Brill is a leading international academic publisher in the fields of Ancient Near East and Egypt; Middle East and Islamic Studies; Asian Studies (incl. Hotei imprint); Classical Studies; Medieval and Early Modern Studies; Biblical and Religious Studies; Slavic Studies; Language & Linguistics; Biology; Science (VSP imprint); Human Rights and Public International Law (Martinus Nijhoff imprint). With offices in Leiden and Boston (MA), Brill today publishes more than 130 journals and around 600 new books and reference works each year. In principle all publications are made available in both print and electronic form. Following the acquisition of IDC Publishers in 2006 a large number of collections and databases with primary sources are marketed in the same academic fields. Brill"s customers are academic and research institutions, libraries, and scholars. Brill is a publicly traded company and listed on Euronext Amsterdam NV. For further information please go to www.brill.nl.

About Global Oriental Ltd.

The Global Oriental imprint was originally established in 1996 with publication of The Silver Drum, the memoir of Japanese Princess Chichibu, wife of Emperor Hirohito"s brother, which attracted international acclaim, and subsequently a discrete list of Japan-related titles evolved, including the "Rediscovering" series. In 2003, a new company was formed around the existing imprint and book list, committed to a major publishing programme focused on Japanese, and more broadly Asian Studies, especially Korean, Chinese and Inner Asian Studies. This propelled Global Oriental to the forefront of independent academic publishing in these areas, and is increasingly recognized for the depth and quality of its list, which today totals some 200 titles. For further information, visit www.globaloriental.co.uk.

More information

Koninklijke Brill NV Sam Bruinsma (Business Development Director) Tel. +31 (0) 71 535 3517 bruinsma@brill.nl

Global Oriental Ltd Paul Norbury (Managing Director) Tel. 44 (0) 1303 226799 paul.norbury@globaloriental.co.uk