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Parties to further develop their existing partnership to manage and distribute funds investing in the environmental sector

BNP Paribas Investment Partners (“BNPP IP”), a leader in the European asset management industry, and Impax Group plc, the quoted investment manager focusing on the environmental markets sector ("Impax") announce that, following the publication earlier today of Impax's Preliminary Statement of Results, BNP Paribas Investment Partners* has acquired from existing Impax shareholders 31 million shares, corresponding to 28.3 percent of Impax's issued ordinary shares and increasing its total holding to 29.4 percent.

Impax and BNP Paribas Investment Partners initiated their cooperation in May 2006, when Impax started advising BNPP IP's “Parworld Environmental Opportunities" fund. It has since developed further, with Impax providing advisory services to two funds initiated by BNP Paribas Investment Partners targeted at clients in Korea and Malaysia, and, today, with a further agreement under which BNPP IP will distribute in parts of Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, products that are managed or advised by Impax.

Gilles Glicenstein, Head of BNP Paribas Investment Partners, said: “The acquisition of a minority stake in Impax is a natural extension of a cooperation started 18 months ago. Impax's core activity is focused in a key area of development for our clients and BNPP IP. We are convinced that this new step will reinforce our capacity to deliver state-of-the-art expertise in a fast growing market.”

Ian Simm, Chief Executive of Impax Group plc, said: “Impax is now established as a leading investment manager in the rapidly expanding environmental sector. We are delighted to be able to extend our relationship with BNP Paribas Investment Partners, and I believe that both parties are set to benefit significantly from closer co-operation.”

*acting through the holding company BNP PAM Group


About BNP Paribas Investment Partners
BNP Paribas Investment Partners brings together the full palette of asset management expertise of the BNP Paribas group. Through a unique platform that offers immediate and simplified access to a broad range of specialist Partner companies BNP Paribas Investment Partners has become a leader among the multi-specialist asset managers. At 30 September 2007, assets under management were EUR 348 billion*, nearly half of which managed for institutional clients. With 2,000 professionals servicing clients in over 70 countries, the network of Partners provides clients with the most advanced and dedicated expertise in asset management today, blending excellence in client service with innovative solutions that can highlight or combine specialities.

* assets under advisory included


About Impax Group PLC
Impax was founded in 1994 as a specialist finance house focusing on the markets for cleaner or more efficient delivery of basic services of energy, water and waste. These markets are expanding rapidly, as business and political leaders encourage the development of cleaner products and services in response to the increasing pressures placed on the environment. Impax's dedicated team of professionals, with many years of experience in the financial and environmental sectors, is ideally placed to understand and take advantage of the investment opportunities arising from these growing markets. Acting through its wholly owned subsidiary Impax Asset Management Ltd, Impax today manages or advises over US $2 billion of assets for institutional and private investors, across a range of listed and private equity funds. Impax is listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange.