Brookfield Financial Launches Advisory Services Business in Asia, and Appoints A. Richard Brown as a Managing Partner in Hong Kong

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 18, 2012) - Brookfield Financial has today announced its move into the Asian market as part of a global expansion of its transaction advisory and investment banking platform. The opening of Brookfield Financial's new Hong Kong office further expands the firm's global network from its Canadian base, adding to offices in the United States, Europe, India, Australia and Brazil. Brookfield Financial also announces that A. Richard Brown has joined the company as a Managing Partner in Hong Kong, adding to Brookfield Financial's global capabilities in a critical and rapidly growing region.

Richard joins Brookfield Financial with 25 years of experience in the financial sector, and half of his distinguished career has been spent in Asia. Richard spent the last four years with BNY Mellon in Hong Kong, as Managing Director and the regional head of Treasury Services. Previously he was the regional Transaction Banking head for Bank of America, following 18 years with Citibank, where he was involved in mergers and acquisitions, real estate funds, and was a co-founder of the bank's Real Estate Capital Markets group. He was also chairman of Citibank Canada Securities Limited before becoming the Financial Institutions head for the bank's Asia Pacific region. Richard began his professional career as a consultant with McKinsey & Company.

"Brookfield Financial is one of the leading investment banking advisory services in Canada, and as markets continue to become more global, with increasing capital flows from Asia, we have expanded our business and built a global footprint with outstanding talent. We are delighted to have Richard join our team and believe that our existing and prospective clients will benefit tremendously from his financial experience and detailed knowledge of Asia," said Brydon Cruise, President and Managing Partner of Brookfield Financial. Brookfield Financial is now home to over 100 professionals, and the team continues to grow as the company responds to the global needs of its clients.

Richard holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from Imperial College, London, and a Masters in Business Administration from The University of Western Ontario. He is a Governor of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

Brookfield Financial is a global investment bank with expertise in real assets, particularly property, power and infrastructure. We have offices in Canada, the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, China and Australia. Established with a clear mandate to operate independently and profitably, we are owned by Brookfield Asset Management. Brookfield Financial provides its client with unsurpassed transaction execution skills, access to financial capital and global opportunity, and, when needed, the resources and expertise of Brookfield Asset Management. For more information, please visit our website at www.brookfieldfinancial.com.

Brookfield Asset Management Inc. is a global alternative asset manager with approximately $150 billion in assets under management. We have over a 100-year history of owning and operating assets with a focus on real estate, infrastructure, power and private equity. We have a range of public and private investment products and services, which leverage our expertise and experience and provide us with a distinct competitive advantage in the markets where we operate. Brookfield is co-listed on the New York and Toronto Stock Exchanges under the symbol BAM and on NYSE Euronext under the symbol BAMA. For more information, please visit our website at www.brookfield.com.