(CSRwire) Washington, DC – Today, May 10, 2004, the Investor Responsibility Research Center (IRRC) named Kuny Kobayaschi as Director of Asian Development, a new position that will provide leadership to the Center’s targeted expansion of proxy analysis and voting services now available to Asian markets. Mrs. Kobayaschi, based in Tokyo, will formally open the IRRC office on May 9, offering their highly regarded proxy services to institutional investors in this financial arena.

Mrs. Kobayaschi said, “ I welcome the opportunity to offer IRRC’s unique and unbiased research and proxy voting services to the Asian market. As the importance of corporate governance grows worldwide, I hope to help strengthen the financial markets here by encouraging a more open environment, better disclosure, and less restrictions for both global and domestic investors. I predict a growing demand for access to products and services delivered with integrity from a company such as IRRC.”

IRRC CEO, Linda Crompton stated, “The expansion of our business to this area of the world is timed to capitalize on the growing importance of corporate responsibility in Japan and other Asian countries. We are delighted to have Mrs. Kobayaschi on board. She is the ideal liaison between our corporate headquarters and the investment community in these markets. We expect the introduction of our products to be highly successful.”

Mrs. Kobayaschi has broad financial industry experience, coming from the Tokyo Stock Exchange as Senior Marketing Manager. She was responsible for development of new information services and accomplished the design and implementation of two large scale projects: Electronic Proxy Voting Program and the Asian Information Hub Program, a multilingual information service involving Korean investors with the Shanghai Stock Exchange. She also established the Corporate Governance Network of Japan, a research community of women who study current governance events and practices. Mrs Kobayaschi can be reached in Tokyo at IRRC, 22F East Tower, Otemachi First Square, 1-5-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004. Contact her by telephone at +81-(0)3-3287-3877 or by email at kuny@irrc.com.

About IRRC
For more than 30 years, the Investor Responsibility Research Center has been the leading source of high quality, impartial information on corporate governance and social responsibility issues affecting investors and corporations worldwide. Today, IRRC provides proxy analysis and voting services, screening and benchmarking products, and consulting services to more than 600 clients including institutional investors, corporations, law firms and other organizations. Learn more about IRRC at www.irrc.com.

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