Blackstone is one of the world’s leading Alternative Asset Management firms, as well as a widely respected independent Financial Advisory firm.  Through our Alternative Asset Management businesses – including private equity, real estate, credit vehicles and funds of hedge funds – we have earned the trust of many of the world’s leading institutional investors and amassed total fee-earning assets under management of $101.4 billion, as of June 30, 2010.  Blackstone Advisory Services provides advisory services along with a full spectrum of transaction execution capability in areas such as acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, divestitures, takeover defenses and restructuring/reorganization activities.