Sir C.K. Chow of MTR Corporation wins Executive Award

Hong Kong, 14 December 2006: DHL, the world’s leading express and logistics company, and the South China Morning Post today announced that Dr. The Hon. Sir David Li Kwok-po,, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bank of East Asia, Limited, has been chosen as Business Person of the Year for 2006.

The DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards judging committee has also named Sir C.K. Chow, Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation, as the winner of the Executive Award while Paul Cheung Kwok Wing, Chairman and Co-founder of Kingboard Chemical Holdings Limited, won the Owner-Operator Award. BALtrans Holdings Limited clinched the International Award, while Regina Miracle International Limited took the Enterprise Award.

Dr. The Hon. Sir David Li Kwok-po was lauded for his positive contribution to the further development of Hong Kong, as well as for his outstanding and sustained contribution to his organization.

Dr. Li oversees the activities of Bank of East Asia, Hong Kong’s largest independent local bank which was incorporated in 1918 and is one of the constituent stocks of the Hang Seng Index with consolidated assets of HK$263.3 billion of 30 June 2006.

"Under his leadership, the bank has achieved record-breaking results for consecutive years. In 2005, the bank posted a profit of HK$2,749 million, 17 per cent up on 2004. Net profit for the first six months this year jumped 32.3 per cent and total consolidated assets grew 24 per cent. The bank has one of the most extensive foreign bank networks in China, and was one of the first to receive Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor status, allowing it to overseas investment services to local residents and enterprises." said Professor Yue-Chim Richard Wong, the Chairman of DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Award 2006 Judging Panel. "Other than his excellent managerial performance, Dr. Li plays an equally important role in public services. He is a long-serving Legislative Councillor, representing the Finance Constituency since 1985, and is also an Executive Councillor."

The DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards 2006 judging panel was chaired by Professor Yue-Chim Richard Wong, who is Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Economics, The University of Hong Kong, and included representatives from The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; DHL Express; The South China Morning Post; Junior Chamber International Hong Kong; The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Limited; The Hong Kong Trade Development Council; and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited.

They also included last year’s winners – Dr. K S Lo of Great Eagle Holdings Limited; Mr. Alfred W K Chan of The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited; Dr. Chow Yei Ching of Chevalier International Holdings Limited; Mr. Albert Wong of Eastern Worldwide Company Limited; Mr. Martin So of A.S. Watson Group; and Mr. Cheah Cheng Hye of Value Partners Limited.

Connie Tang, General Manager, DHL Express Hong Kong, noted: "Successful people drive successful companies, and I am delighted to congratulate this year’s winners, each of whom will undoubtedly become an inspiration for many young entrepreneurs and businessmen in Hong Kong. They are the foundation of our city’s achievements, and it is because of them that Hong Kong has been able to capitalise on the increasing amount of opportunities presented by key markets around the world."

"Year after year, we find ourselves impressed again by the varied stories of the city’s most accomplished business people," said Mark Clifford, Editor in Chief, SCMP. "Though each one of them demonstrates success in different settings, they all show us excellence in leadership, innovation, adaptation to change, entrepreneurial drive, perseverance, and their ability to rise to the occasion and establish themselves as positive role models for their organizations." He continued, "It is therefore without surprise that, through our rigorous judging process, this year’s award winners again embrace these critical qualities."

– ends –

About DHL

DHL is the global market leader of the international express and logistics industry, specializing in providing innovative and customized solutions from a single source.

DHL offers expertise in express, air and ocean freight, overland transport, contract logistic solutions as well as international mail services, combined with worldwide coverage and an in-depth understanding of local markets. DHL’s international network links more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. 285,000 employees are dedicated to providing fast and reliable services that exceed customers’ expectations.

DHL is a Deutsche Post World Net brand. The group generated revenues of €45 billion in 2005.

About SCMP Group Limited

SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) is a leading newspaper and magazine publisher in Asia. Its flagship publication, South China Morning Post, is the leading English language newspaper in Hong Kong and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. Other publication titles of the group include the Sunday Morning Post, the Chinese editions of Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, CosmoGirl! Maxim and Automobile magazines.

To learn more about the SCMP Group, go to scmpgroup.com.

About DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards

The Hong Kong Business Awards were established by DHL and the South China Morning Post in 1990 to acknowledge publicly the vital contributions made by individuals and by companies in maintaining and expanding the economic viability and international stature of Hong Kong; and to encourage and sustain the Hong Kong entrepreneurial spirit and highlight and recognize excellent standards of corporate management.

There are four categories for individuals, namely, Business Person of the Year Award, Executive Award, Owner-Operator Award and Young Entrepreneur Award; and two for companies, namely, International Award and Enterprise Award. In addition, a Lifetime Achievement Award will be given at the discretion of the judging panel in any judging year if they feel it is appropriate. Nominations are made by individuals or by public or private organizations. Nominees who meet the criteria for the respective categories will be invited to participate. Those who accept the nominations will submit supporting documents for the judging panel, who will vote for a winner for each category.

Over the past sixteen years, the DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards has successfully established its status as one of the most prestigious and authoritative business awards in Hong Kong.

Issued by Professional Public Relations Asia on behalf of DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards.

For further information, please contact: –

Professional Public Relations Asia
Tony Turner Tel: (852) 3111 9928 Email : tturner@ppr.com.hk
Helen Lo Tel: (852) 3111 9966, 9600 6260 Email : hlo@ppr.com.hk

Hong Kong, September 6, 2006 – The South China Morning Post (SCMP) won five awards from the Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers’ Association (PANPA), adding to its string of more than 30 industry accolades so far this year.

The awards were announced on August 30 at the 37th Annual PANPA Conference held in Australia’s Gold Coast. Judges found SCMP a clear winner in Marketing for Display Advertising among the category of newspapers with a 50,000-plus circulation, as well as winner of two Technical Excellence awards for its top-of-the-class printing and picture-reproduction quality.

It is the paper’s second PANPA prize for marketing in two years. This year’s winning campaign aimed at attracting display advertisers with a series of direct-mailers, highlighting the paper’s affluent readership. Judges were impressed by this “very innovative campaign” and its excellent planning and execution, which successfully generated over 90% recall and positive feedback from two thirds of respondents.

It is the sixth award in seven years for SCMP in the pre-print/ supplement printed on a double-width press category and the third year running that the paper has been recognized for its technical excellence among newspapers printed on a double width press. The winning work was applauded by judges as “an unbeatable entry that sets the benchmark for the industry”.

Commenting on these developments SCMP Director of Marketing Amanda Turnbull said, “These wins demonstrate our ongoing commitment to serve both readers and advertisers with quality, creativity and consistency. To win regularly in both marketing and production categories at PANPA, where the competition from the big Australian newspaper groups is intense, is certainly something we are proud of.”

The paper was also given two “highly commended” citations; one in Newspaper Photography for a picture of the WTO riots in Wan Chai last December, and one in Community Events for the ongoing series of “Business Leader Briefings” in which Hong Kong opinion leaders are polled on the city’s key socioeconomic and policy issues, followed by a series of high-level briefings and then a “white paper” presented to the government in a spirit of constructive engagement.

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About SCMP Group Limited

SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) is a leading newspaper and magazine publishers in Asia. Its flagship publication, South China Morning Post, is the leading English language newspaper in Hong Kong and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. Other publication titles of the Group include the Sunday Morning Post, the Chinese editions of Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, CosmoGirl!, Maxim and Automobile magazines.

This press release can be downloaded from www.scmpgroup.com.

 

For media enquiry, please contact:
Irene Ho Marketing and Communications Tel: (852) 2565 2415 Fax: (852) 2565 2429 Email: communications@scmp.com

Highlights

• Turnover: HK$583.2 million
• Operating profit: HK$180.9 million
• Profit attributable to shareholders: HK$146.5 million
• Earnings per share: HK$0.094
• Dividend: HK$0.06

(Hong Kong, August 31, 2006) – SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) ("the Group") reported a 30% growth in profit attributable to shareholders to HK$146.5 million for the first six months ended June 30, 2006. Turnover rose 9% to HK$583.2 million.

The Board of Directors declared an interim dividend of HK$0.06 per share.

Operating costs and expenses before depreciation increased 5% or HK$16.5 million. The average cost of newsprint rose 11% from US$545 to US$604 per metric ton. Staff costs increased 3% due to an increase in headcount and salary increments. Advertising and promotion expenses increased 21% as events sponsorship and marketing activities were stepped up.

Capital expenditures were HK$10.9 million, of which HK$4.5 million was spent on development of websites and content management system, replacement of magazine circulation system and upgrading of the accounting system.

Business Performance

The business environment has been favourable with a stable economy and low unemployment. According to Admango, the total advertising market grew 8% in the first half.

The Group’s results were boosted by a 47% growth in notices advertising and an 11% growth in display advertising sales. Yields on display ads improved following a rate increase for prime positions at the beginning of the year and strong bookings for color ads.

Recruitment revenue was stable. The unaudited circulation of SCMP remained at 104,000 while Sunday circulation dropped 1% to 80,000.

The results of the Group’s other businesses were also better than last year, except for book publishing which incurred losses due to higher stock provisions.

Outlook

"The economy was strong in the first half of the year, and we expect these economic conditions to continue in the second half" said Nancy Valiente, Managing Director of South China Morning Post Publishers Limited. "But we remain concerned about rising newsprint cost, salaries and rent. The impending abolition of rules requiring listed companies to publish results in newspapers will also have an impact on the Group’s turnover." Revenue from results announcements contributed 5% to Group turnover and 6% to the Newspaper Division’s advertising revenue in the first half of 2006.

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in content creation and advertising and changing the media and publishing landscape.

"Credible and relevant content is at the heart of the Group’s success. We will continue to build our publishing brands, raise editorial standards and invest in transforming the business to take best advantage of the changing nature of content creation and delivery," said Valiente.

The Group will continue to develop its digital media capabilities to build readership as well as expand advertising products to support future revenue growth.

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About SCMP Group Limited

SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) is a leading newspaper and magazine publishers in Asia. Its flagship publication, South China Morning Post, is the leading English language newspaper in Hong Kong and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. Other publication titles of the Group include the Sunday Morning Post, the Chinese editions of Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, CosmoGirl!, Maxim and Automobile magazines.

This press release can be downloaded from www.scmpgroup.com.

 

For media enquiry, please contact:		For investor inquiries, please contact:
Irene Ho Marketing and Communications Tel: (852) 2565 2415 Fax: (852) 2565 2429 Email: communications@scmp.com		Perry Wu Investor Relations Tel: (852) 2250 3133 Fax: (852) 2838 7525 Email: investor.relations@scmp.com

HONG KONG, April 25, 2006 – South China Morning Post (the Post) announced today the appointment of Stuart Jackson as Business Editor.

Mr. Jackson, who assumes his duties today, will be in charge of the business editorial team, and will help SCMP to shape the editorial direction of the Business section.

Mr. Jackson has 33 years’ experience in journalism. During his 28 years with North American news companies, he had held several senior editorial positions; including the role as Senior Editor in charge of news coverage in Business Week.

Beginning in 1994, Stuart Jackson was involved in directing editorial operations in Asia Pacific for Bloomberg News, and becoming Managing Editor in the late 90’s. He moved to Tokyo in 2001 and became Managing Editor of Bloomberg Television Asia, where he managed all English and Japanese-language business news channels with correspondents across the Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining the South China Morning Post, Mr. Jackson was the Executive Editor of The Standard, Hong Kong, in charge of the business coverage of both Hong Kong and China.

Mr. Jackson received his Bachelor Degree in History (Chinese) from Yale University in 1972, and his Master Degree in Journalism from Columbia University in 1973.

"There are few journalists who have the professional knowledge, vast industry experience and international exposure that Stuart does," says Mark Clifford, Editor in Chief of South China Morning Post. "I’m confident that Stuart and his team of editors and reporters will enable us to cover the most exciting business and economic story in the world today—the rise of China—with unrivalled depth and sophistication."

South China Morning Post’s Business section has a strong reputation for its influential reporting on Hong Kong’s business sector and its independent analysis of corporations in Greater China. In addition to the Hong Kong editorial team, SCMP has correspondents on the mainland to report on China business news.

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About SCMP Group Limited

SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) is one of the leading newspaper and magazine publishers in Asia. Its flagship publication, South China Morning Post, is the leading English language newspaper in Hong Kong and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. Other publication titles of the group include the Sunday Morning Post, the Chinese editions of Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, CosmoGirl! Maxim and Automobile magazines.

To learn more about the SCMP Group, go to scmpgroup.com.

For enquiry, please contact:
Irene Ho
Assistant Director
Marketing and Communications
South China Morning Post
Tel: (852) 2565 2415
Fax: (852) 2565 2429
Email: communications@scmp.com

South China Morning Post has been awarded two first prizes and a second at the 71st International Newspaper Marketing Association Awards held last week in Chicago, USA. The global competition generated 1,019 entries from 206 newspapers in 37 different countries.

The Post won first place for its media kit, "All you need to know" in the category of Newspaper Research, Data Books and Media Packets, 75,000 to 300,000 circulation beating El Nacional, Caracas, Venezuela. The judges commented that the Post’s media kit was, "An excellent execution. Clean in design and type, reflecting an effort beyond expectations."

Another first place was awarded for the "Figures" campaign in the category Direct Mail, 75,000-300,000 circulation, beating The Press, Christchurch, New Zealand. This campaign was a series of three direct mail pieces in the shape of human figures designed to reinforce the Post’s excellent audience numbers with creativity and humour. The judges commented, "A wonderful integrated campaign that puts the message front and centre in an appealing way. Achieved remarkable recall rates."

The Post was also awarded second place in the category Promotion of the Newspaper as an Advertising Medium for its "Print Conference". Held in November 2005 this event aimed to highlight the importance of print in the marketing mix.

The 71st INMA Newspaper Marketing Awards, honouring excellence in newspaper marketing worldwide, were presented April 6-7 before nearly 350 delegates to the INMA World Congress of Newspaper Marketing in Chicago.

Judging annually is based on concept, creativity, copy/graphic design, production, and overall effectiveness, as well as results. Chairman of the 2006 awards competition was Cesar Pizarro, business manager of the Miami Herald Publishing Company in the United States, and a member of the INMA Board of Directors.

Commenting on these developments Amanda Turnbull, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Post said, "We are the first newspaper in Hong Kong to win awards from INMA and we are really delighted with these results – to be recognized at this level from a global organization is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the talent and hard work of our team."

The Post’s winning team consisted of Monica Poenaru, Louisa Chiu, Maverick Wong, Priscilla Wong, Jo Chui, Beth Hon and Grace Chan. Design was contributed by Andrew Rutherford, formerly the Post’s Design Director and now head of Andrew Rutherford Design.

The International Newspaper Marketing Association (INMA) was formed in 1930 and is a non-profit member organization dedicated to recognising and extending marketing activities of newspapers, and serving as the industry’s premier marketing ideas association. Today, the fast-growing INMA has more than 1,000 members in 70 countries, mostly senior marketing officers at daily newspapers.

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About SCMP Group Limited

SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) is one of the leading newspaper and magazine publishers in Asia. Its flagship publication, South China Morning Post, is the leading English language newspaper in Hong Kong with the most affluent and influential readership. Other publication titles of the group include the Sunday Morning Post, the Chinese editions of Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, CosmoGirl! Maxim and Automobile magazines.

To learn more about the SCMP Group, go to scmpgroup.com.

For more information contact Amanda Turnbull, Director, Marketing and Communications on 2250-3130 or email amanda.turnbull@scmp.com.

HONG KONG, April 6, 2006 – The SCMP Group Limited (SCMP) announced a 12% rise in recurring operating profit to $287.3 million for the financial year ended 31 December 2005. This result reflected a solid performance from the core publishing business in a competitive market environment. The publishing division’s increase in profits was partly offset by lower contribution and losses from other subsidiaries.

"The year 2005 was a success," says Nancy Valiente, Managing Director of South China Morning Post Publishers Limited. "The Group’s flagship publication, the South China Morning Post, demonstrated that publishing is very much alive and well. In a year marked by aggressive pricing and circulation wars among local newspapers, SCMP advertising revenue experienced strong growth and circulation showed a modest gain."

Turnover rose 10% to $1.1 billion. Net profit attributable to shareholders reached $246.4 million, compared with $317.1 million in 2004. The 2005 result includes a revaluation surplus of $50.4 million and a provision for asset impairment of $35.7 million. The 2004 result included a one-time gain on the sale of the retailing business of $76.8 million and a revaluation surplus of $18.1 million. The Group declared a final dividend of 10 cents per share for a full year dividend of 15 cents per share.

Core Business Expansion

Boosted by a recovery in consumer spending and solid GDP growth, display advertising revenue rose 13% while classified advertising revenue grew 11%. Advertising rates improved across all products except for business notices, where rates remained on par with 2004. At the same time, weekday circulation showed a 4% and 2% gain in the first and second half, respectively, compared with the same periods in 2004.

Revenue at the magazine publishing division rose 19%, despite a most competitive environment for advertising sales and circulation. The SCMP’s three women’s titles fared well with Cosmopolitan marking a record year in advertising pages sold.

Operating costs and expenses from continuing operations rose 9% to $833.1 million. Staff costs increased 8% and average newsprint cost rose 18% from US$476 to US$563 per metric ton. Staff and newsprint costs made up about half of total expenses.

Operational Improvements

In November 2005, SCMP increased colour printing capacity with the commissioning of four new full colour printing presses at a cost of $99 million. The additional capacity will meet demand for high yield colour advertising during peak seasons. During the year, SCMP promoted executives and editors into key leadership roles to form a new corporate and editorial strategy. Print and online innovations were delivered. Creative advertising executions provided advertisers with new solutions. SCMP used the strength of its brand to introduce new digital products and services, including podcasting, vidcasting and 3G content syndication.

A leader in product innovation, SCMP.com was the first Asian news website to offer interactive dialogue. Columnists and reporters now interact with readers through "On the Spot" sessions. In addition, SCMP was the first publisher to launch podcasts on MP3 players in Hong Kong.

Outlook

"The outlook for 2006 seems positive," concludes Valiente. "Stable economic growth is expected for Hong Kong and China and this will bolster performance. A strong Hong Kong economy bodes well for advertising and circulation and we expect advertising revenue for the newspaper division to benefit from higher rates in 2006."

Valiente points out that the future is not without challenges: "Circulation is under pressure. Readers and advertisers have more choices than ever before. Advertising revenues from business notices are at risk from a pending change in listing rules. Cost pressures from rising newsprint prices, salaries and rent remain a concern. New business development must be pursued with adequate risk management."

SCMP is responding to a changing industry by building an editorial team committed to the highest standards of excellence, enhancing print and online platforms, creating products to provide advertisers with more options to reach an affluent and influential audience and integrating the print and online editorial and advertising sales effort.

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About SCMP Group Limited

SCMP Group Limited (SEHK: 583) is the holding company of South China Morning Post Publishers Limited and other subsidiaries engaged mainly in newspaper and magazine publishing. Its flagship publication, South China Morning Post, is the leading English language newspaper in Hong Kong with the most affluent and influential readership. Other publication titles of the Group include the Sunday Morning Post, the Chinese editions of Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, CosmoGirl!, Maxim and Automobile magazines.

To learn more about the SCMP Group, go to scmpgroup.com.

For enquiry, please contact:

Perry Wu
SCMP Group Limited
Email: investor.relations@scmp.com

Hong Kong, March 6, 2006 – The South China Morning Post scooped 13 awards in the Hong Kong Newspaper Society News Awards 2005, making it the most awarded newspaper in the city.

The awards were announced on March 1 2006 and saw the Post take the top prize in four of the fourteen categories, including the coveted "Best Business News Reporting" for one of a series of articles on Hong Kong’s competition law, and "Best Science News Reporting" for ongoing coverage of Bird Flu. In the English section, the Post won "Best News Writing" for a piece on inadequate social services in Tin Shui Wai and "Best Headline" for a story about fertility issues titled "Sperm meets egg? It’s just not enough any more." Nine Runners Up and Merits completed the awards haul for articles covering subjects ranging from nanotechnology to the plight of South Asian tsunami orphans.

Editor Fanny Fung commented, "In 2005, we invested time and effort in investigative and issues reporting, so we were particularly pleased to win outright in the Best Business News and Best Science News categories which are hotly contested by all newspapers in Hong Kong. In the English language section, we were very happy to win Best News Writing and Best Headline Writing, and we are proud of Vivien Cui (1st runner up, Best Young Reporter) who successfully completed our mainland internship scheme, run in conjunction with Peking University and now in its third year."

Fung continued, "2005 was a very busy year in news, and we are delighted to have won 13 awards, which tops all newspapers in Hong Kong. This is a great achievement, and is a reflection of the hard work and professionalism of our colleagues. I am proud of them."

The Hong Kong Newspaper Society, founded in 1954 has been running awards for decades. Judged by a panel comprising of dozens of local and regional experts, including academics and practicing journalists, the period from 2000 to 2005 has seen the South China Morning Post consistently outperform its peers with 65 awards in five years.

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ABOUT SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

The company publishes the South China Morning Post and the Sunday Morning Post, Asia’s premier English language daily and Sunday newspapers. With over 100 years of history, the South China Morning Post is a leading commentator on Greater China and is widely read by government officials, business people, professionals and academics.

According to the Nielsen Media Index 2005 Mid-Year Report, the paper has 95% of the English language newspaper readership in Hong Kong. It is also the market leader for display and recruitment advertising. Its Internet edition, scmp.com, is an award-winning subscription-based web site which offers a global audience access to the editorial content of the print edition, breaking news updates throughout the day, e-newsletters, news in traditional and simplified Chinese, podcasts, online business travel guides and news on PDA.

The South China Morning Post receives constant recognition for its editorial and technical capability. Awards won in the last 12 months include Pacific Asia Travel Association 2006 Grand Award for Heritage, five category wins for excellence from the Society of Publishers in Asia Editorial Awards, two category wins for excellence in printing and picture reproduction from PANPA, 13 winners and runners-up for journalism and photography at the Hong Kong News Awards, two design awards from IFRA and two in the Society for News Design’s 26th Best of Newspaper Design Competition and one category win and five merits in the 10th Annual Human Rights Press Awards.

South China Morning Post Publishers Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCMP Group Limited. SCMP Group is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.

For more information contact Amanda Turnbull, Director, Marketing and Communications on 2250-3130 or email amanda.turnbull@scmp.com

Hong Kong, February 20, 2006 – The South China Morning Post Fund Manager of the Year Awards 2005 today acknowledged the top performing funds and their respective fund managers, covering different global markets and all asset classes.

The investment funds award was organised by the South China Morning Post in association with Standard & Poor’s Fund Services and sponsored by American International Assurance.

In the leading group awards, which evaluate the overall performance of fund management groups, Fidelity Investments Management (Hong Kong) Limited took the honour for the 3-year, 5-year and 10-year categories – the first time a single house has won all three top awards since the 15 year history of the event.

Among the other awards, from a pool of more than 1,950 retail market-oriented funds registered for sale, 70 winners were recognised from a total of 29 sectors.

Frederick Ma, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of HKSAR Government, was the guest of honour at the Awards presentation ceremony and presented the award certificates to the major winners.

"The huge success of the Funds Awards highlights how important the fund management business has become in Hong Kong, and underlines Hong Kong’s position as the leading centre for asset management in Asia," said Mr. Surinder Kathpalia, managing director of Standard & Poor’s. "Asia holds a third of the world’s wealth today, and pension assets in the region are expected to triple over the next decade, representing a staggering pool of investible funds", he added.

The South China Morning Post Fund Manager of the Year 2005 was assessed using a methodology known as Relative Risk-Adjusted Ratio as was the case last year. This calculation evaluates the performance of a fund and the consistency of that performance relative to other funds in its peer group sector, and is used for all investment funds awards S&P conducts around the globe.

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About South China Morning Post Publishers Limited

The company publishes the South China Morning Post and the Sunday Morning Post, Asia’s premier English language daily and Sunday newspapers with the highest circulations of any English language newspaper in Hong Kong.

The South China Morning Post is a leading commentator on Greater China and is widely read by government officials, business people, professionals and academics. According to the Nielsen Media Index 2005 Mid-Year Report, the paper has 95% of the English language newspaper readership in Hong Kong. Its current ABC audited circulation figure stands at 103,964 for the period from January to June 2005.

The South China Morning Post produces scmp.com, an award-winning subscription-based web site which offers a global audience access to the editorial content of the print edition, plus breaking news updates throughout the day, e-newsletters, news in traditional and simplified Chinese, podcasts, vidcasts, online business travel guides and news on PDA.

The South China Morning Post is also the market leader for display and recruitment advertising. Classified Post has long been the premier recruitment tool in Hong Kong and is an acknowledged economic indicator, covering every industry sector from Accounting and Finance to Technology, Construction, Marketing, Tourism, Education and many more. The company also produces Jiu Jik, a Chinese language recruitment magazine aimed at a younger audience and distributed exclusively at all MTR stations every Tuesday and Friday.

The South China Morning Post receives constant recognition for its editorial and technical capability. Awards won in the last 12 months include five category wins for excellence from the Society of Publishers in Asia Editorial Awards, two category wins for excellence in printing and picture reproduction from PANPA, 13 winners and runners-up for journalism and photography at the Hong Kong News Awards, two design awards from IFRA and two in the Society for News Design’s 26th Best of Newspaper Design Competition and one category win and five merits in the 10th Annual Human Rights Press Awards.

South China Morning Post Publishers Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCMP Group Limited. Through other subsidiaries, SCMP Group Limited is also involved in the publication of magazines, books, book retailing, commercial and business video production and property investments. SCMP Group’s shares are listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.

About Standard & Poor’s

Standard & Poor’s Fund Services tracks the performance of over 132,000 institutional, pension, insurance, and mutual funds worldwide. With 400 professionals in 13 countries who track and analyze funds, Standard & Poor’s Fund Services is the world’s leading provider of mutual fund information and analysis.

Standard & Poor’s is the world’s foremost provider of independent credit ratings, indices, risk evaluation, investment research and data. With approximately 6,300 employees located in 20 countries and markets, Standard & Poor’s is an essential part of the world’s financial infrastructure and has played a leading role for more than 140 years in providing investors with the independent benchmarks they need to feel more confident about their investment and financial decisions.

For more information, visit www.standardandpoors.com.

Amanda Turnbull South China Morning Post Tel: (852) 2250 3130 Fax: (852) 2565 2429 Email: communications@scmp.com

Geoff Breusch Standard & Poor’s Tel: (65) 6239 6378 Fax: (65) 6438 2320 Email: geoff_breusch@standardandpoors.com

Hong Kong, February 20, 2006 – The South China Morning Post has won the Pacific Asia Travel Association 2006 Grand Award for Heritage for its "Hong Kong’s Vibrant Rural Communities Campaign", a seven-part series, published in October 2005.

The project was written by veteran Post reporter Kevin Sinclair and journalist Anneliese O’Young Ruo-hua, to recognize traditional rural communities where residents had taken the initiative to make life better for all.

The entry was selected by PATA judges as an exceptional achievement which set travel industry standards for excellence and innovation. The judges said the series "vividly illustrates how the traditional villages have adapted to the 21st century and the role they play in conserving Hong Kong’s heritage".

Editor of the South China Morning Post, Fanny Fung said the paper was delighted that the project had won such a prestigious award. "This is one of a long list of awards we’ve won recently which recognize the Post’s editorial excellence. This one is particularly gratifying for us as we have such a strong stance on environmental and heritage issues," said Fung.

Sinclair writes the Below the Border column about New Territories affairs and has spent many years encouraging and education people about the preservation of the past. He commented, "The series was well-received in Hong Kong, both by the seven villages which were featured directly, and by the whole community which was equally proud of the work being done to preserve Hong Kong’s traditional way of life."

Over the past half century Sinclair has won five gold awards for travel writing from PATA, the world’s largest travel and tourism body. One of those awards was in 2000 for an earlier SCMP series about beautified villages which encouraged residents to improve their environment.

Sinclair and other winners will receive their awards during the 55th PATA Annual Conference in Pattaya, Thailand, April 23-27, and "Living Villages" will also be on display during the conference.

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About South China Morning Post Publishers Limited

The company publishes the South China Morning Post and the Sunday Morning Post, Asia’s premier English language daily and Sunday newspapers with the highest circulations of any English language newspaper in Hong Kong.

The South China Morning Post is a leading commentator on Greater China and is widely read by government officials, business people, professionals and academics. According to the Nielsen Media Index 2005 Mid-Year Report, the paper has 95% of the English language newspaper readership in Hong Kong. Its current ABC audited circulation figure stands at 103,964 for the period from January to June 2005.

The South China Morning Post produces scmp.com, an award-winning subscription-based web site which offers a global audience access to the editorial content of the print edition, plus breaking news updates throughout the day, e-newsletters, news in traditional and simplified Chinese, podcasts, vidcasts, online business travel guides and news on PDA.

The South China Morning Post is also the market leader for display and recruitment advertising. Classified Post has long been the premier recruitment tool in Hong Kong and is an acknowledged economic indicator, covering every industry sector from Accounting and Finance to Technology, Construction, Marketing, Tourism, Education and many more. The company also produces Jiu Jik, a Chinese language recruitment magazine aimed at a younger audience and distributed exclusively at all MTR stations every Tuesday and Friday.

The South China Morning Post receives constant recognition for its editorial and technical capability. Awards won in the last 12 months include five category wins for excellence from the Society of Publishers in Asia Editorial Awards, two category wins for excellence in printing and picture reproduction from PANPA, 13 winners and runners-up for journalism and photography at the Hong Kong News Awards, two design awards from IFRA and two in the Society for News Design’s 26th Best of Newspaper Design Competition and one category win and five merits in the 10th Annual Human Rights Press Awards.

South China Morning Post Publishers Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCMP Group Limited. Through other subsidiaries, SCMP Group Limited is also involved in the publication of magazines, books, book retailing, commercial and business video production and property investments. SCMP Group’s shares are listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.

For more information contact Amanda Turnbull, Director, Marketing and Communication on 2250-3130 or email amanda.turnbull@scmp.com.

[HK – February 3] The SCMP Group is pleased to announce that Mr Mark Clifford will be appointed Editor-in-Chief of the South China Morning Post with effect from April. Mr Clifford has been Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The Standard since January 2004. Previously he was Asia Regional Editor at BusinessWeek, where he worked from 1995 to 2003. He started his career in Asia at the Far Eastern Economic Review in Seoul in 1987; having held a number of posts with the magazine, including Business Editor, before leaving in 1995.

Mr David Armstrong, who became Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Bangkok Post since May 1 2005, will step down as Director, Editorial of the South China Morning Post with effect March 1, to focus his time on the Bangkok Post. The SCMP Group wishes to express its deep appreciation to Mr Armstrong for his contributions during his time with the South China Morning Post from 1993 to 1996, and more recently from 2003. We wish him the very best in his future endeavours at the Bangkok Post.

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