NEW YORK, NY – January 26, 2006 – eSpeed, Inc. (NASDAQ: ESPD), a leading developer of electronic marketplaces and trading technology for the global capital markets and BGC, a leading inter-dealer brokerage firm providing integrated voice and electronic services to wholesale fixed income, interest rate, foreign exchange and derivatives markets worldwide, today announced that another successful Texas Hold ’ Em charity poker event was jointly hosted in an effort to give back to one of the many communities in which they do business.
eSpeed and BGC’s second Texas Hold’ Em charity event, which was held in New York City on January 19, 2006, is part of a series of worldwide charity events to take place in various cities throughout 2006. The New York event attracted over 150 clients and follows the inaugural event which was held in Chicago, IL last October.
In keeping with eSpeed and BGC’s prize to the winner, eSpeed donated $25,000 to the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center, one of the country’s leading centers for pediatric healthcare. They received the donation because it was the charity of choice selected by the traders of Rosenthal Collins Group , winners of the New York event. All participants were given a bank of “charity chips” to begin the tournament.
Additional charity poker events in Toronto and London are planned to take place throughout 2006 and further cities being targeted by BGC and eSpeed, include Sydney, Paris, Tokyo and Singapore. The individuals with the highest chip counts from each city will be invited to participate in the championship, which will take place in Las Vegas, NV later in the year.
Shaun Lynn, President of BGC, said , “We wish to thank our clients for joining us to support our ongoing charity efforts. We are delighted with the commitment of everyone involved and look forward to hosting more of these worldwide charity events throughout the year.”
“We are grateful to eSpeed, BGC, and Rosenthal Collins Group, for their generous gift, which will help support our commitment to children’s health, ” said Dr. John M. Driscoll, Jr., Pediatrician- in-Chief at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Paul Saltzman, Chief Operating Officer of eSpeed, Inc., commented, “With the conclusion of our second charity poker event, it is clear that this charity program is proving to be a successful initiative for us and the local communities in which we do business.”
Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and its affiliates, which includes eSpeed, Inc., and BGC, held their Fourth Annual C harity Day on September 12, 2005, and raised over $6 million dollars, the proceeds of which were donated to those families who lost loved ones due to Hurricane Katrina, families of people lost on September 11, 2001, leukemia and cancer research, as well as a variety of other charities.
About BGC
BGC is a leading inter-dealer broker, providing integrated voice and electronic services for wholesale market participants worldwide. BGC is active in the global fixed income, interest rate, foreign exchange and derivative markets, offering both telephone and screen-based price discovery, trade execution, straight-through processing and access to electronic trading services from eSpeed Inc. (Nasdaq: ESPD). The firm, named after fixed income trading innovator B. Gera ld Cantor, has offices in London, New York, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, Nyon and Milan. To learn more, please visit www.bgcpartners.com.
About eSpeed, Inc.
eSpeed, Inc. (NASDAQ: ESPD) is a leader in developing and deploying electronic marketplaces and related trading technology that offers traders access to the most liquid, efficient and neutral financial markets in the world. eSpeed operates multiple buyer, multiple seller real-time electronic marketplaces for the global capital markets, including the world’s largest government bond markets and other fixed income and equities marketplaces. eSpeed’s suite of marketplace tools provides end-to-end transaction solutions for the purchase and sale of financial and non- financial products over eSpeed’s global private network or via the Internet. eSpeed’s neutral platform, reliable network, straight-though processing and superior products make it the trusted source for electronic trading at the world’s largest fixed income and foreign exchange trading firms and major exchanges. To learn more, please visitwww.espeed.com.
The information in this press release contains forward- looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements are based upon current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward- looking statements. Our actual results and the timing of certain events may differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, the costs and expenses of developing, maintaining and protecting our intellectual property, including judgments or settlements paid or received and their related costs, the possibility of future losses and negative cash flow from operations, the effect of market conditions, including trading volume and volatility, our pricing strategy and that of our competitors, our ability to develop new products and services, to enter new markets, to secure and maintain market share, to enter into marketing and strategic alliances, to hire new personnel, to expand the use of our electronic system, to induce clients to use our marketplaces and services and to effectively manage any growth we achieve, the effects of the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and other factors that are discussed under “Risk Factors” in eSpeed’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We believe that all forward- looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions when made; however, we caution that it is impossible to predict actual
results or outcomes or the effects of risk , uncertainties or other factors on anticipated results or outcomes and that, accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these statements. Forward- looking statements speak only as of the date when made, and we undertake no obligation to update these statements in light of subsequent events or developments. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from anticipated results or outcomes discussed in forward- looking statements.
About Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian
Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top five children’s hospitals in the country, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian offers the best available care in every area of pediatrics — including the most complex neonatal and critical care, and all areas of pediatric subspecialties — in a family- friendly and technologically advanced setting. Building a reputation for more than a century as one of the nation’s premier children’s hospitals, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian is affiliated with Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and is New York City’s only hospital dedicated solely to the care of children and the largest provider of children’s health services in the tri-state area with a longstanding commitment to its community. Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian is also a major international referral center, meeting the special needs of children from infancy through adolescence worldwide.
Contacts:
Michael Geller – New York
212-610-2430
mgeller@espeed.com
Tristan Peniston-Bird – New York
212-515-1933
tpeniston-bird@gavinanderson.com
Adrian Thomas – London
44-207-894-8647
athomas@bgcpartners.com