Columbia Management Announces Strategic Rebrand In Conjunction With UK Affiliate Threadneedle Investments

Columbia Management announced that it will rebrand its business as Columbia Threadneedle Investments in the first half of 2015. The new global brand will represent the combined capabilities, resources and reach of Columbia and UK-based Threadneedle Investments, offering clients access to the best of both firms and positioning the asset management group for a greater share of global growth.

Threadneedle has assets under management (AUM) of $150 billion1 and is the fifth largest retail asset manager in the UK2. Together, Columbia and Threadneedle have $505 billion1 in AUM across developed and emerging market equities, fixed income, multi-asset solutions and alternatives. Both firms are owned by Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP), a leading diversified financial services firm and together form the 30th largest global asset manager3.

The new brand – Columbia Threadneedle Investments – will reinforce the strength of both firms in established markets of the U.S., UK, and Europe and enable the group to grow its presence in key markets, including Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.

The established investment teams, strategies, processes and legal entities at both firms will not change as a result of the new global brand. Similarly, existing funds will not change, nor will existing client portfolios and mandates.

“This is an important and exciting new phase for us. We are bringing together a combined offering under the Columbia Threadneedle Investments global brand for the benefit of our clients and our business,” said Ted Truscott, CEO – Global Asset Management, Ameriprise Financial. "Columbia and Threadneedle have been working together for more than two years to increase the breadth and depth of our offering to clients. Presenting the combined capabilities of both firms under a single brand is the natural next step.”

“We are introducing the Columbia Threadneedle Investments brand to reflect the significant resources and expertise available to our teams around the globe. By working together we add depth to our offerings, enabling us to make better investment decisions and ultimately generate better performance for our clients, and the new global brand reflects this. Clients around the world benefit from our combined research ideas and insights, trading techniques and portfolio strategies,” Truscott said.

“Columbia and Threadneedle share many philosophies and values, including a commitment to delivering the investment outcomes our clients expect,” said Colin Moore, Global Chief Investment Officer. “In a world where financial markets and economies are increasingly interconnected, being part of a strong global partnership with our colleagues at Threadneedle is a considerable advantage. Over recent years we have deliberately fostered an environment of information sharing and debate between Columbia and Threadneedle, and I believe the aggregate resource is world class. While our investment teams remain true to their respective styles and processes, the sharing of research globally allows us to make full use of our collective intellectual capital and better inform our decisions to the benefit of our clients.”

“Columbia and Threadneedle have a shared vision, business strategy and values, albeit with distinct investment capabilities, local distribution and unique product offerings,” said Campbell Fleming, CEO of Threadneedle. “Under the new brand we become a global group, presenting our combined resources, investment perspectives and expertise to better serve our clients, both individuals and institutions, around the world.”

Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. There is no guarantee that return expectations will be met.

Columbia Threadneedle Investments Key Facts (on an aggregated basis):

• $505 billion in assets under management1
• Over 2,000 people and over 500 dedicated investment professionals4
• Locations in 18 countries across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East
• Investment offices in London, Singapore, Boston, Minneapolis, New York, Chicago, Portland, Oregon, and other U.S. locations
• 30th largest global asset manager3, 11th largest manager of long-term funds in the U.S.5, 5th largest retail manager in the UK2
• 121 funds are Morningstar 4- or 5-star rated6

1 As of September 30, 2014
2 IMA as of October 31, 2014
3 Towers Watson as of December 31, 2013 – Ameriprise Financial
4 As of December 1, 2014
5 ICI as of October 31, 2014
6 Threadneedle Investments and Columbia Management as of September 30, 2014 (funds may not be available in all jurisdictions)

About Columbia Management:
Columbia Management is a leading manager of long-term mutual fund assets with $358 billion under management* as of September 30, 2014. Columbia Management is a subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP). For more information, please visit columbiamanagement.com. Follow us on Twitter @ColumbiaMgmt.

About Threadneedle Investments
Threadneedle is a leading international investment manager with a strong track record across asset classes. We actively manage $150 billion (as at 30 Sept 2014) of assets, investing on behalf of individuals, pension funds, insurers and corporations. We are the 5th largest UK retail fund manager and the 11th largest UK fund manager by AUM. In Europe we rank in the top 50. Established in 1994 in London, Threadneedle has a presence in 17 countries.

*$358bn AUM as of 09/30/14 includes assets from Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC and its affiliate Columbia Wanger Asset Management, LLC.

For each fund with at least a three-year history, Morningstar calculates a Morningstar RatingTM based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a fund’s monthly performance (including the effects of sales charges, loads, and redemption fees), placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The top 10% of funds in each category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. (Each share class is counted as a fraction of one fund within this scale and rated separately, which may cause slight variations in the distribution percentages.)

Of the 121 funds that are 4- or 5-star rated by Morningstar, 54 are Columbia Management mutual funds and 67 are Threadneedle Investments mutual funds. The Morningstar RatingTM for the Columbia Management Mutual funds is for class Z shares only; other classes may have different performance characteristics and may have different ratings. Class Z shares are sold at net asset value and have limited eligibility. Columbia Management offers multiple share classes, not all necessarily available through all firms, and the share class ratings may vary. Contact us for details.

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Investment products offered through Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA. Advisory services provided by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC.

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