Alcentra CEO Climbing Kilimanjaro with 13-Year-Old Son to Raise Donations for Operation Smile

Braving Africa’s highest mountain, David Forbes-Nixon, Chairman and CEO of investment group Alcentra, and his 13-year-old son are climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to raise needed funds for Operation Smile and change the lives of children around the world.

On July 10, 2010, Forbes-Nixon and his son will attempt to climb 19,298 feet (5,895 meters) to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Kilimanjaro is an inactive volcano in northeastern Tanzania and is the fourth-highest freestanding mountain in the world. Forbes-Nixon plans to trek along the less-trodden Machame route where they will pass through thick forest and moorland on their ascent to the highest point, Uhuru Peak. Of all the routes, Machame is the most scenic, yet steeper, route up the mountain. The altitude, low temperature, and occasional high winds make this a difficult and dangerous trek.

Forbes-Nixon hopes to raise over $30,000 (£20,000) for Operation Smile United Kingdom, which will help give new smiles for more than 125 children who suffer from cleft lips and cleft palates. As a Trustee of Operation Smile UK, Forbes-Nixon has witnessed firsthand Operation Smile’s work. He is donating 100% of the proceeds to Operation Smile. Already, Forbes-Nixon has raised over $33,000 ((£20,000) in donations.

Supporters can donate online at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Forbes-Nixon.

Clefts are the third most-common birth defect worldwide. Each year, more than 200,000 children around the world – every 2½ minutes – are born with a severe cleft condition. Often they are unable to eat, speak, or socialize; and many of these children are shunned and rejected. Through the help of dedicated medical volunteers and generous donations, Operation Smile provides free reconstructive surgery for children around the world who suffer from cleft lips and cleft palates. In as little as 45 minutes, and for as little as $240, a single surgery can change a child’s life forever.

Alcentra is an asset management and investment group focused on sub-investment grade debt capital markets in Europe and the United States. The group has an investment track record that dates back to 1998 and spans across 40 separate investment funds totaling approximately $18 billion. Alcentra is 95 percent owned by The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. and five percent owned by the employees.

For updates on Operation Smile’s global efforts, visit the daily blogs on www.operationsmile.org, follow @operationsmile on Twitter, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/operationsmile. For more information about Operation Smile UK, please visit www.operationsmile.org.uk.

About Operation Smile (www.operationsmile.org)
Founded in 1982 by Dr. Bill and Kathy Magee, Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is a worldwide children’s medical charity whose network of global volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults. Since its founding, Operation Smile has treated more than 150,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities and the organization has a presence in more than 50 countries. In addition to contributing free medical treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.