Banker is New Chairman of StarBridge Global Inc.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 7, 2000

A Munich investment banker has been appointed Chairman of StarBridge Global Inc., formerly Southland Financial, Inc., an expanded and restructured network, systems integration and smart card services provider company with interests in China.

He is Mr. Larry Smith, 48, founding partner of Babcock & Brown, Germany. Babcock & Brown is a U.S. based global investment bank with branches in Munich, London, New York, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Tokyo, San Francisco, Sydney and Shanghai.

StarBridge Global Inc. (OTCBB:STBR) recently announced that it has changed its name from Southland Financial, Inc. (SINC). The name change marked the approximate $U.S.18 million acquisition of Gold Phoenix and Associates. It gives StarBridge Global Inc. a 60 per cent share in a joint venture to provide smart cards to 240 million people in China's food and food-related industries. The project is proceeding in conjunction with China's Ministry of Health and joint venture partner Ai Wei Information Technology Corporation Limited.

Announcing the appointment, StarBridge's President and CEO, and former Chairman, Mr. David A. Turik, said: "We are absolutely delighted that Mr. Larry Smith has agreed to lead us at this point in our development. Mr. Smith's international reputation and connections as a corporate advisor and international consultant in structured and project finance gives our board a great new and timely strength.

"With our recent acquisition of Gold Phoenix we will be reviewing our capital-raising and project finance program in order that we may best exploit our current opportunities. Mr. Smith's appointment will be of great assistance in this area. Mr. Smith will help guide the company's board through the expected dynamic growth of StarBridge over the next two years. He will help over-see the capital-raising for our two major joint ventures in China, as well as the possible listing of StarBridge on other exchanges. We believe we are most fortunate to obtain a Chairman whose reputation and skills are so appropriate to our growth path."

Mr. Smith said, "I am proud to be associated with the StarBridge Global Group as we go forward with the exciting opportunities available to this unique corporation. The Company is poised for rapid expansion as a result of its association with China Changfeng. I look forward to working with the existing extremely competent board to create wealth for our shareholders." StarBridge's initial joint venture company, China Changfeng StarBridge Hengxin Corporation Limited, (CCF StarBridge Hengxin) has a national ISP license in China and is generating significant revenue through its systems integration business.

Mr. Smith, a chartered accountant, was a partner and country head of KPMG's International Banking Tax Committee before leaving the firm in the mid - 1980's. He was also a tax partner in a prominent Australian law firm.

StarBridge Global Inc. through its Sino-foreign joint venture companies, CCF StarBridge Hengxin, and Ai Wei Information Technology Corporation Limited aims to be a major, high value network, systems integration and smart card services provider through-out Greater China and South East Asia.

This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1996. Forward-looking statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events of performance and underlying assumptions and other statements which are other than statements of historical facts. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including but not limited to, product and services demand and acceptance, changes in technology and in economic, political and regulatory conditions and to all of the risks generally associated with a company at StarBridge Global's stage of development. All such forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, and whether made by or on behalf of the company are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. In addition, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.