Wiley to Acquire Wrightbooks Purchase of Australian Publisher Will Expand Wiley's Global Presence in Business and Finance Publishing.

Business Editors

BRISBANE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 30, 2001

Peter Donoughue, Managing Director of John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd, (NYSE:JWa) (NYSE:JWb) today announced that the global publishing company had signed a letter of intent to acquire Wrightbooks Pty Ltd, a Melbourne-based publisher of personal investment titles for the Australian market. The terms of the sale, which should close by early July, were not disclosed.

Wrightbooks, which was founded in 1988 by Geoff Wright, publishes about 50 books per year in the area of finance and personal investment and has a backlist of about 120 titles, many of which are in second, third, fourth and even sixth editions. Bestselling titles include: Share Trading (Guppy), The Art of Trading (Tate), Top Stocks (Roth) published annually and currently in its 7th year of publication, The Secret of Options Writing (Bedford), The Property Investors Handbook (Airey). Wrightbooks is the exclusive distributor to the trade of The Australian Taxpayers Guide, the annual publication of Taxpayers Australia. The 2001 edition will be the 13th in the series.

"The acquisition of Wrightbooks will provide Wiley with an opportunity to expand our leading global presence in business and finance publishing. Wrightbooks brings to Wiley a strong brand identity and reputation for quality and consistency in the Australian book trade," said Mr. Donoughue. "By accelerating the growth of our list of local titles, the acquisition will enable Wiley's global publishing program to better serve the needs of the Australian finance and investment community. We are particularly pleased to be associated with the highly regarded team of Wrightbooks authors, and look forward to a long and productive relationship over many years."

Geoff Wright, founder and Publisher of Wrightbooks said, "I am delighted that agreement has been reached by which Wiley will become the new owners of Wrightbooks Pty Ltd. Wiley has undoubtedly the strongest list of international investment books in the US, the UK, and Asia. I like to think that Wrightbooks has the most comprehensive and successful list of finance books published in Australia. Putting the two together will make a formidable force. Being part of a major international organisation, with Wiley's sales and marketing expertise, should boost sales and provide exposure worldwide for our authors."

John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd., is a subsidiary of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., is a global publisher of print and electronic products specializing in professional and consumer books and subscription services; scientific, technical, and medical books and journals; and textbooks and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students as well as lifelong learners. Wiley has publishing, marketing, and distribution centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company's Class A and Class B shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb, respectively. Wiley's Internet site can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.