Exhibit 99.1

Synthesis Energy Systems Expands Board of Directors

Appoints Dr. Yang Guang of Hongye International Investment Group

HOUSTON, October 24, 2012 – Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SYMX), or SES, announced today that its board of directors has voted unanimously to expand the board to eight members from seven and to elect Dr. Yang Guang to fill the vacancy.

Dr. Yang is Executive Vice President of Hongye International Investment Group, General Manager of the Hongye biomedical division and is the Managing Partner of Hongye SD Group, LLC. He was appointed to the board as a designee of Hongye pursuant to the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement between SES and Hongye, whereby Hongye received the right to nominate two persons to the board for as long as Hongye owns or controls at least 9% of SES’ common stock.

Lorenzo Lamadrid, Chairman of the Board, commented, “I am pleased to welcome Dr. Yang to the Company’s board of directors. Dr. Yang is an accomplished entrepreneur, business executive and scientist whose deep experience and relationships in China will be invaluable in helping us achieve our financial, business development and commercialization objectives.”

Dr. Yang stated, “I am looking forward to working with SES’ management team and board of directors to help drive the Company’s success in China. I believe SES’ gasification technology is key to the development of China’s abundant, untapped low rank coal resources and will enable the production of clean energy and products while improving the country’s energy security.”

In addition to his positions at Hongye, Dr. Yang is the founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Velox Pharmaceutical, Inc. Dr. Yang is an advisory director of Nanjing Sharelink Capital Co., Ltd., a government venture fund company focusing on early stage investment in China. Earlier in his career, Dr. Yang worked in the pharmaceutical industry as principle scientist and director for DuPont, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche-Chugai, and Mitsubishi-Tanabe. Dr. Yang earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from University of Maryland at College Park, a M.S. in organic chemistry from Bucknell University, and a B.S in polymer chemistry from University of Science and Technology of China.

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About Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc.

SES provides technology, equipment and engineering services for the conversion of low rank, low cost coal and biomass feedstocks into energy and chemical products. Its strategy is to create value through providing technology and equipment in regions where low rank coals and biomass feedstocks can be profitably converted into high value products through its proprietary U-GAS^® fluidized bed gasification technology, which SES licenses from the Gas Technology Institute. U-GAS^® gasifies coal cost effectively, without many of the harmful emissions normally associated with coal combustion plants. The primary advantages of U-GAS^® relative to other gasification technologies are (a) greater fuel flexibility provided by the ability of SES to use all ranks of coal (including low rank, high ash and high moisture coals, which are significantly cheaper than higher grade coals), many coal waste products and biomass feed stocks; and (b) the ability of SES to operate efficiently on a smaller scale, which enables the construction of plants more quickly, at a lower capital cost, and, in many cases, in closer proximity to coal sources. SES currently has offices in Houston, Texas, and Shanghai, China. For more information on SES and SRS, please visit www.synthesisenergy.com or call (713) 579-0600.

SES Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “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. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Among those risks, trends and uncertainties are the early stage of development of SES, its estimate of the sufficiency of existing capital sources, its ability to successfully develop its licensing business, its ability to raise additional capital to fund cash requirements for future investments and operations including its China platform initiative, its ability to reduce operating costs, the limited history and viability of its technology, commodity prices and the availability and terms of financing opportunities, its results of operations in foreign countries, its ability to diversify, its ability to complete the restructuring of the ZZ Joint Venture, its ability to obtain the necessary approvals and permits for its future projects, the estimated timetables for achieving mechanical completion and commencing commercial operations for the Yima project as well as the ability of the Yima project to produce revenues and earnings, the sufficiency of internal controls and procedures and the ability of SES to effect the remaining transactions with Hongye and Zhongmo and our ongoing discussions with ZJX and China Energy to grow its business and generate revenues and earnings as a result of its proposed China and India platform initiatives, as well as its joint venture with Midas Resource Partners. Although SES believes that in making such forward-looking statements its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions, such statements may be influenced by factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. SES cannot assure you that the assumptions upon which these statements are based will prove to have been correct.

Important Notice from SES

In connection with the proposed ZJX/China Energy transaction, SES has filed a preliminary proxy statement, and intends to file a definitive proxy statement, with the SEC and intends to mail the definitive proxy statement to the stockholders of SES. SES and its directors and officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of SES in connection with the transaction. Information about the transaction is set forth in the preliminary proxy statement filed, and will be set forth in the definitive proxy statement to be filed by SES with the SEC.

You may obtain the preliminary statement and, when available, the definitive proxy statement, for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Investors should read the definitive proxy statement carefully before making any voting or investment decision because that document will contain important information.

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Contact:

Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc.

Kevin Kelly

Chief Accounting Officer

(713) 579-0600

Kevin.Kelly@synthesisenergy.com

MBS Value Partners, LLC (Investors)

Matthew D. Haines

Managing Director

(212) 710-9686

Matt.Haines@mbsvalue.com

Feintuch Communications (Media)

Savannah Tikotsky

Senior Account Executive

(212) 808-4903

SES@feintuchpr.com

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