  The southern emission-line star HD 144432 has received considerable attention
due to its relative brightness (V ~ 8.17), its late spectral type (late A-type
or perhaps early F) and its relative isolation from a bona-fide active star
formation region. We present new imaging and spectroscopic data of this star,
which in the past has been classified as both evolved (post-AGB) object and an
isolated Herbig Ae/Be star. We confirm the presence of a faint companion source
located 1.4 arcseconds north, which appears physically associated with HD
144432. New infrared spectroscopy reveals this companion to be a late-type
(early-mid K) star, devoid of any emission lines. Furthermore, we confirm the
pre-main sequence nature of this object, report the detection of Li I 6707.8 AA
absorption toward the HD 144432 system, and its apparent association with Sco
OB2-2 located at 145 pc.
