ots Ad hoc-Service: DataDesign AG <DE0005527105 DataDesign AG Places 36% of Shares with Long-term Investors:
Munich (ots Ad hoc-Service) -
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DataDesign AG, Munich has effected significant changes to the holding of its major shareholders, thus establishing a forward-looking shareholder structure. Roughly 36% of the shares to date held by the family of former CEO and enterprise founder Stefan Pfender were taken over by Gontard & MetallBank AG, Frankfurt am Main and subsequently sold to long-term investors. The executive board and supervisory board of DataDesign expect that this change in share ownership will clarify the structure of long-term holdings in the company.
The shares taken over by the Gontard & MetallBank were sold in part to the existing major shareholders plenum AG, Wiesbaden, and Gold-Zack AG, Mettmann, as well as to venture capital companies. The executive board of DataDesign AG has also upped its share count.
Upon completion of the transactions, plenum AG now holds approximately 10% of the company's stock, some 9% are the property of Gold-Zack AG. The executive board of DataDesign AG, CEO Roy von der Locht and executive officer Michael Reithinger, now hold 11% of shares. Gontard & MetallBank AG placed the remaining shares with venture capitalist interested in a long-term investments. The some 4% of stock remaining in the possession of Stefan Pfender are subject to a prohibition on disposal with a term lasting until the end of the year 2000.
The decision of plenum to increase its shareholdings in DataDesign AG is indicative of the strong alliance between the two enterprises, a relationship that has grown even closer over the last months. Underscoring the spirit of this cooperation, the company is intending to grant plenum a voice in the supervisory board. The executive board of DataDesign AG will propose to the general meeting to vote on the appointment of the spokesman of the plenum management board, Hartmut Skubch, to the supervisory board of the company. If confirmed in office, he will replace Robert Käß, who will be retiring from the supervisory body.
With the two companies' interfacing both in terms of capital and at an organizational level, they have underlined their shared objectives, particularly the great potential for collaboration within the plenum Companion Network. The goal here is to step up the positive trend that is currently unfolding by reinforcing marketing activities, driving the joint internationalization campaign, and persistently exploiting the synergy of the two companies. The focus of the alliance is on WAP technology, Internet solutions for financial service providers and Internet e-government solutions.
Contact:
DataDesign AG Christian Rademann Manager Public Relations
Fürstenrieder Straße 267 D-81377 München Telephone: +49 (89) 7 41 19
312 Fax: +49 (89) 7 41 19 599 E-mail:ChristianR@datadesign.de
http://www.datadesign.de
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Original content of: DataDesign AG, transmitted by news aktuell