All Bell ceremonies

New Euronext Brussels’ offices

Inauguration new Euronext Brussels’ offices with Minister of Finance

On 26 May 2015, Johan Van Overtveldt, Minister of Finance opened the European stock markets of Euronext with a Bell Ceremony to celebrate the inauguration of Euronext Brussels’ new offices.

The Marquis Building, in the heart of Belgium’s capital, maintains the strong ties between Euronext and the Belgian ecosystem, reinforcing Euronext’s key role in financing Belgium’s real economy. Better suited to the company's needs, the new premises are also a better fit with Euronext’s new culture of efficiency, growth and innovation.

The Marquis Building, situated in Rue du Marquis 1, bte 1, 1000 Brussels, is ideally located in terms of accessibility and public transport.

Amundi MSCI Low Carbon Leaders index ETF

Amundi ETF launches the first ETF in Europe exposed to a MSCI Low Carbon Leaders index

This innovative launch once again demonstrates Amundi ETF innovation capabilities, as well as the Group’s developments in terms of Low Carbon solutions.

Amundi ETF is launching an innovative ETF on Euronext providing investors with exposure to the MSCI World Low Carbon Leaders index that has been launched last September by MSCI, and developed with Amundi and two major European pension funds.
The MSCI World Low Carbon Leaders’ methodology aims to achieve at least a 50% reduction in the level of carbon emissions compared to the MSCI World, while minimizing the tracking error relative to it and retaining a sectorial and geographical similar composition.
This ETF aims at offering an efficient solution to investors seeking to adress the financial risk of climate change and carbon exposure.
This new ETF is offered with a TER of 0.25% and is available in EUR and USD share classes.

Nyenrode Business University

Nyenrode Business University opens trading for Private Investor Program

Nyenrode Business University opens trading for Private Investor Program. Participants in the Private Investor Program actively learn to analyse and manage their own investment portfolios according to the latest insights in the field of investing.

They are being taught by top experts who assist them in every step making the right investment decisions. After successful completion of this program, the graduates are able to independently take control of their own portfolio and are at least at the same level as a professional investor with several years of experience.

Dinie Adriaanse, graduate of the Nyenrode Private Investor Program, sounds the gong.

For more information: www.executiveeducation.nl

Philips Innovation Award 2015

Winner Philips Innovation Award 2015 opens trading

Every year Philips (ticker symbol: PHIA) organizes the largest student business prize in the Netherlands, the Philips Innovation Awards. Student Start-up Pearltect, a bracelet that protects against sexual violence, won the Philips Innovation Award in 2015. Pearltect can call itself the most innovative student start-up of the Netherlands this coming year. During the final five finalists had to compete against each other for a jury chaired by Frans van Houten, CEO Philips.

The Pearltect is an as jewelry wearable self-defense bracelet. After activation an (unpleasant) odoriferous substance and an invisible marker is released. The odoriferous substance is used to (sexually) discourage the attacker. The marker can link the attacker to the crime-scene even after months.

The team of Pearltect, who won both first prize and the People's Choice Award, study at Erasmus University in Rotterdam and TU in Delft.

For more information: www.phia.nl

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Porto SAD

Porto SAD rings the closing bell

To celebrate the listing of €45 million in bonds, Fernando Gomesrang the Closing Bell. He was accompanied by Porto SAD management team, along with the Euronext team. Bonds demand exceeded offer in 2.4 times. This bonds pay 5% in interest rate, and almost 4,800 investors purchased FC Porto SAD 2015-2018 bonds.

Unibail-Rodamco bond issue

Fabrice Mouchel, Member of Management Board and Deputy CFO , Unibail-Rodamco, opens the European trading day in Paris. Unibail-Rodamco rings the bell at the occasion of a new convertible bond issued on Euronext Paris.

Unibail-Rodamco is the largest European commercial real estate company with a portfolio valued at €34.6 billion as at December 31, 2014.
As part of the proactive management of Unibail-Rodamco's balance sheet, which aims to extend the average maturity of its debt, diversify its funding sources and optimize its cost of debt, the Group announces the successful placement of a €500 million Ornane (Net share settled bonds convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares) due January 1st, 2022.
The transaction was 6 times oversubscribed and is the first convertible bond with a negative yield issued by a real estate company in the Euro market.
The exercise price is €346.87, reflecting a 37% premium to the volume weighted average of UnibailRodamco’s share price on the day of the issue.
This Ornane also includes an adjustment mechanism for annual distribution in excess of €9.60 per share.

Amsterdam Business Awards 2015

Nominees Amsterdam Business Awards 2015 visit Beursplein 5

On May 28, the Amsterdam Business Awards will be presented at the NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky. The nominees of the Amsterdam Business Award visit Beursplein 5 and open trading.

From dozens of entries, the jury nominated A-Point, ENOT and Kesbeke for the Amsterdam Business Award 2015. The most iconic cultural entrepreneur and important Amsterdam-based international company will also be honored at the gala.

The annual award Amsterdam Business Award, Amsterdam Culture Award and Amsterdam International Business Award reflect the passion for Amsterdam and proud of entrepreneurship and thus contribute concretely to the promotion of the region.

For more information: www.amsterdambusinessaward.nl

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Sporting SAD

Sporting SAD rings the closing bell

To celebrate the listing of €30 million in bonds, Bruno de Carvalho rang the Closing Bell. He was accompanied by Sporting SAD management team, along with the Euronext team. Bonds demand exceeded offer in 2.6 times. This bonds pay 6,25% in interest rate, and more than 4,200 investors bought Sporting SAD 2015-2018 bonds.

Annual Life Sciences Convention

Remote Bell Ceremony in Ghent to open the Annual Life Sciences Convention

On 21 May 2015, Hilde Windels, CFO of Biocartis; Tim Van Hauwermeiren, CEO of arGEN-X and Michel Helbig de Balzac, Chairman of Bone Therapeutics opened the European stock markets of Euronext with a Bell Ceremony at the Annual Life Sciences Convention “Knowledge for Growth” – flandersBio’s largest regional biotech Convention of Europe in Ghent. The members of the Board of FlandersBio as well as Henk Joos, Managing Director of FlandersBio were also present.

If you would like to find out more : www.Knowledgeforgrowth.be

CFA Society

CFA Society of the Netherlands celebrates 'Putting Investors First' Month with sounding the gong

Jacco Heemskerk, Vice President of the Society of Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) in the Netherlands, sounds the gong to celebrate the 'Putting Investors First' Month. This marks the second year of this annual awareness campaign and builds on the success of May 2014, when activities took place in 58 cities globally by member societies representing more than 60,000 investment professionals. The initiative aims to unite investment professionals in a commitment to place investor interests above all others.

Throughout the month, many of the organization’s 144 member societies worldwide will host local events and call attention to the needs and rights of investors by endorsing the Statement of Investor Rights, a list of ten rights that any investor should expect from financial service providers.

“We aspire to build and lead the investment management profession; to do this we must continue to stand together for what is right, and in investors’ best interests. All investors have the right to be served by professionals who act as stewards of their savings,” said Jacco Heemskerk. “By supporting Putting Investors First Month, we want to inspire our community to make real impact and foster a market environment where investors can thrive.”

For more information: www.cfainstitute.org

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Alternext Paris 10 years

Celebrating the 10 years of Alternext Paris

Anthony Attia, CEO of Euronext Paris, and Eric Forest, CEO of EnterNext, close the European trading day in Paris to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Alternext Paris, Euronext's subsidiary market dedicated to the financing of SMEs.

24th Roparun

Nelli Cooman opens trading leading up to 24th Roparun

Nelli Cooman, ambassador of the Roparun Foundation and former world champion 60 metres indoor, opens trading leading up to the 24^th Roparun.

The Roparun is a relay race of more than 500 kilometres from Paris and Hamburg to Rotterdam, in which people work as a team to give a combined sports performance in order to raise money for people who suffer from cancer.

The Roparun will start Saturday 16 May in Hamburg and Paris and finishes on 25 May, Whit Monday, on the Coolsingel in Rotterdam. A Roparun team is made up of around 25 people with a maximum of eight runners, who each run an average of about 65 kilometres. Besides the runners, a team includes a number of supporting members such as drivers, medics, caterers and road captains.

Besides the physical challenge, the team must also make an effort to raise money for the cause. Teams do this by organising various activities including bag packing at supermarkets, washing cars, collecting donations and looking for sponsors. The team members must also sell Roparun raffle tickets, the proceeds of which go to the charity. The three teams who raise the most money and the six teams who win prizes for their running speed are honoured during the final celebration of the Roparun, which takes place a few weeks after the finish. On that evening, the total amount of money raised by the Roparun will also be announced. Over the past twenty-three editions of the Roparun, more than sixty-two million euros have been raised for people suffering from cancer.

For more information: www.roparun.nl

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USG People celebrates launch of Online Business Solutions by sounding gong

Hans van Rijnswoud, Director of Adver-Online, opens the Amsterdam stock exchange on Interim Staff Day. Ceremonially, USG People launches its Online Business Solutions today in the presence of Rob Zandbergen, CEO of USG People, Jan Peter Tulip, Director Netwerven, and Steve Sichtman, Director Blue Carpet.

In the HR sector, innovation and technology applications play an increasingly important role. USG People meets these demands and has recently acquired interests in Adver-Online, Netwerven and Blue Carpet, three young technology driven companies that have already successfully acquired a position in online HR services.

The Online Business Solutions are propositions with strong technology-driven applications. This enables USG People to develop new online business models and also act as an enabler for the digital transformation of existing operations. These business solutions enable customers to optimize their human resources processes. USG People is constantly looking for the best way to bind together employers and employees, and to further develop the added value for the labor market.

For more information: www.usgpeople.com

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Primecity Investment Plc

Philipp Von Bodman, CEO of Primecity Investment Plc, rings the bell in Paris for its listing on Alternext.

Primecity Investment Plc is a specialist real estate investment company focused on investing in and repositioning of hotel properties. The hotel properties are located in key german locations which enjoy high tourism, business and exhibitions, such as Berlin, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Mannheim, Dresden and Leipzig.

Shell Eco-marathon

Shell Eco-marathon celebrates 30th anniversary by sounding gong

From 21 to 24 May 2015, Ahoy Rotterdam will host an event to showcase technology: Shell Eco-marathon, one of the world’s most challenging student competitions in innovation, technology and sustainability. The nail-biting contest between 220 student teams is all about who can drive the longest distance with a self-constructed vehicle on one litre of fuel. This year’s edition marks the 30^th anniversary of the event. As in previous years, the contest will coincide with the Powering Progress Together (PPT) forum and the Shell Energy Lab.

On 21 May, there will be a discussion entitled ‘The Technology Factor’ between representatives from the business community, education and government and, last but not least, young people themselves about the vital importance of education in technology for the future of the Netherlands. At the Shell Energy Lab (21-24 May) over 40,000 children aged 6 to 13 will together with their teacher or parents discover how diverse and exciting science and technology can be.

Students of team H2A of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences sound the gong at the Amsterdam exchange. The team won in the prototype hydrogen category in 2014.

For more information: www.shell.nl/ecomarathon

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National Investors Survey is opened by sounding of the gong

By sounding the gong at Euronext Amsterdam, VEB and beurswijzer.com declare the national investors inquiry “Hoe Belegt Nederland?” (How does Holland Invest) to be opened. This large scale survey amongst Dutch investors is conducted bi-annually. Over 60.000 investors have been invited to participate in this survey. 

VEB and beurswijzer.com would like to know why and how people are investing and their expectations in this regard for the near future. Topics of interest are the investors risk appetite, the preference for bonds or stocks and the costs of investing.

The results will be published in Effect, the monthly magazine of the VEB and at the website of beurswijzer.com.

The VEB (Vereniging van Effecten Bezitters) represents the interest of private investors. Beurswijzer.com is an online investor magazine of Mediafin, the publisher of Belgian newspaper De Tijd.

For more information:  www.veb.net

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Knab celebrated New York Celent Digital Bank Award by sounding gong

Online bank Knab won the Celent Digital Bank Award 2015 in New York, because the bank is taking the lead in innovative digital banking. The online bank is the first Dutch bank to win this award. The international prize is awarded annually to banks that stand out in the effective use of technology in a specific field. The award is celebrated with sounding the gong by the co-founder of Knab, Marcel Kalse.

Rene Frijters, founder and director of Knab, accepted the award in New York at a gathering with all the nominees: "We stand out in the Netherlands because of our totally different approach. But that we are seen internationally as a progressive bank is very special. Because 100% online banks are being set up around the world. And they put the banking sector in motion everywhere. It is nice to see that we, as a small player, are also internationally praised for our innovative approach. Knab does not operate from the idea 'technology first'. We want to make banking easier, smarter and more fun. And the technology makes this possible. "

For more information:  www.knab.nl

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DPA Group

New CFO of DPA Group visits Beursplein 5

Stefan Heesakkers has been appointed as CFO of DPA Group N.V. (ticker symbol DPA) and opens trading on Beursplein 5. The General Meeting of Shareholders of DPA agreed at the annual meeting on 23 April 2015 to appoint Stefan Heesakkers as a member of the Board of Directors and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company.

The appointment of Stefan Heesakkers is related to the increasing scale of the company, the greatly increased span of control of the members of the Board of Directors, and the plans for growth. Stefan Heesakkers has been involved at DPA as Finance Director since 2012. In this role, he has implemented improved financial reporting and was jointly responsible for the acquisition of CreditForce Professionals, Ingenieursbureau Technipower, Cauberg-Huygen Raadgevende Ingenieurs, and the consultancy Fagro. Stefan previously worked as an investment analyst at HAL Capital Management and as a consultant and partner at the corporate finance firm SpringFinance. He also held financial and advisory positions at the telecommunications company Scarlet, Sahara International Ventures, and via Cruysbergen Entrepreneurial Consultancy.

The DPA Group focuses on the provision of high-quality recommendations, the sustainable and flexible deployment of specialized professionals, and the development of knowledge and expertise. DPA offers solutions for innovation and change programmes, projects, complex issues, and temporary replacement.

For more information: www.dpa.nl

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