Brussels – 4 July 2013– NYSE Euronext (NYX) officially launched EnterNext® in Brussels today. This new subsidiary is a dedicated marketplace for SMEs. With a bold strategy and a NYSE Euronext proven capacity to deliver, EnterNext® has been designed to facilitate the financing requirements and development of SMEs that operate regionally, nationally and internationally. The aim of the initiative is to make financing through the equity market attractive to SMEs by involving all stakeholders of the Brussels marketplace.
EnterNext® reaches out to companies that have a capitalization of under €1 billion and already covers over 750 SMEs listed on the regulated market of NYSE Euronext and on NYSE Alternext. In Brussels, EnterNext® concerns 115 listed companies with a joint market capitalization of €25.35 billion.
Eric Forest, CEO of EnterNext®: “EnterNext is a pan-European marketplace with substantial means of its own at its disposal. It enjoys the support of NYSE Euronext, market parties and other stakeholders. As a result EnterNext can offer the right solutions and make an important and crucial contribution to the Belgian business community and economy.”
Vincent Van Dessel, Chairman and CEO of NYSE Euronext Brussels: “Especially for SMEs, the engine of our Belgian economy, it is vital to be able to raise capital for future growth. NYSE Euronext works closely on continuous improvement to fine-tune the structure of its offering and give greater visibility to issues by SMEs. With the help of all market players such as banks, brokers, regulators and the government, I am confident EnterNext will contribute to reach this objective.”
EnterNext® can rely on its own substantial resources and the full support of the NYSE Euronext group to promote and facilitate all offers and services currently available to Belgian SMEs. With its own dedicated team and finances, EnterNext® aims at:
- Positioning the stock exchange as a source for alternative financing
- Promoting SMEs to investors as an attractive asset class
- Defining and promoting new services and financing options
- Managing the day‐to‐day and grassroots relationships with issuers and listing candidates
- Developing a regional and national marketing strategy
Belgium is represented in the Managing Board of EnterNext® by Vincent Van Dessel, Chairman and CEO of NYSE Euronext Brussels, and Koen Dejonckheere, CEO of Gimv. The board is chaired by Eric Forest, CEO of EnterNext®, and the remaining 14 seats are divided equally between qualified external Directors and NYSE Euronext.
In order to celebrate the launch of EnterNext® in Brussels, Eric Forest, CEO of EnterNext®, and Dominique Cerutti, President and Deputy CEO of NYSE Euronext rang the bell to open trading on NYSE Euronext’s Brussels market. The bell ceremony was followed by a conference presenting the new subsidiary to representatives of the Belgian market. Vincent Van Dessel also chaired two panel discussions on financing SMEs, featuring key stakeholders who shared their insights on this new initiative.