Expanded consulting expertise targets active development of companies managed in the portfolio – Emphasis on successful medium-sized enterprises – Management of investment funds and equity investments with longstanding tradition of entrepreneurship.

EQT Partners Beteiligungsberatung GmbH, Munich, has appointed Dr. Mark Woessner, outgoing Chairman of the Supervisory Board and former CEO of Bertelsmann AG as well as President of Bertelsmann Stiftung, to the position of Senior Adviser of EQT’s investment funds. Effective January 1, 2001, in this capacity, Dr. Woessner will contribute his many years of experience in the business world -- particularly in the media industry -- to the valuation of equity investments and will assume responsibilities in the advisory councils and supervisory boards of companies acquired by the Swedish private equity funds.

Also as of January 1, 2001, the Company has appointed outgoing CEO of Carl Zeiss AG, Dr. Peter H. Grassmann, to Senior Adviser of EQT’s investment funds. In addition, since July 2000 the circle of Senior Advisers also includes Dr. Eckhard Cordes, Board Member of DaimlerChrysler AG and longstanding Head of Group Development, as well as, since the beginning of the year, Dr. Günter Rexrodt, former German Minister for Economic Affairs.

Further Senior Advisors at EQT Partners include Percy Barnevik, former CEO of ABB, Harald Einsmann, former CEO of Procter & Gamble Europe, Leif Östling, CEO of Scania AB, Henning Kruse Petersen, Board Member of Nykredit A/S, among others.

Active advisory mandates characterize the success of EQT funds
With the appointment of the new Senior Advisers, EQT funds seek to expand their activities with a focus on the acquisition of larger medium-sized enterprises (“Mittelstand”) in German-speaking countries. EQT Partners Beteiligungsberatung GmbH, founded in 1999, exclusively advises EQT funds specialized in investments in successfully operating medium-sized enterprises.

These companies boast a strong market position as well as a high potential for growth in sales and earnings. Among the most important investment scenarios are financing growth, ownership changes and restructuring measures.

The continued support by experienced advisers – the “Senior Advisers” – from industry, trade and finance plays a decisive role in the success of the funds. This network of Senior Advisers is actively engaged in seeking investment opportunities and fostering the development of companies managed in the portfolio. Above all, the responsibilities of EQT’s Senior Advisers are to assist management during a strategic reorientation and solve structural and financial problems of the acquired companies with the goal of continued profitable development.

EQT: fund management based on entrepreneurship
EQT’s portfolio currently includes four private equity funds which focus on investments in northern Europe with a total equity capital of EUR 1.3 billion. Preparations are being made for a fifth fund that will be endowed with an estimated EUR 1.8 - 2 billion. EQT funds advised by EQT Partners AB, Stockholm, were created in 1994 from Investor AB, established already in 1918 as the investment trust company of the Wallenberg family. In accordance with the tradition of the Wallenberg family, EQT considers itself an entrepreneurial owner with an industrial background. The acquired companies are actively guided and developed by experienced advisers – the “Senior Advisors” – from industry, trade and finance. EQT Partners AB operates as an investment consultancy for all EQT funds. The subsidiary in Munich, founded
last year, is the first office outside the Nordic region. In addition to Munich, the Group currently has offices in Stockholm, Copenhagen and Helsinki.

Visible success of investments as partnerships
For investments in German companies, EQT will also make the Northern European Investment Fund available. This fund, with a volume between EUR 1.8 - 2.0 billion, is expected to be closed by the end of 2000. Like the previously established EQT funds, the new fund will also invest in selected companies with a strong market position. Through a combination of industrial and financial expertise as well as the provision of capital, significant growth in sales and earnings can be achieved.