As next step following the successful implementation of Getronics operational and financial recovery, named the Entrepreneurial Solution, the Supervisory Board announces the long-term leadership of Getronics:
- Mr. Klaas Wagenaar (44) will become CEO and Chairman of the Board of Management effective today.
- Mr. Axel Rückert leaves Getronics as the turn around process and the restructuring are on track.
- At an extra-ordinary Shareholders’ meeting in December 2003,
Mr. Oswald Coene (42) and Mr. Kevin Roche (43) will be proposed for election to the Board of Management effective 1 January 2004.
Mr. Coene and Mr. Roche are currently members of the general management team of Getronics.
- The Supervisory Board expects to extend the Board of Management in the near future.
Effective 1 January 2004, Mr. Marinus Minderhoud (currently Vice Chairman) has been elected as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Getronics N.V. succeeding Mr. Mijndert Ververs who will continue as a member of the Supervisory Board. Mr. Berend Brix will become Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
The Supervisory Board of Getronics, together with the current Board of Management, has completed a review of the longer-term strategy of Getronics. Following this review, the Supervisory Board also considered the requirements for the Company’s leadership team.
The Supervisory Board appointed Mr. Klaas Wagenaar as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Management effective 1 December 2003. The Supervisory Board is confident that under Mr. Wagenaar’s leadership the Board of Management will be able to further strengthen the Company and to realise additional improvements in operational and financial performance. Mr. Wagenaar was Vice Chairman of the Board of Management since February 2003 and is well experienced in the international ICT industry.
At an extra-ordinary Shareholders’ meeting in December 2003, Mr. Oswald Coene (42) and Mr. Kevin Roche (43) will be proposed for election to the Board of Management effective 1 January 2004. Mr. Coene and Mr. Roche are currently General Managers of the Company’s two largest and most successful operations, the Netherlands and North America respectively, and are members of the general management team.
Mijndert Ververs, Chairman of the Supervisory Board: “Axel Rückert and Klaas Wagenaar took over as Chairman resp. Vice-Chairman of the Board in February this year when Getronics was facing great difficulties. They took the helm at a critical moment. Together with a dedicated management team they had the difficult task to rebuild confidence in Getronics, to convince customers, strategic partners and leading analysts in the industry that Getronics was a sound business with knowledgeable leadership and above all with a future. Clients and partners stayed loyal to us and analysts changed their opinion. As the turn around process and the restructuring are now on track we are keen to secure long-term leadership for the Company. Klaas Wagenaar has expressed his interest to lead Getronics to the next stage of development. Following a very successful period of nine months as Chairman, of Getronics N.V, Axel Rückert will pursue other interests. We thank Axel Rückert for his outstanding contribution to Getronics’ recovery. Under his leadership great progress has been achieved. We all wish him well.”
Klaas Wagenaar comments :
“ I am excited by the opportunity to lead Getronics into the next stage of its development. During 2003, together with Axel Rückert and our management teams world wide, we have made excellent progress with the financial and operational recovery that resulted in renewed stakeholder’s confidence in Getronics. Management now intends to focus on delivering further improvements to operational performance whilst maintaining excellent client satisfaction rates.”
Effective from 1 January 2004, Mr. Marinus Minderhoud has been elected to be Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Getronics N.V. in succession of Mr. Mijndert Ververs. Mr. Ververs, will continue as a member of the Supervisory Board. The new Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board will be Mr. Berend Brix. The Supervisory Board would like to express its warm appreciation and thanks to Mr. Ververs for the years of service as Chairman of the Supervisory Board to Getronics.
Profiles are attached.
About Getronics
With 23,000 employees in over 30 countries and forecast revenues of circa EUR 2.7 billion in 2003, Getronics is one of the world's leading providers of vendor independent Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions and services. Getronics today combines the capabilities of the original Dutch company with those of Wang Global, acquired in 1999, and of the systems and services division of Olivetti. Getronics is ranked second worldwide in network and desktop outsourcing and fourth worldwide in network consulting and integration (Source: IDC 2002-2003).
Getronics designs, integrates and manages ICT infrastructures and business solutions for many of the world's largest global and local companies and organisations, helping them maximise the value of their information technology investments.
Getronics headquarters are in Amsterdam, with regional offices in Boston and Singapore. Getronics’ shares are traded on Euronext Amsterdam (‘GTN’). For further information about Getronics, visit www.getronics.com
For further information:
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Appendix: Leadership profiles
Profile
Klaas Wagenaar
Mr. Klaas Wagenaar, a Dutch national, started his career in auditing. His last audit assignment was with PricewaterhouseCoopers as audit manager.
After a few years as a partner in a small family business, Mr. Wagenaar spent the next 15 years in the telecommunications and technology sector. This included positions with Cap Gemini Ernst & Young (a leading ICT services company), Baan Company (in the Enterprise Resource Planning applications industry), and Sonera Zed (mobile Internet). He recently managed a financial restructuring and recovery programme on behalf of the Board of Cebeco Group.
In all these companies, Mr. Wagenaar held senior executive positions in both finance and operations, living and working in the Netherlands, Belgium (Brussels), UK (London), Sweden (Stockholm), and the US. He developed his professional career in leading, fast-growing, innovative businesses that have operated in turbulent markets. In the process, he has gained extensive experience in financial restructuring and business recovery.
Mr. Wagenaar has served on a number of supervisory boards including Detron Group NV, an Amsterdam Exchange listed Telecoms Company that was sold in 2000 to Landis Group NV. In April 2001, he became Chairman of the supervisory board of Twinfield BV, a company offering and supporting ASP enabled accounting functionality in Europe. Mr. Wagenaar became Vice-Chairman of Getronics in February 2003.
Profile
Oswald Coene
Mr. Oswald Coene, a Dutch national, graduated as Master of Business Administration. He started his career as the International Product Manager for Pharmarceutical Products with Akzo Nobel NV. He then spent four years as a Managing Consultant with Bouman Mim & Van Spaendonck BV after which, in 1991, he joined Getronics. His first position with the company was as Manager of Corporate Development, in which capacity he oversaw Mergers &Acquisitions, New Business and Investor Relations. He went on to assume the positions of Managing Director of Transaction & Card Systems B.V. and then Managing Director of Getronics Software B.V. Between 1999 and 2002 he supervised Getronics Infrastructure Solutions B.V, first as Vice President and subsequently as Managing Director. Mr. Coene is currently Senior Vice President & Managing Director of Getronics Netherlands and is a Member of the Management Committee of Getronics. He is also a Member of Board of MediaPlaza Utrecht and a Member of the Advisory Board of "De Nieuwe Kerk", Amsterdam.
Profile
Kevin Roche
Kevin Roche, a US national, graduated as a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in management and marketing. He started his career in 1983 at Wang Laboratories as a business systems analyst. He then went on to hold the position first, as Senior Manager Western Region Field Service Operations and subsequently, Director of PC Manufacturing Operations. Between 1992 and 1998 Mr. Roche further developed his career at Astea International. He initially held the role of Director of Professional Services, where he was responsible for deploying Astea International's CRM solutions to its largest global clients and for developing the company's standard project methodology. He went on to become Vice President of Software Development and Senior Vice President, North American Operations. In 1998, Mr. Roche returned to Wang Global as Vice President of Central Services. After Getronics took over Wang Global in 2000, he was appointed President, Field Integrated Managed Services and from there he took the position of President, North America, Getronics Infrastructure Solutions. Since 2002, Mr. Roche has been General Manager, North America Operations and, in addition, is responsible for Getronics Global Alliances and Global Managed Services.
Profile
Marinus Minderhoud
Marinus Minderhoud is, amongst others, member of the Supervisory Board of Nuon N.V. and Rabobank Nederland. Until October 1998, he held various executive positions at companies belonging to the ING Group. From 1991 until 1998 Mr. Minderhoud has been, amongst others, member of the Board of Management of ING Groep N.V. During that period he was also member of the Board of Management of ING Bank N.V. and since January 1998 Chairman. He has been responsible for ICT within the ING Group for more than 10 years.
Profile
Berend Brix
Until October 2002 Mr. Berend Brix held various executive positions at companies belonging to the Cap Gemini Ernst & Young Group. In 2000 he became a member of the Group Management Committee of the merged company Cap Gemini Ernst & Young. Prior to this appointment he has been, amongst others, Chairman of the Board of Management of Cap Gemini N.V. and a member of the Board of Management of Volmac Software Group N.V.