BRUSSELS, Belgium, Nov. 04, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Fortis has today announced changes in the senior management of its Dutch Insurance business and in its Executive Committee. On 1 January 2006:
-- Jacques van Ek will retire from the ExCo and as CEO of Fortis
Insurance Netherlands
-- Peer van Harten, the ExCo member in charge of Fortis Insurance
International, will also become responsible for Fortis Insurance
Netherlands
-- Jos Baeten will succeed Jacques van Ek as CEO of Fortis Insurance
Netherlands, reporting to Peer van Harten
Having served Fortis and its predecessors for 24 years, Jacques van Ek (60) will retire from the ExCo and as CEO of Fortis Insurance Netherlands on 1 January 2006. Jos Baeten (46) will take over from Jacques van Ek as CEO of Fortis Insurance Netherlands. He will report directly to Peer van Harten (43), who as a member of the Executive Committee will be responsible for Fortis Insurance Netherlands and Fortis Insurance International. Jos Baeten has been with Fortis for 25 years and is now member of the Management Committee of Fortis Insurance Netherlands.
Jean-Paul Votron, CEO of Fortis comments: 'Jacques has done a tremendous job merging AMEV, Stad Rotterdam and Woudsend into Fortis ASR. Now that this merger has been completed, our Dutch insurance business is ready to enter a new phase, with many new challenges ahead. It was a great pleasure for me to work with Jacques. Fortis is very grateful for his commitment and significant contribution to the development of our Dutch insurance activities. As Jacques's successor in the Executive Committee, Peer van Harten will use his experience to fuel further growth at both Fortis Insurance International and Fortis Insurance Netherlands.'
As from 1 January 2006, the Executive Committee will consist of the following members:
Jean-Paul Votron - Chief Executive Officer
Herman Verwilst - Chief Operating Officer / Deputy CEO
Gilbert Mittler - Chief Financial Officer
Jos Clijsters - Retail Banking
Karel De Boeck - Commercial & Private Banking
Jozef De Mey - Insurance Belgium
Filip Dierckx - Merchant Banking
Peer van Harten - Insurance Netherlands &
Insurance International
Fortis Insurance Netherlands encompasses Fortis's Dutch insurance companies: Ardanta, De Amersfoortse, Europeesche, Falcon Leven, and Fortis ASR. On 1 October 2005 AMEV, Stad Rotterdam and Woudsend were merged into Fortis ASR. With an average market share of more than 10%, Fortis Insurance Netherlands is the third insurer in the Netherlands.
Fortis Insurance International combines insurance operations outside Belgium and the Netherlands with Fortis Corporate Insurance. Fortis sells insurance products in Europe in the United Kingdom (Fortis UK), Luxembourg (Fortis Luxembourg Assurances) and France (Fortis Assurances). These are fully owned Fortis subsidiaries. Fortis uses joint ventures to put its bancassurance expertise to work in Portugal (Millenniumbcp Fortis; stake 51%), in Spain (CaiFor; stake Life 40%, Non-life 60%), China (Taiping Life; stake 24.9%), Malaysia (Mayban-Fortis stake 30%) and Thailand (Muang Thai-Fortis; stake 40%).
Fortis is an integrated financial services provider engaged in the fields of banking and insurance. With a market capitalisation of EUR 30.9 billion (31/10/2005) and around 55,000 employees, Fortis ranks in the top 20 of European financial institutions. In its home market, the Benelux countries, Fortis occupies a leading position that it aims to develop and bolster. Fortis is drawing on the expertise it has acquired in its home market to realise its European ambitions via growth platforms. Fortis also operates successfully worldwide in selected activities. In specific countries in Europe and Asia it effectively exploits its know-how and experience in bancassurance. Fortis is listed on the exchanges of Amsterdam, Brussels and Luxembourg and has a sponsored ADR programme in the United States. More information is available on www.fortis.com
Press Offices:
Brussels: +32 2 565 35 84 Utrecht: +31 30 226 32 19
Investor Relations:
Brussels: +32 2 510 53 91 Utrecht: +31 30 226 32 20
Annex
Curriculum Vitae
Peer van Harten (1962)
Peer van Harten started his career at Lantor International as an area sales manager. He then joined AKZO where he was export manager responsible for Africa and Asia Pacific. His next assignment was with Nedlloyd, where he was marketing and sales manager and finally became Group Commercial Manager. His first steps in insurance came with his next assignment with Aegon, where he became manager for marketing and insurance technique. Two years later he was promoted Vice-President of the Business-to-Business Insurance division.
In 1998 he joined AMEV as Managing Director Accidents and Health. In 2003 he became a member of the ASR Management Team responsible for Operations. He is responsible for the integration of the former AMEV, Stad Rotterdam and Woudsend operations (Life, Non-Life, Health, and Banking). Peer's "Back-to-Basics" policy at Operations has resulted in a very strong bottom line improvement. In January 2005, Peer was appointed member of Fortis' Executive Committee, responsible for Insurance International.
Peer van Harten holds a degree in Business Administration and Philosophy from Utrecht University.
Jos Baeten (1958)
Jos Baeten joined Stad Rotterdam Verzekeringen on 1 October 1980. He held various posts before being appointed Director of N.V. Maatschappij van Assurantie, Discontering en Beleening der Stad Rotterdam Anno 1720 on 1 December 1991. Since 1995, he has been a Director of Levensverzekering Maatschappij Stad Rotterdam N.V. He was a member of the Management Board of Stad Rotterdam Verzekeringen N.V between 1997 and 1999, before becoming Chairman in October 1999. He joined the Management Board of Fortis ASR Verzekeringsgroep N.V. on 1 December 2001, with special responsibility for Accident and Health, Facility Management, and De Europeesche Verzekeringen. On account of this, he was also appointed Chairman of the Board of De Amersfoortse Verzekeringen in July 2003.
Jos Baeten graduated from the HEAO (Institute for Business Administration and Economics) in Eindhoven in 1980. He went on to gain a law degree from Rotterdam's Erasmus University in 1988.
http://hugin.info/134212/R/1019760/160452.pdf
-0-