ARAGON AG / Miscellaneous 02.03.2009 Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ARAGON subsidiary Jung, DMS & Cie. adds approximately 2,000 investment brokers of AXA subsidiary DVV - Germany's largest non-bank liability umbrella established - Buy-and-build strategy consistently pursued With immediate effect, Jung, DMS & Cie AG, Grünwald, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aragon AG, will be responsible for supporting the approximately 2,000 investment brokers of the AXA subsidiary, DBV Vermittlungsgesellschaft mbH für Versicherungen und Vermögensbildung (DVV), Offenbach. Following this increase in the number of serviced brokers with activities in investments, approximately 1,000 of whom work as tied agents under the own liability umbrella, Jung, DMS & Cie. will be the largest liability umbrella in Germany which operates independently of banks. Commenting on the transaction, Dr. Sebastian Grabmaier, Chairman of the Management Board of Jung, DMS & Cie. and CEO of Aragon said: 'The takeover of the DVV broker pool is a perfect example of how we are pursuing to execute Aragon AG's successful buy-and-build strategy in 2009. It is also another positive instance of strong strategic cooperation with our shareholder, AXA. Our proven expertise in integrating broker pools means that we expect to see a significant positive earnings contribution this year already. The transaction cements our leading role as driving force of the process of consolidation in the German brokerage market. At the same time, it represents a further step towards overtaking financial services provider MLP in the long term, based on the number of liability umbrella partners notified to the Federal Financial Services Authority (BaFin), which will make us the largest liability umbrella for independent sales.' 'We intend to offer a new home to all DVV brokers at Jung, DMS & Cie. in the shortest possible time and are delighted to be able to make the award-winning service offering, the adviser technology and the full product universe of Jung, DMS & Cie. available to so many experienced finance brokers with immediate effect. Our close cooperation with AXA and many years of M&A experience guarantee that all DVV finance brokers will be integrated in our systems swiftly and efficiently, enabling them to return to their usual work environment, now under a new umbrella.' Walter Schmidt, Managing Director of DVV and a future member of the management team at Jung, DMS & Cie. is pleased for his brokers: 'When I became aware of the progress Jung, DMS & Cie. has made in developing its range of services for the day-to-day work of independent finance brokers, the decision to change to the Jung, DMS & Cie. umbrella was easy. We intend to make the transfer as easy as possible for our partners by ensuring the highest level of continuity in cooperation with the existing DVV support team.' About ARAGON AG ARAGON AG is a broadly diversified financial services company, with the divisions Retail Sales, Banking & Banking Services and Institutional Sales. Aragon is active on the marketplace with multiple independent subsidiaries. The company's aim is to integrate various distribution models under one roof, without disturbing the individual identity of each sales company. The result is a wide diversification across various asset classes and distribution types, which generates a high stability in corporate earnings. Further information about the company and its subsidiaries can be viewed on the website: www.aragon.ag. About Jung, DMS & Cie. The Jung, DMS & Cie. Group is a network of more than 12,500 independent financial services providers in Germany and Austria. The advisers focus on consultancy and support for their customers. The Jung, DMS & Cie. Group has a team of over 100 people based in Wiesbaden, Grünwald near Munich and Vienna, who process all administrative aspects relating to investment, equity investment and insurance products as well as organising specialist training and continued professional development for its partners to ensure the best conditions for outstanding consulting quality. Partners of the Jung, DMS & Cie. Group pool are in a position to offer their customers in excess of 12,000 products from more than 300 companies in the investment, equity investment and insurance sectors. Via the liability umbrella of the Austrian subsidiary, Jung, DMS & Cie. GmbH, they also have access to structured bank products, especially certificates, hedge fund units and real estate shares. Today, the group of companies is one of Europe's biggest purchasing pools of independent financial advisers with a volume brokered of more than EUR 3.6bn in investment fund business alone. At the same time, with equity, certified by a notary, in excess of EUR 14m, it is one of the financially strongest providers in broker pool business. About DVV DVV GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DBVW Holding, which in turn is a subsidiary of the AXA Group. Within the DBVW organisation, DVV has broker responsibility for insurance and financial products vis-à-vis partners outside the AXA Group. Its activities focus on brokerage of investment products to external investment companies and banks. For this purpose, DVV has the status of a securities trading company in accordance with section 1 sub-section 3d clause 2 of the German Banking Act (KWG). With Walter Schmidt at the helm, DVV GmbH has refocused its sales activities in the past five years on growth in the segment of independent financial services providers. To this end, DVV has successfully positioned itself in the market as an investment pool for partners outside the parent company, DBVW. In the past five years, around 2,000 finance brokers joined DVV. Overall, the DVV sales partners service approximately 100,000 customers with managed assets totalling some EUR 800m. DVV GmbH and AXA welcome the close cooperation with Jung, DMS, an experienced partner of excellent standing in the relevant market segment. By combining the wide range of products and services for independent finance brokers offered by Jung, DMS with the sales performance of Walter Schmidt's team, the two companies expect to strengthen their respective businesses in the growth market of independent finance brokers. Contact: Aragon Aktiengesellschaft Ralf Funke Investor Relations Tel.: +49(0)611 890 575-0 Fax: +49(0)611 890 575-99 E-Mail: funke@aragon-ag.de DGAP 02.03.2009 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DGAP-News: ARAGON AG: ARAGON subsidiary Jung, DMS & Cie. adds approximately 2,000 investment brokers of AXA subsidiary DVV
| Source: EQS Group AG