Best of European Business in the Netherlands

• For the first time ever, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants' "Best of European Business Award" is being conferred on October 31st to internationally successful Dutch companies
• Dutch award winners: Mittal and TomTom in the Growth category, DSM and Stage Entertainment for Innovation and ABN AMRO and Ten Cate for cross-border acquisitions
• The competition is taking place in ten countries

For the first time, the "Best of European Business (BEB)" competition is being held in the Netherlands this year. First launched by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants in 2005, the competition acknowledges the outstanding performances of companies in 10 European countries. To determine the winners of the pan-European competition, experts evaluated over 8,000 companies from Denmark, Germany, France, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland and Spain. Companies were assessed according to defined criteria in several different categories, and in the end a high-caliber jury will select the winners. The competition, which lasts several months in Europe's strongest economies, will draw to a close at the European Business Summit in Brussels on March 15-16, 2007. The Summit will be attended by top politicians, EU parliamentarians and business leaders. On October 31st the winning Dutch companies were honored at an awards ceremony in Amsterdam.

In the Netherlands, a total of six companies have been honored in the categories of Growth, Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) and Innovation. In each category, both a mid-size and large company have been selected as winners.
In the Growth category, Mittal and TomTom have each won a "Best of European Business Award".

Mittal has established itself as one of the world's leading steel companies because management correctly foresaw the growing demand for steel and acquired other steel producers. Its acquisition of Arcelor was exactly the right strategic step, taken at exactly the right moment.

TomTom has become market leader for navigation technologies. With its successful marketing strategy in the US, Australia and the EU as well as innovative applications that are precisely targeted to customers' needs, TomTom achieved impressive growth that the jury has now rewarded.

DSM and Stage Entertainment have been awarded prizes in the Innovation category. Over the course of its 100-year history, DSM has gone from being a mine operator to the biggest producer of chemicals, nutritional and pharma ingredients, and performance materials in the Netherlands. The key to the company's success has been a high level of innovation and cooperation with scientific and academic networks.

Entertainment company Stage Entertainment has succeeded in constantly creating high-value show productions that are marketed internationally. The company has a network of locations in Europe and the US where its shows are presented, and up to 13 million spectators enjoy the Dutch productions each year.

In the Mergers and Acquisitions category, awards went to ABN AMRO and Ten Cate. After taking over Italy's Bank Antonveneta for EUR 7.6 billion, ABN AMRO has become the largest foreign bank in Italy's financial market.

By acquiring Austrian geotextile manufacturer Polyfelt, the 400 years old functional textile specialist Ten Cate successfully expanded its polysynthetics portfolio. The company was also able to further develop its sales network in CEE and Asia through this deal.

Winners of other national competitions

The Amsterdam award ceremony concluded the fourth in a series of ten national competitions. Winners in Portugal, Spain and Switzerland have already received their awards.

The first BEB event was held in August in Switzerland. In the Mergers and Acquisitions category, Holcim Group was awarded a prize. The group was also crowned overall winner of the Swiss competition, receiving the Swiss Grand Prix 2006. Among the larger companies, Geberit Group, which specializes in sanitary technology, received the Growth award. The SME Growth prize went to vehicle manufacturer Stadler Rail. In the special European Presence category, which replaced the Innovation category in Switzerland, the jury selected Sika AG as winner, a company that produces specialty chemicals for construction and industrial applications.

"Best of European Business" took place for the second time in Portugal. In the Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions category, energy group Grupo EDP received an award. Another energy provider, Galp Energia, took home the prize for Growth. In the same category, SME Logoplaste, a packaging specialist, won an award. Portugal's leading construction company Mota Engil was honored for its European Strategy, while paper producer Renova won the strategy prize for SMEs.

Spain also saw its second BEB competition in 2006. In the Growth category, Gamesa Corp. Technologica was awarded a prize for its sustainable energy offer. Ornamental stone specialist COSENTINO took home the Growth prize for SMEs. In the European Strategy category, construction company Gruppo Ferrovial nudged out the competition among large companies, while automotive supplier Ficosa won the SME award in the same category. Telecommunications giant Telefónica won in the Cross-border M&A category. For SMEs, fertilizer manufacturer Fertiberia took first prize. Spain's Grand Prix 2006 winner was industrial group Grupo Villar Mir.

Further national events are set to take place in Denmark, Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Poland. The next awards ceremony will be held in Rome on November 8.

For further information please refer to www.best-of-european-business.com