Opera Forward Festival

Dutch National Opera sounds gong for Opera Forward Festival

On 15 March the first edition of the Opera Forward Festival starts, a new festival in honour of the 50th anniversary of the Dutch National Opera. Initiator and director Pierre Audi opens trading by sounding the gong, the day before the opening.

Opera Forward Festival opens with the world premiere Only the Sound Remains of Finnish composer Kaija Sariaaho. In the ten days the festival lasts, there are four grand operas on three different locations. The National Opera & Ballet Theatre is the heart of everything, with lectures, student performances, exhibitions and after talks.

The festival is dedicated to the future of art and the art of opera. The gong ceremony is also attended by soloist Davone Tines and Els van der Plas, director National Opera & Ballet, representing the festival.

For more information: www.operaforwardfestival.nl

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Opening of trading with Masterclasses Financiële Journalistiek

The gong is sounded by ‘Masterclasses Financiële Journalistiek’ because of the Masterclass Financial Markets (Financiële Markten) held at Beursplein 5.

The Masterclass Financial Markets provides an overview of the financial markets and deals with questions like who are key players, what happens on unregulated markets and the relationship with the ‘real’ economy? The masterclass is held at Euronext Amsterdam. Speakers include economics professor Bas Jacobs, Lukas Daalder, CIO Robeco and Maurice van Tilburg, CEO Euronext Amsterdam.

The Masterclasses Financiële Journalistiek offers journalists the opportunity to gain more knowledge of current financial issues without the pressure of deadlines. At each masterclass experts from the financial and academic industry speak and are meant to broaden experience and knowledge. The masterclasses are organized by journalists for journalists.

For more information: www.financielejournalistiek.nl

Masterclasses Financiële Journalistiek

Opening of trading with Masterclasses Financiële Journalistiek

The gong is sounded by ‘Masterclasses Financiële Journalistiek’ because of the Masterclass Financial Markets (Financiële Markten) held at Beursplein 5.

The Masterclass Financial Markets provides an overview of the financial markets and deals with questions like who are key players, what happens on unregulated markets and the relationship with the ‘real’ economy? The masterclass is held at Euronext Amsterdam. Speakers include economics professor Bas Jacobs, Lukas Daalder, CIO Robeco and Maurice van Tilburg, CEO Euronext Amsterdam.

The Masterclasses Financiële Journalistiek offers journalists the opportunity to gain more knowledge of current financial issues without the pressure of deadlines. At each masterclass experts from the financial and academic industry speak and are meant to broaden experience and knowledge. The masterclasses are organized by journalists for journalists.

For more information: www.financielejournalistiek.nl

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Vanguard lists ETFs

Vanguard sounds gong for new ETFs listings in Amsterdam

Vanguard expands its low-cost Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) range in the Netherlands with the listing of four low-cost fixed income ETFs on Euronext Amsterdam. Cees Bezuijen, Senior Institutional Sales Executive Netherlands, sounds the gong.

Wim van Zwol, Head of Institutional Sales Northern Europe: “Our business in the Netherlands is gaining momentum as Dutch investors increasingly value the low costs, liquidity and transparency of ETFs. This launch complements our existing range of index mutual funds and ETFs, enabling investors to build a broadly diversified fixed income and equity portfolio at a low-cost.”

Vanguard Asset Management, Limited is authorized and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Vanguard Group Inc., a leading provider of high-value investment services, whose mission is to help clients achieve their goals by being one of the world’s highest value providers of investment products and services. Since establishing the first indexed mutual fund in the U.S. in 1976, The Vanguard Group Inc., has grown into one of the world’s largest and most respected investment management companies.

For more information:  www.vanguard.co.uk

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Wolters Kluwer annual report

Wolters Kluwer presents annual report and sustainability report

Wolters Kluwer (ticker symbol: WKL) visits the Amsterdam exchange for the announcement of the publication of the 2015 edition of their annual report and the sustainability report. Nancy McKinstry, CEO, opens trading by sounding the gong.

Wolters Kluwer, founded in 1836, is a global leader in professional information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.

For more information: www.wolterskluwer.com

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International Women’s Day

WOMEN Inc. sounds gong on International Women’s Day

WOMEN Inc. opens trading on International Women’s Day at the Amsterdam exchange on the occasion of the investment in gender-specific health care made by the Ministry of Health. Jannet Vaessen, director WOMEN Inc., sounds the gong.

Minister Edith Schippers invests 12 million Euros in research on women’s health over the next few years. This was announced by Director General of Public Health, Angelique Berg at a meeting of WOMEN Inc. on gender-specific health care.

The money will be invested in a multi-year National Knowledge Program on Gender and Health. Jannet Vaessen, Director WOMEN Inc.: ‘’We are very proud and excited about the good news of Minister Schippers about this investment in a National Knowledge Program on Gender and Health. We see it as a recognition of the longstanding commitment of the Gender & Health Alliance.’’

WOMEN Inc. is an agenda-network for women who want to strengthen themselves and one another. WOMEN Inc. calls for a tailored health care. This is necessary because health care is now based largely on the male body. Custom tailored health care contributes to the quality and thereby provides costs savings. WOMEN Inc. founded  the Gender & Health Alliance in 2011, a collaboration of medical specialists, general practitioners, psychologist, professors and policy makers to jointly recognize and acknowledge the importance of gender sensitivity in order to improve the quality of physical and mental health.

For more information: www.womeninc.nl

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Stichting DOEN and New Venture

Stichting DOEN and New Venture open trading

Stichting DOEN, in cooperation with New Venture, launched the DOEN Energie[s]topper, a national competition for entrepreneurs with innovative energy saving solutions. Stichting DOEN and New Venture open trading together with the finalists.

Five finalists were selected from more than 100 participants, the winner will be awarded 100.000 euro in order to further develop their product or service. 

SpeedComfort and Nerdalize have creative solutions involving radiators and computer servers to heat houses. Senergine creates comfortable indoor climates using a technical innovation that converts sound into heat. PowerWindow aims to make the glass surface of our built environment smarter by integrating energy generation and saving solutions into glass windows. To conclude, EnergyParty introduces a variation of the well-known Tupperware party to encourage homeowners to save energy in a playful manner.

For more information: www.doenenergiestopper.nl

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Lymph&Co Hollandse 100

Lymph&Co sounds gong for De Hollandse 100

On Sunday March 6 2016 is the second edition of De Hollandse 100. A winter duathlon with two sports the Dutch grew up with: skating and cycling. For this occasion a delegation of organizer Lymph & Co. opens trading at Beursplein 5.

The Lymph & Co fund is a fund that supports research to improve the treatment of lymphoma. Lymph & Co believes in innovation as a solution to the current challenges in the field of health. The key to this is excellence: the best ideas from the best researchers provide the best solutions for people and society.

For more information: www.dehollandse100.nl

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Heineken Club Quadrathlon

Opening trading for Heineken Roeivierkamp

On March 12 and 13 the Heineken Roeivierkamp will be held for the 44th time in Amsterdam. The river Amstel is the setting for the official opening of the Dutch rowing season. Trading will be opened by Student Rowing Club Nereus.

In 1973 it started as a game for a few teams and has since become an international regatta with more than 3.5 thousand participants. The Heineken Roeivierkamp is organized by Amsterdam Student Rowing Club Nereus for 44 years and is sponsored by the Euronext Amsterdam listed Heineken (ticker symbol: HEIA).

The official FISA event traditionally marks the opening of the Dutch rowing season. The Roeivierkamp features a unique route of the river Amstel and is close to the historic center of Amsterdam. Crews row four distances: 250 meters, 750 meters, 2500 meters and 5000 meters.

For more information: www.nereus.nl/heineken

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WarChild

WarChild visits Beursplein 5 for Move Forward project

WarChild visits Beursplein 5 and sounds the gong to draw attention to their new ‘Move Forward’ project for refugee children in the Netherlands.

The social-emotional needs of refugee children in the Netherlands are easily overlooked. Refugee children have a great need for structure, stability, regularity and relaxation, so they can be a child again. WarChild, UNICEF and Save the Children Netherlands therefore combined their years of global expertise and developed a program for refugee children in the Netherlands. The joint project ‘Move Forward’ provides refugee children activities such as sports, games and dance. They can relax, process their bad experiences and be a child and feel safe again.

For more information: www.warchild.nl/help

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Bikkels

NSGK and Bart de Graaff Foundation sound gong for the Bikkels

The trading day is opened by sounding the gong by the Bart de Graaff Foundation alongside with NSGK, the Dutch Foundation for Disabled Children.

The Bart de Graaff Foundation receives a contribution of 33,250 euros from the NSGK. This is symbolically handed over at Beursplein 5 in the form of a check. The contribution is intended for the Bikkels at the Bart de Graaff Foundation. These Bikkels are young people with a life-determining physical limitation, they receive a year of intense support in getting their own business set up. Aegon, as a listed company and partner of the Bart de Graaff Foundation, is present at the gong ceremony and the presentation of the check.

For more information: www.bartfoundation.nl

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Sport Club Only Friends

Sport Club Only Friends sounds gong with ABN AMRO

Only Friends sport club, for children and young people with disabilities, opens trading with supporter ABN AMRO (ticker symbol: ABN).

Only Friends was founded by Dennis Gebbink sixteen years ago. He started playing football with eight boys and in sixteen years the club has grown to more than 600 children and 24 sports. 150 volunteers and 50 interns make the sports possible for the children. Meanwhile, for elderly people with disabilities sports are available (Older Friends), there is a successful obesity program (Friends in Shape), children are taken care of after school (Friends at Home) and coming soon is Friends at Work (work for young people with disabilities in our own sports).

For more information: www.onlyfriends.nl

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Deloitte High Tech Competence Center

Deloitte High Tech Competence Center celebrates first anniversary

In 2015 Deloitte Consulting in the Netherlands launched their High Tech Competence Centre (HTCC) located in the city of Eindhoven. To celebrate their first anniversary they sound the gong at Beursplein 5.

The southern region of the Netherlands has a particularly strong High Tech ecosystem that is home to organizations such as ASML, NXP, DSM and Philips HealthTech. Deloitte HTCC provides a wide range of solutions for specific challenges in the High Tech ecosystem related to, for example, innovation, business transformation, mergers, acquisition as well as the current high demand for technical talent.

Based on tech industry experience of Deloitte in Silicon Valley and Deloitte Japan, the Deloitte HTCC has carried out a wide range of projects. In close cooperation with the leading companies, public sector organizations, startups, and universities, which all have their unique roles in High Tech, their aim is to further build and strengthen the ecosystem and increase the impact it has on the economy and society.

For more information: www.deloitte.com

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DNB Whistleblowing Desk

DNB sounds gong for Whistleblowing Desk

Willemieke van Gorkum, Division Director of De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), sounds the gong to open trading. She will use the occasion to draw attention to the Whistleblowing Desk, which DNB recently launched for professionals in the financial sector.

Their Desk provides another channel to prevent or halt irregularities in the financial sector. Professionals working in the financial sector, as well as consultants and legal service providers, may notice serious breaches of laws and regulations at a financial institution. Examples include fraud, corruption, conflicts of interests, money laundering and terrorist financing.

This type of crime is often highly secretive, and therefore difficult to trace. The Whistleblowing Desk will make it easier for those working in the sector to notify us of any potential problems. Their Desk will handle your report if you are unable to report any wrongdoing directly to the institution concerned.

For more information: www.dnb.nl

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Easy Virtue at Van Gogh Museum

Van Gogh Museum opens trading for new exhibition

Last week the exhibition Easy Virtue at the Van Gogh Museum opened to the public. Adriaan Dönszelmann, business director, opens trading by sounding the gong.

On the occasion of the exhibition sponsor Heineken (ticker symbol: HEIA) launched limited edition beer bottles bearing impressions of one of the most iconic works by Van Gogh, Sunflowers. The exhibition Easy Virtue is about Paris in the late 19th century, the same period that Heineken received their second gold medal at the World Fair (held in Paris, 1889). An important role in this period was played by the famous nightclub, The Folies-Bergère. Popular with many artists of the period and also the first nightclub in Paris where Heineken was served.

For more information: www.vangoghmuseum.nl

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‘Best landlord 2016’ award

HNK celebrates ‘Best landlord 2016’ award by sounding the gong

HNK – ‘The New Office’ – has been granted with ‘The best office landlord 2016’ award by the National Business Award (NBSA) Institute. NSI (ticker symbol: NSI) celebrates this by sounding the gong to open the trading day at Euronext Amsterdam.

According to the Nomination Committee, HNK has developed into a leading company, with a very strong positioning and a sound reputation. Innovation is the key word at HNK, as shown by the continuous efforts to improve its products and services to optimally serve the needs and wishes of its customers,' says the NBSA.

HNK stands for The New Office (‘Het Nieuwe Kantoor’), and is the concept of listed company NSI to anticipate the growing demand for flexible full service housing concepts in the office market. HNK is a (net) work location for Flex workers, start-ups, established companies and multinationals. The concept fits in with the desire of companies that would like to rent, work and meet efficiently. The user hires exactly the space and services he needs for the duration that fits its business plan. A HNK is characterized by stylish interior, a social heart, flexible workstations, Managed offices (serviced offices), tailored offices and meeting facilities.

For more information: www.nsi.nl

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Metropole Orkest wins Grammy

Metropole Orkest sounds gong after winning Grammy

The album ‘Sylva’, created by Snarky Puppy and the Metropole Orkest has been awarded a Grammy in the category ‘Best Contemporary Instrumental Album’. This is the 2nd Grammy for Snarky Puppy and the 3rd Grammy for the Metropole Orkest. Chief conductor of the Metropole Orkest and co-creator of this album, Jules Buckley, gives this Grammy a special British touch. For this occasion they sound the gong at Beursplein 5.

For more information: www.mo.nl

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Catwalk at Rijksmuseum

Rijksmuseum opens trading for Catwalk. Fashion at the Rijksmuseum

For the first time the Rijksmuseum presents a large selection of its diverse fashion collection in an exhibition designed by world-renowned Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf. Bianca du Mortier, conservator costume, sounds the gong to open trading on this occasion.

From February 20 through May 16 2016, six galleries of the Philips Wing will be dedicated to fashion of the Dutch from 1625 to 1960. Starting with garments worn by members of the Frisian branch of the house of Nassau in the Golden Age, the exhibits will feature vibrantly colored French silk gowns and luxurious velvet gentlemen’s suits of the eighteenth century, classically-inspired Empire dresses and bustles of the Fin de Siècleculminating in twentieth-century French haute couture by Dior and Yves Saint Laurent.

The exhibition is being designed by world-renowned Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf. Catwalk is enabled with the support of the Haute Couture Fund/Rijksmuseum Fund, the Jessy & Betty Blumenthal Fund/Rijksmuseum Fund and ING.

For more information: www.rijksmuseum.nl

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