All Bell ceremonies

IMC Weekendschool Amsterdam West celebrates 10th anniversary

The ten IMC Weekendschool locations throughout the Netherlands provide young people with an opportunity to expand their horizons and develop their talents. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the school’s Amsterdam West location, manager Thijs Mulder and his students sound the gong with representatives of the National Postcode Lottery.

IMC Weekend school provides supplementary education to young people between the ages of ten and fourteen who come from deprived backgrounds and are anxious to learn. Lessons are given by enthusiastic professionals such as entrepreneurs, nursing professionals, judges and artists. The students come into contact with different professional groups and sectors, and are given a broader view of society so that they can make better, more informed choices about their education and career. IMC Weekendschool receives a substantial yearly contribution from the proceeds of the National Postcode Lottery, and is also financed by over one hundred companies and funds.

For more information: www.imcweekendschool.nl

Download photo

Amsterdammertje’ of the Year sounds gong

On Sunday 12 January Alexey Rahim is awarded as the Young ‘Amsterdammertje’ of the Year. Alexey visits Beursplein 5 and sounds the gong.

Alexey is half of a twin, his twin brother Maxim is severely handicapped, he has Down Syndrome. They are now 9 years old and Alexey often takes care of his brother. Helping him out of bed, feeding and help changing. He is not ashamed of his brother. VPRO made a documentary about the brothers and Alexey has shown that a disabled brother or sister is not something to be ashamed of, but rather something very special.

The newspaper Het Parool has organised the Young ‘Amsterdammertje’ of the Year competition for the past several years. ‘Ordinary’ citizens of Amsterdam who have made a significant contribution to the city are eligible for the prize. This year the Wikistad Foundation, in cooperation with the Discussion can be learned Foundation, has organised the second youth edition of the competition. The city of Amsterdam and Het Parool support the initiative. Children aged between 9 and 15 were eligible to apply over the past few months. Children also determined the most important selection criterion: the Young Amsterdamer should be someone who works selflessly on behalf of and sets an example for others.

For more information: www.wikistad.nl

Download photo

Winners of the Dutch IR Awards visit Beursplein 5

The winners of the Dutch IR Awards pay a visit to Beursplein 5 to sound the gong.

The winners of the seventh edition of the awards were announced to the 200 professionals attending the Dutch IR Awards Dinner held in Amsterdam ArenA. The awards are presented to Dutch companies and/or professionals working for Dutch companies who have given outstanding performances in the area of investor relations.

The winning professionals in the different categories are: AEX company and professional; Jan-Pieter van Winsen, Randstad, AMX company; Roeland Haanen, Delta Lloyd, AMX professional; John Eijgendaal, Aalberts Industries, AScX/Local company professional; Ton Anbeek, Beter Bed, Debt IR Financial; Willem van de Berg, Aegon and Debt IR Corporates; Wouter van de Putte, Ziggo. Jan-Pieter van Winsen, Director Investor Relations Randstad, sounds the gong.

For more information: www.nevir.nl

Download photo

Gong ceremony marks launch of NL Ondernemingsfonds

Roderick Munsters, CEO of Robeco, and Chris Buijink, Chairman of the NVB, sound the gong to highlight the launch of the NL Ondernemingsfonds (The Dutch Entrepreneurs Fund). Accompanying them are Gerrit Zalm, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ABN Amro, Hans van der Noordaa, CEO Retail Banking Benelux at ING, Ruud Hagendijk, Chairman of the Managing Board of MN, Rien Nagel, member of the Supervisory Board of Rabobank, Hans Snijders, CEO/Chairman of the Managing Board of Syntrus Achmea, and Cees Vermaas, CEO of Euronext Amsterdam.

The NL Ondernemingsfonds is a new source of financing for medium-sized and large companies created by the combined efforts of Dutch banks, institutional investors, financial service providers and asset managers. The presentation of the fund takes place at Euronext Amsterdam.

Download photo

Manager de l’année 2013

Le 9 janvier 2014, Ronnie Leten, Président et CEO d’Atlas Copco AB et Manager de l’Année, a sonné la cloche d’ouverture des marchés à Euronext Bruxelles en présence du management d’Atlas Copco et des représentants de Trends et Roularta.

Pour en savoir plus sur le Manager de l’Année : acties.trends.knack.be
Pour en savoir plus sur Atlas Copco : www.atlascopco.com

BMD² Capital sounds gong to highlight its success in 2013

BMD² Capital B.V. sounds the gong to celebrate the success it achieved in 2013.

BMD² Capital is a young, ambitious trading firm operating from offices located at Beursplein 5. BMD² Capital specialises in proprietary trading in shares and derivatives. The company was founded early in 2013 by four partners, each with a proven track record. State of the art trading software and information systems, combined with risk management and unique trading strategies are the cornerstone of the new firm’s success. Managing partner Bas Emmerig sounds the gong.

For more information: www.bmd2capital.com

Download photo

FMO celebrates appointment Chief Investment Officer

Linda Broekhuizen, Chief Investment Officer, sounds the gong to mark her appointment as of 1 January in the Management Board of the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO).

The Dutch development bank FMO supports sustainable private sector growth in developing and emerging markets by investing in ambitious entrepreneurs. FMO believes a strong private sector leads to economic and social development, empowering people to employ their skills and improve their quality of life. FMO focuses on three sectors that have high development impact: financial institutions, energy, and agribusiness, food & water. With an investment portfolio of EUR 6.3 billion, FMO is one of the largest European bilateral private sector development banks.

For more information: www.fmo.nl

Download photo

La première émission d’obligations regroupant 8 villes et communes sur Euronext Bruxelles

Ce mercredi 8 janvier 2014, les bourgmestres et échevins de chaque ville participante ont ouvert les marchés financiers à Euronext Bruxelles afin de célébrer la première émission d’obligations regroupant 8 villes et communes flamandes. A cet occasion, Le Bourgmestre Maurice Webers de Beringen, Le Bourgmestre Frank Bogaerts de Lier et Le Bourgmestre Christophe D’Haese d’Alost ont sonné la cloche.

Pour la première fois dans l’histoire de la finance, des villes et communes flamandes se sont regroupées sur le marché des capitaux afin d’émettre des obligations sous la forme de billets de trésorerie à long terme (Medium Term Notes). Il s’agit de : Alost-Beringen-Boom-Bree-Bruges-Lier-Wachtebeke-Zaventem.

Les 8 villes ont recueilli les 43,5 millions d’euros souhaités. Les obligations ont été émises pour une durée de 10 ans à un taux de financement de 3.2999%.ING était le coordinateur global.

Euronext accueille Figeac Aéro, sous-traitant aéronautique, sur Alternext Paris

Jean-Claude Maillard, Président directeur général de Figeac Aéro sonne la cloche qui marque l'ouverture des marchés financiers.

Figeac Aéro est spécialisé dans les prestations de sous-traitance à destination des industriels aéronautiques. Le groupe propose des prestations d’études, d’usinage de pièces de précision, de fabrication de sous-ensembles, de construction de structures mécano-soudées, de traitement des surfaces, etc.
A fin 2012, Figeac Aéro dispose d’un site de production implanté en France.

The Netherlands Institute for Sport and Physical Activity celebrates 15th anniversary

The Netherlands Institute for Sport and Physical Activity (NISB), which celebrates its fifteenth anniversary in 2014, starts the year by sounding the gong at Beursplein 5.

CEO Remco Boer sounds the gong to highlight the need to take breaks from long periods of sitting during working hours. A sedentary lifestyle at home and at work increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and early death. Two hours of physical activity a week do not cancel out the effects of sitting too much at home and at work. NISB works to raise awareness of the need to become more physically active during the work day, for example by using dynamic office furniture.

For more information: www.nisb.nl

Download photo

Winners of the 2013 M&A Awards sound gong

Winners of the 2013 M&A Awards sound the gong and open the trading day during a visit to Beursplein 5.

On 12 December 2013 the 14^th M&A Awards were presented to the top performers in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and private equity. Over 750 M& A professionals and private equity managers gathered to celebrate and look back on the year’s achievements. The awards, presented in 21 categories, are the highest recognition given to top professionals active in M & A, corporate finance and private equity.Winner of the ‘Best Acquisition Finance Banker Award’, Marin Boon, Manager Corporate Finance Memberbanks Rabobank, sounds the gong.

For more information: www.mena.nl

Download photo

KPN and Randstad sound the gong for the Dutch Short Track Championships

KPN (ticker KPN) and Randstad (ticker RAND), both listed on Euronext Amsterdam, sound the gong for the KPN Dutch Short Track Championships on 4 and 5 January.

The Dutch championships are the last speed skating tournament before the opening of the Olympic Games in Sochi one month from now. This year’s tournament will be held in the same venue as last year, the Jaap Eden IJsbanen in Amsterdam. For skaters participating in the Winter Olympics, the tournament is final test of their skill before they travel to Russia. Expectations are running high following the Dutch team’s promising performances at the European Championships, World Championships and World Cups. Cees Juffermans, tournament director, sounds the gong.

For more information: www.schaatsen.nl/shorttrack

Download photo

Moët Hennessy sounds gong for the start of the year 2014

General manager at Moët Hennessy, Bob Bron, sounds gong for the start of the year 2014.

The current portfolio of Moët Hennessy Netherlands incorporates a wide range of champagnes, cognac, whisky's, vodka and new world wines. In the Netherlands and worldwide, Moët Hennessy is the market leader in the category of champagne. Moët Hennessy is responsible for the distribution of the brands Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, Krug, Hennessy, Ardbeg, Glenmorangie, Estates & Wines, Belvedère en Drambuie. Moët Hennessy is part of the group LVMH (ticker symbol: LVMH), a world leader in luxury and possesses a unique portfolio of over 60 prestigious brands as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Givenchy, Kenzo, Tag Heuer, Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon.

For more information: www.moethennessy.nl

Download photo

Run4Schools Foundation sounds gong for Two Oceans Marathon

The Run4Schools Foundation sounds the gong for the tough, 56 kilometer long, Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town, which is held on 19 April.

A team of runners run the marathon to raise money for the foundation Run4Schools. Run4Schools finances and organizes both in - and after - school sports activities and care at four primary schools in the township of Mitchell's Plain, Cape Town, South Africa. The after school sports activities prove to be an effective instrument to keep children away from gangs and prevents them from engaging in drugs, crime or worse. Also, the programs are successful in helping children's healthy development by allowing them to be the children they deserve to be, at least during the safe and supportive Run4Schools activities. Different kinds of fundraising activities are initiated around running events in the Netherlands and also in South Africa. Founding father, Leslie Pangemanan, sounds the gong.

For more information: www.run4schools.nl

Download photo

Minister Plasterk and ‘Hulp voor Hulpverleners’ Foundation sound gong

On December 30th, one day before the end of the year, minister Plasterk sounds the gong to show his appreciation for the work and the commitment of emergency workers. But more importantly, he calls attention to aggression and violence during New Year’s Eve. Plasterk: "Aggression and violence against emergency workers are unacceptable. I am committed to reduce the number of incidents.”

For years already the ‘Hulp voor Hulpverleners’ (Assistance for Emergency Workers) Foundation has been campaigning to reduce aggression and violence against emergency workers. The foundation calls on the Dutch population to ensure that emergency workers can do their work in a normal way this year.

For more information: www.hulpvoorhulpverleners.nl

Download photo

Witte Bedjes Het Parool foundation highlights Happy2Move project

Witte Bedjes Het Parool foundation sounds the gong to highlight the Happy2Move project.

The foundation raises money for children who are sick, handicapped, or in need of some other form of help. The money is made available to non-profit organisations working with sick or handicapped children in and around Amsterdam. The fund is primarily intended for relatively small, tangible projects that do not receive any other form of subsidy. This year the foundation is supporting the Happy2Move project.

The Happy2Move project provides after-school care to mentally or physically handicapped children between the ages of 4 and 20. The activities it organises after school and during teacher workshops and vacations are based on healthy lifestyles, emphasizing sports, healthy eating and enjoying recreation. To promote healthy eating, the children are given a hot meal after these activities, just before they go home. Happy2Move provides the children with transportation from school to the activities venue, and from there to their home.

For more information: www.happy2move.nl

Download photo

Speelgoedbank Amsterdam celebrates successful year

Speelgoedbank Amsterdam sounds the gong for a very successful first year.

Many children in Amsterdam grow up in poverty. For these children, it is not part of their normal lives to visit a toy store. Growing up in poverty has clear implications, not only materially but also emotionally and socially. Speelgoedbank Amsterdam collects toys, both new and used. Children growing up in poverty can visit Speelgoedbank Amsterdam four times a year. At each visit, they can choose two toys and a book from the store. This way Speelgoedbank Amsterdam builds a bridge between surplus and deficit, recycles toys and lets children shine.

For more information: www.SpeelgoedbankAmsterdam.nl

Download photo

Barbara Barend sounds gong for Sterrenfonds December month

Sterrenfonds ambassador Barbara Barend sounds gong for all the children in the Netherlands, who are in a disadvantaged position. Whether it is because of living in poverty, being seriously ill or having been placed out of home. With great attention we have to take responsibility for them, who are our future.

Over the past month, Sterrenfonds enabled 12,000 children to fully experience their childhood with a unique cinema event, a Santa Claus show and Children's Christmas Boxes. In 2012, Sterrenfonds ambassador Frans Bauer sounded the gong, concluding the Children's Christmas Boxes for over 600 seriously ill children and children in poverty. This year ambassador Barbara Barend visits Euronext for the ending the December activities for 12,000 children.

For more information: sterrenfonds.nl

Download photo