All Bell ceremonies

ABM Financial News

ABM Financial News sounds gong after acquisition Dow Jones Dutch language services

ABM Financial News acquired the Dutch language service of the renowned Dow Jones Newswires at the end of 2015. The editors of AMB Financial News are now all operating from Beursplein 5, the most famous financial address in the Netherlands. Merwin Bisseling, Managing Director of ABM Financial News, sounds the gong with Simon Rodda, Executive Director Dow Jones.

By merging the two companies the largest financial news feed for the Dutch-speaking region was created. Dow Jones and ABM Financial News work closely together, including in the field of product development. ABM Financial News also gets direct access to the products of Dow Jones, including business newspaper The Wall Street Journal, Barron's investors magazine and the headline service. Dow Jones, on the other hand, will internationally distribute the newsfeed of ABM Financial News in its publications.

‘’By merging these two companies, both of which have some unique qualities, Dutch user gain access to an extremely powerful news service’’ said Merwin Bisseling of ABM Financial News in a statement on the acquisition. The editors of AMB Financial News will continue to operate from Beursplein 5, the most famous financial address in the Netherlands.

For more information: www.abmfn.nl

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EnterNext TechShare program

Gong to conclude EnterNext TechShare program 2015-2016

To conclude the successful EnterNext TechShare program 2015 – 2016 the Dutch participants and partners sound the gong.  TechShare is an educational program designed especially for fast growing tech companies who want to know more about the process of an IPO. The participants have had educational sessions on the capital market in recent months.

TechShare is a unique pan-European program that helps directors of tech companies to better understand the role and functioning of financial markets. Entrepreneurs are thus better able to assess the chances of a listing in relation to their specific projects and to take time to prepare.

The program began in September 2015 in France with a kick-off where 30 companies were present from from France, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands. The customized trainings are organized and supported by regional Expert partners.

Dutch partners of the TechShare program are Deloitte, Citigate FF, ABN AMRO and Rutgers & Posch. In four sessions they discussed all relevant issues of the capital market. The open discussions and case studies have resulted in a very useful and professional program for entrepreneurs. CM, Experty, Leadpharma and Ultimaker the four participating Dutch companies in the TechShare program.

‘’The TechShare program is a unique opportunity for intensive support in the search for alternative forms of capital. Think of it as a ‘crash course’ IPO. I have experienced the contact between professionals, fellow entrepreneurs and institutions as positive. My network has greatly expanded.’’ says Reinier de Jonge, CEO Experty.

Due to the success of the first edition the next edition of TechShare will start soon, where the number of participant companies from the Netherlands will be expanded to 10 companies.

For more information: www.enternext.biz

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Socially Responsible Investment Funds

Bell Ceremony to promote Socially Responsible Investment Funds

Isabel Ucha, interim CEO of Euronext Lisbon, Flavia Micelotta, executive director of Eurosif, an organisation that promotes sustainability among European financial markets, and Diana Guzman, director of the Carbon Disclosure Project for Southern Europe, talked to more than 40 guests about socially responsible investments and funds. These funds promote sustainability by funding projects with profitability targets under the low carbon economy, such as sustainable forests or other topics related to sustainable development. After the conference, they rang the closing bell.

ENGIE Netherlands

ENGIE Netherlands sounds gong for name change

The Euronext Brussels and Paris listed ENGIE (ticker symbol: ENGI) changed its name from GDF SUEZ. A new name, but with a rich history in the Netherlands. One of the Dutch predecessors of ENGIE was founded 200 years ago by King William I. On this occasion Han Blokland, CEO ENGIE Netherlands, sounds the gong.

The main reason for the change they will make as a company, is the energy transition. ENGIE wants to be the leader in the energy transition: continues the transition from the old to the new energy world and set globally in less CO2 emissions and at the same time ensures that the growing demand for energy available and affordable for the customer.

Because of the climate, ENGIE finds that this transition must happen soon. This acceleration can only happen if more integrated solutions are available that accelerate energy and make it accessible. By combining the power of ENGIE Services and ENGIE Energy, a unique combination of skills and knowledge in the field of renewable energy, technology and digitization is created. As one brand they can serve their customers broader in their overall energy problem.

For more information: www.engie-energie.nl

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Festival des Métiers

Gong highlights Festival des Métiers from Hèrmes

Hermès Benelux, part of the Euronext Paris listed Hermès (ticker symbol: RMS) organizes the Festival Des Métiers, an exhibition where the different crafts of Hermès are shown in the Hollandsche Manege in Amsterdam.

From April 1 to April 10, the French workshops of Hermès have been moved to the Hollandsche Manege in Amsterdam. The artisans will manufacture a wide selection of handmade Hermès products for 10 days.

It is no coincidence that Hermès has chosen the Hollandsche Manege as venue for the Festival des Métiers. Hermès was founded in Paris as a workshop for saddles, halters and harnesses in 1837. The magnificent building of the Hollandsche Manege houses the oldest riding school in the Netherlands, now a modern and versatile equestrian business. The Hollandsche Manege is the oldest horse riding school in The Netherlands and the history of this riding school dates all the way back to 1744.

For more information: www.hermes.com

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400th anniversary Royal Vopak

Celebration of Royal Vopak’s 400 Year By Sounding The Gong

This year, Royal Vopak (ticker symbol: VPK) is celebrating its 400th anniversary. To mark this occasion, the opening gong is sounded by a “colleague” from the 17th century in the presence of Royal Vopak’s Executive Board and staff members of the Dutch Vopak terminals.

Eelco Hoekstra, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Royal Vopak: “Our 400th anniversary in 2016 is a unique moment. We would like to celebrate this with all our staff and other parties involved. In our celebrations, we place emphasis on connecting our past, present and future. It is great to see that we are still, 400 years later, standing on the quayside for our customers to facilitate worldwide product flows. And over a period that has seen such immense change. Time and time again the company has been able to adapt to the changing society and maintain its relevance. That is a great source of inspiration and an ongoing challenge for the future.”

Royal Vopak is the world’s leading independent tank storage provider, specialized in the storage and transhipment of bulk liquid products, gases and oil products. Vopak has a worldwide network of tank terminals.

For more information: www.vopak.com

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NVA Autism Week

Sounding of the Gong for Autism Week of NVA

This year the NVA organizes the Autism Week for the 7th time, from 2 to 9 April, to create awareness about autism. Diederik Weve from Shell sounds the gong.

Diederik Weve is a safety engineer at Shell and with his project “Coming out for Autistics” he laid the very foundations for the Autism Embassy. The embassy is a fast growing network of employees with autism who are successful at making autism visible in their own organizations as a Diversity & Inclusion proposition.

This year the Autism Week focuses on physical activity and sports. More and more research shows that sport contributes to stay healthy - physically as well as mentally. Our brain actually works better when we sport regularly. Data from the Dutch Autism Registry (NAR) show that people with autism are particularly vulnerable to stress and negative feelings and social isolation is a problem among this group. Practicing sports can help to reduce these problems and increase self-confidence. Autism-friendly sports clubs and sports coaches help to overcome barriers to actually join a sports club.

Members of the Dutch Autism Association (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Autisme, NVA) are people with autism and their families. From their perspective the NVA tries to establish an autism-friendly society; a society in which people with autism are optimally integrated, accepted and self-reliant.

For more information: www.autisme.nl

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Savings Account for UNICEF

Sounding of the gong for a trip with ING for UNICEF

The Euronext listed ING (ticker symbol: INGA) is looking for a pair of energetic travelers to make a trip to Madagascar for UNICEF. They sound the gong to give extra attention to their search.

As ambassadors of the Savings Account for UNICEF the pair will experience first-hand what UNICEF has been able to do with the contributions made by ING customers and what this means for preschool children in Madagascar. ING customers who have a Savings Account for UNICEF automatically support  UNICEF’s work in Madagascar.

The whole trip will be filmed so that everyone interested in the Savings Account for UNICEF can see how UNICEF is using the donations to help as many Madagascan children as possible into preschool. UNICEF staff in Madagascar want to use the trip to provide as full a picture as possible of the effect that preschool education has on the children, their parents and the community they live in. Only 10 per cent of young children are able to go to preschool and thanks to the Savings Account for UNICEF 1,280 children are now able to attend the preschool that has been built in their village

For more information: www.ing.nl

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Refresco Gerber Listing Anniversary

Refresco Gerber Celebrates One Year Listing Anniversary

Refresco Gerber (ticker symbol: RFRG) celebrates its first year of listing at Euronext Amsterdam. Hans Roelofs, CEO Refresco Gerber, marks this occasion by sounding the gong to open trading.

Hans Roelofs: "Being a listed company offers many new opportunities and it has raised our company profile which is helpful in executing our growth strategy. The share of Refresco Gerber, with an international shareholder base of both private and institutional investors, can look back on an exciting and successful first year."

Refresco Gerber is the European leader in bottling soft drinks and fruit juices for retailers and A-brand owners. At the end of 2015, Refresco Gerber has 25 production sites worldwide including the Benelux, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

For more information: www.refrescogerber.com

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The King’s Commissioner of Noord-Holland

The King’s Commissioner of Noord-Holland visits the Amsterdam exchange

Johan Remkes, the King’s Commissioner of Noord-Holland, sounds the gong to open trading at the Euronext exchange in Amsterdam. This ceremony also marks the launch of a new online discussion platform that allows participants to contribute ideas regarding the Province’s economic policy.

Noord-Holland is one of the Netherlands’ most healthy and dynamic provinces and one of the drivers of the country’s economy recovery, which is quickly picking up steam. The coalition formed by VVD, D66, PvdA and CDA in the States-Provincial, which in turn has appointed the Provincial Executive, is making a maximum effort to prime the pump for the steady growth of Noord-Holland’s regional economy and to create new scope for innovation, sustainability and enterprise. The Province will be investing another EUR 160 million for this purpose. The Province aims to realise its ambitions by clearing new paths for employment, accessibility, innovation, sustainable energy, a healthy rural economy and robust nature and recreation areas.

To this end, the Province has established both an innovation fund and a sustainability fund for the SME sector. In addition, the Province intends to promote a more effective alignment of the region’s education sector and employment market. The provincial administration will be investing in outstanding accessibility – both physical and digital – for economic activity in Noord-Holland through initiatives in the ‘Greenports’, the ports of Noord-Holland, the North Sea Canal and at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

For more information: www.noord-holland.nl

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Winner Prix Veuve Clicquot

Winner Prix Veuve Clicquot opens trading

Businesswoman of the Year is an election organized by Veuve Clicquot Champagne House, part of the LVMH Group, listed on Euronext (ticker symbol: MC). The winner of 2016 visits the Amsterdam exchange and sounds the gong.

Vivienne van Eijkelenborg accepted the prestigous award for succesfull businesswoman for her leading skills at Difrax. 

Prix Veuve Clicquot is an international award for successful businesswomen and was created as a tribute to Madame Clicquot, the woman who put Veuve Clicquot on the global Champagne map.

Since 1981, the Prix Veuve Clicquot is a renowned initiative in the Netherlands. In 2016 this prize is awarded for the 35th time to a special businesswoman. In the past 34 years this award has had a very special and prestigious position and substantially contributed to a positive appreciation of female entrepreneurship. Led by a skilled jury, which this year is chaired by Mrs. Annemarie Jorritsma, the 35th Dutch Businesswoman of the Year will be elected on March 21 2016.

The prize is awarded in 18 countries. In the Netherlands, under the auspices of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin champagne, in collaboration with Stan Huygens Journal of the newspaper De Telegraaf and in cooperation with EY.

For more information: www.veuve-clicquot.nl/prix-nederland

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Bell Ceremony to promote capital markets

Euronext Lisbon and Portuguese Trade Chambers ring the closing bell to celebrate the Fifth Annual Meeting of Portuguese Trade Chambers around the world (25 were present in the meeting) to promote relations between the two institutions in order to exchange ideas on financing companies and the support that capital markets can provide in meeting this goal.

European Securities and Markets Authority

ESMA Chair Steven Maijoor opens trading

Steven Maijoor, Chair of European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), opens trading at the Amsterdam exchange. With the sounding of the gong the multi-day meeting of the ESMA Board of Supervisors in Amsterdam will start.

ESMA, established in Paris since 2010, contributes to safeguarding the stability of the European Union's financial system by enhancing the protection of investors and promoting stable and orderly financial markets. ESMA is an independent EU Authority that strengthens the coordination between national regulators of financial markets and ensures the consistent application of EU financial legislation in EU countries.

Due to the Dutch presidency of the EU in the first half of 2016, the ESMA Board of Supervisors takes place in Amsterdam once.

For more information: www.esma.europa.eu

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Impact Summit Europe

Opening of trading for Impact Summit Europe

Opening of trading is done on the occasion of the kick-off for the Impac Summit Europe, which will take place at the The Hague Peace Palace on 22 and 23 March. Investors, fund managers, multinationals, and policy makers will join to put impact on the map of European capital markets.

Frank Bult of Phenix Capital says that the impact investing industry, with a current value of $60 billion, has been estimated to grow to $2 trillion in the next ten years, which is 1% of the assets invested worldwide. Despite this increased interest and recognition, there are still stumbling blocks to be overcome by impact investing as they are hampering the capital inflow to the industry, such as the lack of awareness, the difficulty of standing up against conventional methods and models, and an imbalance between the demand and supply of capital. Only when these barriers are broken, impact can become completely ‘mainstream’.

Phenix Capital sounds the gong together with fellow-pioneers PGGM, FMO, C-Change , PYMWIMIC, B Corp en Spring Associates and the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) delivering the message that it is time for investors – large and small – to actively include both the negative and possibly positive impact on society in their decision-making process.

For more information: www.impactsummiteurope.com

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Global Money Week

Under the Global Money Week (GMW), more than 50 students rang the closing bell. Euronext Lisbon, together with the capital markets regulator (CMVM) celebrated the closing of the Global Money Week with presentations of both institutions to two schools (Primary School no. 2 and 3 Santa Iria da Azóia and wellness center social Forums of Salvaterra) under the project of promoting the Financial Literacy among young people.

Global Money Week is an annual international event to create money awareness and takes place in the second week of March. Global Money Week engages children worldwide in learning how money works, including saving, creating livelihoods, gaining employment, and entrepreneurship.

414th anniversary Amsterdam exchange

Gong marks the exchange anniversary and interest payment on 17th century bonds

This year, the Amsterdam exchange, the oldest stock exchange in the world, celebrates its 414th anniversary. On this occasion, the interest will be paid on some ancient bonds that still pay interest ,   from the rich archive of the Amsterdam exchange, as managed by Stichting Capital Amsterdam.

In honor of this anniversary the gong will be sounded by Patrick Poelmann, chair (dijkgraaf) of Hoogheemraadschap De Stichtse Rijnlanden, the current successor of  the Utrecht dike board  Lekdijk Bovendams, that issued these bonds 400 years ago.

The Lekdijk Bovendams, a 33-kilometer dike from Amerongen to Vreeswijk(Nieuwegein), has been protecting Amsterdam and large parts of Holland and Utrecht from the water for centuries. After adike burst  in the early 17th century, the water board decided to issue interest letters to pay for the recovery.

These oldest known interest-bearing bonds of the world do not only symbolize the financial power of our country, but also touch on the "social" origin of the global stock market capitalism. Experts see an important explanation for the rise of capitalism in the Netherlands in the eternal struggle against water. Because of the constant flood threats that the country faced the Dutch were forced to keep money on hand for centuries and are joined in the fight against the water.

For more information: www.hdsr.nl

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Les 25 ans du BEL 20

Il monte, il descend et certains ne le quittent pas des yeux… Le vendredi 18 mars, cela fera exactement 25 ans que les investisseurs belges ont fait la connaissance du BEL 20. Lancé en 1991 en tant que baromètre du marché financier belge, l’indice phare de la Bourse de Bruxelles aura depuis connu bien des transformations tant dans sa composition que dans son règlement. Afin de célébrer dignement cet anniversaire, Euronext a organisé un petit-déjeuner avec les CEO et/ou Membres du Conseil d’Administration des entreprises du BEL 20 et une Bell Ceremony d’ouverture des marchés avec comme invité d’honneur le Vice-Premier Ministre Alexander De Croo

Pour en savoir plus sur le BEL 20, consultez notre dossier spécial anniversaire sur www.euronext.com/25bel20

Friday March 18th