All Bell ceremonies

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COO of KLM, Pieter Elbers, sounds gong at the KLM Open

COO of KLM, Pieter Elbers, sounds the gong as the official start of the KLM Open 2014. For this special occasion the gong relocates to the Kennemer Golf & Country Club in Zandvoort.

The KLM Open, held between 11 and 14 September, has for many years been a fixed feature on the European Tour’s calendar. The history of the international golf tournament stretches back over one hundred years, and winners include many illustrious names in the world of golf. Last year, the first Dutchman since 2003, Joost Luiten, won the 'Dutch Open’. Luiten defeated the Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez in a playoff. KLM is the lead sponsor of the tournament for the 21st time. Co-sponsors ABN AMRO and Deloitte have also been associated with the event for many years.

Traditionally, the KLM Open is linked to a charity. This year’s tournament will support UNICEF, the organization that helps children around the world overcome poverty, disease, violence and discrimination. An important first step to protect children is birth registration. Worldwide, some 230 million children are not registered. This means that these children do not officially exist and therefore are not able to claim their right to health care and education.

For more information: www.klmopen.nl

Photo: Pepper Productions

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11/09/2014 - 9:26AM CEST Amsterdam

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M. Hervé Montjotin, CEO of the Norbert Dentressangle Group, closes the European markets in Paris

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary listing of Norbert Dentressangle on Euronext. Norbert Dentressangle develops added-value solutions in Logistics, Transport and Air & Sea across Europe, America and Asia. The Group is listed on Euronext Paris and London.

Today, September 10, 20 year's anniversary of Euronext listing for Norbert Dentressangle, Hervé Montjotin, Chairman of the Management Board, rang the stock market closing bell in Paris. This celebration takes place when the group has just finalized its first major acquisition in the United States by integrating the Jacobson business, and is symbolic of an ambitious growth path. By extending its expertise to air and sea freight and successfully reaching beyond Europe to become the top transporter and a leading logistics operator in Europe, Norbert Dentressangle, still a French family business, has become a leading international player in supply chain management. During this rapid growth, the group has always demonstrated its sound financial management, with the value created by the group's activities translating into value for its shareholders. With market capitalization now 10 times higher than in 1994, Norbert Dentressangle continues to maintain a sustained growth.

10/09/2014 - 17:21PM CEST Paris

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Winners investment competition ‘Battle of the Schools’ sound gong

Students from the Farel College in Amersfoort, sound the gong to celebrate their victory in the investment competition for schools.

The Battle of the Schools is an investment game for students in the upper classes of the secondary and advanced secondary school system. Students are divided into groups of three or four. Each group takes on the role of an investment advisor who is responsible for advising a family member, for example a father, mother or grandparent. The students are given a virtual capital of 100,000 Euros to invest in shares and investment funds listed on Euronext Amsterdam.

For more information: www.scholenstrijd.nl 

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10/09/2014 - 9:49AM CEST Amsterdam

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CTT rings the closing bell to commemorate the conclusion of privatization

CTT CEO’s, executive committee of Post Company and two Portuguese Secretaries of State rang the closing bell in Lisbon to commemorate the conclusion of companies’ privatization. Portuguese Government sold its remaining 31.5% stake in CTT overnight via an ABB (accelerated book building). CTT is the first listed company (in Portugal) with 100% of free-float. 

09/09/2014 - 15:21PM CEST Lisbon

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Carlo Bozotti, President & CEO of STMicroelectronics, celebrates the company's 20 years of listing in Paris

Carlo Bozotti, President & CEO of STMicroelectronics, celebrated the company's 20 years of listing in Paris on September 9, 2014. ST, then SGS-Thomson, had been listed on December 8, 1994 in Paris and New York. ST is the largest European chipmaker with 2013 revenue of $8.08 billion. 

09/09/2014 - 9:41AM CEST Paris

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Stichting ONL voor Ondernemers visits Beursplein 5

Stichting ONL voor Ondernemers, a foundation that was set up last year with a view to helping small businesses raise their profile, sounds the gong at Beursplein 5.

Hans Biesheuvel, one of the initiators of ONL, sounds the gong. According to Biesheuvel, “ONL visits Euronext because the exchange stands for progress and entrepreneurship. The ONL shadow cabinet’s objective is to see the Dutch economy return to a 3% annual growth rate in the short term. To accomplish this we intend to invest 43.5 billion euros in the Dutch economy by 2021. We have identified the preconditions that are needed to strengthen the economic earnings model. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of the economy of the Netherlands. They want to increase their turnover, bring in new clients and orders, and they are prepared to take risks. Entrepreneurs are well aware of their responsibilities, in terms of both job creation and the need to increase tax revenue. Entrepreneurs expect something in return for this: a pro-investment agenda, lower taxes, and consistent government policy.” 

After the gong ceremony, Biesheuvel will give his inaugural Entrepreneurial Speech and present the shadow budget, which will focus on how to restore economic growth as soon as possible by enlisting the help of entrepreneurs to promote an economy that provides growth, innovation, jobs, and prosperity.

For more information: www.onl.nl

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09/09/2014 - 9:33AM CEST Amsterdam

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Gong marks collection week of the Princess Beatrix Muscle Foundation

Patient and ambassador of the Princess Beatrix Muscle Foundation, Anouska Ramaker, sounds the gong to mark the start of the annual collection week that takes place till 13 September.

This week the foundation has launched a new campaign ‘Strikze tegen spierziekten’. The campaign aims at highlighting the problems faced by patients with a muscle disease.  Do the test, try tying your shoelaces whilst wearing a pair of oven gloves. It’s almost impossible and that’s just one example of what it’s like to live with a muscle disease. Visit strikze.nl to order your oven gloves. The Princess Beatrix Muscle Foundation is the largest non-profit organization in the Netherlands dedicated to curing all neuromuscular diseases such as ALS, Duchenne, SMA and Pompe. Scientific research is the means to this end.

For more information: www.strikze.nl

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08/09/2014 - 10:39AM CEST Amsterdam

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Winners LOEY Awards 2014 visit Euronext Amsterdam

The winners of the LOEY Awards 2014, the awards for the best entrepreneurs in the Dutch online industry, visit Euronext Amsterdam and open trading by sounding the gong.

On 3 September Marco Aarnink of Drukwerkdeal.nl has been named winner of the 2014 LOEY Award. Five starting online business won the LOEY Starters Awards in the following categories; E-commerce: Marten Blankesteijn (Blendle) Tech: Lars van Wieren (Starred), Marketing & Media: Fabian Dudek (Nestpick) Education: Zoran Kovacevic (Studygrasp) and E-health: Martine Rooth (Fysiovoorjou.nl).

The LOEY Award is an independent award for the best entrepreneurs in the Dutch online industry. Awards are established to promote and encourage online entrepreneurship in the Netherlands. The innovative strength of this industry is enormous and the importance of online entrepreneurs for the Dutch economy is evident. By announcing successful entrepreneurs, the LOEY awards contribute to further development of online initiatives and partnerships. The LOEY Award is presented to entrepreneurs who have been in the industry for at least 4 years, with revenues over € 2.5 million in any fiscal year or a profit of € 250.000 or more​​. The LOEY Starters Awards are handed out to starting entrepreneurs.

For more information: www.loeyawards.nl

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05/09/2014 - 9:07AM CEST Amsterdam

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Home Invest Belgium celebrates 15th listing anniversary on Euronext Brussels

To celebrate the 15^th anniversary of Home Invest Belgium, Sophie Lambrighs, CEO rang the Opening Bell on Euronext Brussels on 4 September 2014.

Home Invest Belgium is the first private initiative Sicafi (fixed capital real estate investment trust) for residential housing in Belgium.

Home Invest Belgium’s real estate portfolio mainly consists of apartments and houses, located in the Brussels-Capital Region for the most part, well-known for its dynamic and profitable letting market, its low vacancy rate and its high-quality residential properties.

By spreading risks over more than 1,000 tenants and concentrating geographically on the Brussels residential market – the largest market in Belgium and the one with the greatest growth potential – Home Invest Belgium goes the extra mile to offer its investors an excellent security level, combined with very attractive medium and long-term prospects.

The Sicafi (fixed capital real estate investment trust) status is equivalent to that of American REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and French SIICs (listed real estate investment trusts). Consequently Home Invest Belgium benefits from a preferential tax status.

Home Invest Belgium is a public real estate investment trust listed on Euronext Brussels (continuous market). ISIN Code : BE0003760742 Mnemonic code : HOMI

To find out more : www.homeinvestbelgium.be

04/09/2014 - 9:15AM CEST Brussels

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ETF Securities sounds gong to announce expansion of range of short & leverages ETP’s

ETF Securities, one of the world’s leading, independent providers of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs), launched two additional short and leveraged ETPs on Euronext Amsterdam. Following the recent launch of some of its 3x leveraged currency ETPs on the exchange, the company is expanding its short and leveraged product range available to Dutch investors by providing short and leveraged exposure to gold and silver. Philippe Roset, Head of Benelux at ETF Securities, sounds the gong to mark the announcement.

Commenting on the launch, Philippe Roset said: “The AFM recently issued new regulations that ban products for retail investors with excessive leverage. The fact that our products have limited leverage and provide a collateralised and transparent cost structure appeals to investors. ETF Securities has extensive experience in the commodities sector, and gold and silver are amongst some of our most traded products. The short and leveraged gold and silver ETPs we listed on Euronext Amsterdam will provide Dutch investors with additional tools to take short term views and make tactical trades.”

For more information: www.etfsecurities.com

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04/09/2014 - 9:02AM CEST Amsterdam

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Roularta celebrates 60th anniversary on Euronext Brussels

To celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the multimediagroup Roularta, Rik De Nolf, CEO of Roularta  rang the Opening Bell on Euronext Brussels on 3 September 2014.

Roularta Media Group (RMG) is a multimedia group with more than 3,000 employees and a consolidated turnover of 750 million euros. The company was incorporated in 1954 by solicitor Willy De Nolf and is now led by his son Rik De Nolf and his management team. RMG is continuing to build its multimedia future. Home and abroad.
In Belgium, the growth was mainly a matter of in-house, repeatedly new initiatives. Over the past decades RMG has launched most of the free papers, created the different Belgian news magazines and a series of specific niche magazines, and was co-responsible for launching TV and radio channels and increasingly more online and other digital initiatives. In addition, the growth has been the result of a foreign take-over and concentration policy. Today the RMG magazines department achieves a greater turnover abroad than in Belgium. In the future RMG wants to keep innovating but also grow further through foreign acquisitions.

Roularta Media Group's shares are listed on Euronext Brussels under the section Media - Publishing, ISIN Code BE0003741551 and Mnemo ROU.
The Roularta share is included in the BEL Small Cap index (BE0389857146).

To find out more : www.roularta.be

03/09/2014 - 9:19AM CEST Brussels

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Comedian Viggo Waas opens trading on behalf of ALS Foundation and Amsterdam City Swim

Comedian Viggo Waas opens trading by sounding the gong on behalf of the ALS Foundation and Amsterdam City Swim.

Organized for the third time this year, Amsterdam City Swim aims to raise funds for the ALS Foundation. More than 2200 participants, including 200 children, will swim over 2 kilometers in the Amsterdam Amstel and canals. The children will swim the final 500 meters  of the course the morning of the race.

Waas himself will swim the 2 kilometers as well, after which he will assist the presenter in welcoming the participants at the finish. He will do this with fellow comedian Peter Heerschop, also a participant of the race. 

ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and is an incurable nerve and muscle disease. On average, a patient will live for only three years after he is diagnosed. Little is known about what causes ALS. Therefore, a lot of research and thus money is needed. The relatively small number of ALS patients, circa 1500, complicates the financing of scientific research into the cause and treatment of this deadly disease. The Amsterdam City Swim Foundation is committed to creating greater awareness, for increasing scientific research and provide better quality of care for the approximately 500 people who are now annually affected by ALS.

For more information: www.amsterdamcityswim.nl

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03/09/2014 - 9:08AM CEST Amsterdam

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Pharming Group sounds gong to mark a summer of strategic progress

Sijmen de Vries, CEO of Pharming Group, Jaap Blaak, Chairman of the Board of Supervisory Directors of Pharming Group and the Pharming management team, visit Euronext Amsterdam to sound the gong and open trading.

The gong ceremony marks a summer of significant strategic progress for Pharming. Last week, Pharming and its US partner, Salix, announced the initiation of a randomized double blind placebo-controlled, crossover, Phase II clinical study of RUCONEST. Earlier in August Pharming announced the acquisition of certain assets of Transgenic Rabbit Models SASU (TRM), a private French company in liquidation; for € 0.5 million in cash. Through the acquisition Pharming gained access to five potential new product leads. In addition, Pharming gained access to transgenic rabbit founder technology and know-how developed by TRM. In July, Pharming announced that the Food and Drug Administration approved RUCONEST® in the USA. A US$20 million milestone payment from Salix will become payable upon the first commercial sale of Ruconest® in the US, representing significant non-dilutive funding to the company. Salix currently plans on making RUCONEST® available to patients during the fourth quarter of 2014. 

Sijmen de Vries, Pharming CEO, said: “We are delighted with the very significant regulatory and commercial progress we have made over the past summer, particularly the approval of RUCONEST® in the US, the initiation of the clinical study with RUCONEST®, and the acquisition of assets from TRM.”

For more information: www.pharming.com

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02/09/2014 - 9:01AM CEST Amsterdam

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Youth Olympians celebrate success by sounding the gong

The Chinese city of Nanjing was host of the Youth Olympic Games that were held from 16-28 August. The Dutch Youth Olympic Team won 12 medals in total;  three gold, four silver and five bronze. They celebrate their success together with Chef de Mission Mark Huizinga, by sounding the gong.

The International Olympic Committee IOC organized the event for talented youngsters,  between the ages of 14 and 18, for the first time in 2010 in Singapore. 3.800 top athletes from 200 countries took part in this second edition in Nanjing. The Youth Olympic Games are organized for elite performance, but also meant as an incentive for young athletes to continue on the long and often difficult road to the senior elite top. The absolute highlight of course being participation in the senior Olympic Games. Very important is that the participants experience international competition, that they meet peers from other sports and from different countries. For NOC*NSF the top sports program during the Youth Olympic Games has the highest priority. Besides the sports program, NOC*NSF also stimulates the Dutch participants to join the accompanying cultural programs. This way they are introduced to the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. 

For more information: www.nocnsf.nl/nanjing2014

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01/09/2014 - 9:10AM CEST Amsterdam

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ABN AMRO sounds gong for start Uitmarkt 2014

On Friday 29, Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 August you’ll find the Uitmarkt 2014 on and around the Museumplein and Leidseplein in Amsterdam.

The Uitmarkt marks the start of the new cultural season, and with the theme Talent Grows!, this year there’s more room than ever for upcoming young talent. With nearly 500,000 visitors, more than 1,500 artists and some 30 stages, the Uitmarkt has become the largest and best-known freely accessible cultural festival in the Netherlands. Visitors get a taste of everything coming up in the fields of theatre, cabaret, dance, musical theatre, literature, film, opera and music.

On 29 August, the ABN AMRO Uitmarkt Business Day takes place in venues including the Royal Concertgebouw. During the Business Day, Dutch cultural institutions can get free advice on all aspects of cultural entrepreneurship with the purpose of sharing knowledge and encouraging cooperation between large and smaller cultural institutions. In 2014 and 2015, ABN AMRO is the lead partner. CEO of Amsterdam Marketing, Frans van der Avert, sounds the gong.

For more information: www.uitmarkt.nl

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29/08/2014 - 9:04AM CEST Amsterdam

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Gong marks 30th anniversary Eye Care Foundation

By sounding the gong the Eye Care Foundation marks its 30^th anniversary. Medical Advisor ECF Nepal and Chairman of the Mechi Eye Hospital in Nepal, Gopal Prasad Pokharel, sounds the gong.

Eye Care Foundation (ECF) helps to prevent and cure blindness and visual impairment in developing countries. During the last three decades the work of ECF has evolved from emergency aid to building sustainable eye care services in developing countries. "The results we have achieved with the aid from our donors in these past 30 years make us feel proud”, Rob van Rooijen, Chairman of the ECF Board states. "In our vision affordable eye care must be available for all. By detecting and treating eye diseases and blindness at an early stage, people are able to greatly improve their quality of life", Rob van Rooijen concludes.

Eye care in most developing countries is still lacking in a lot of areas, compared to the Dutch situation. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 28 million people in developing countries are unnecessarily blind. Their blindness is due to a lack of good medical facilities, poor hygiene or Vitamin A deficiency.

For more information: www.eyecarefoundation.nl

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28/08/2014 - 9:01AM CEST Amsterdam

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Euronext launches equity options on Euronext

Euronext sounds the gong to mark the launch of equity options on Euronext.

The trading in equity options on Euronext N.V. shares will start on the Amsterdam derivatives market as of Thursday 28^th August.The new options will be listed in the Spotlight Options section, Euronext’s special segment dedicated to the development of new option classes requested by market participants. Spotlight Options give visibility to underlying assets such as newly listed stocks, SME’s and/or assets with notable market events or activity. Through a unique combination of Liquidity Provider support and dedicated promotion by Sponsoring Brokers, underlying assets are  put in the spotlight with short-term maturities options of one, two and three months.

The options are being listed in the Amsterdam Spotlight options segment following the successful IPO of Euronext N.V. on 20^th  June. The American-style options (ticker symbol: ENX) will expire on the third Friday of the contract month and will have initial maturities of one, two and three months. Each option will represent 100 shares in Euronext and these options will be cleared via LCH.Clearnet SA. The liquidity in the Euronext options will be supported by Susquehanna International Securities Limited. Head of Financial Derivatives at Euronext, Adam Rose, sounds the gong.

For more information: https://www.euronext.com/en

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27/08/2014 - 9:02AM CEST Amsterdam

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Young SME Netherlands visits Beursplein 5 to celebrates 17.5 years anniversary

Young SME Netherlands was founded 17.5 years ago and celebrates this anniversary by sounding the gong.

Young SME Netherlands ensures that entrepreneurs with a passionate spirit are connected with each other and joins the many organizations and initiatives that encourage healthier capitalism. The young entrepreneur is not just for personal gain, but also gets satisfaction from promoting other people's success. Chairman of Young SME Amsterdam, André van der Kruk, sounds the gong. This small but powerful club is aiming for an innovative business climate. They are entrepreneurs with a 'bite' that want to create awareness.

For more information: www.mkb.nl

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26/08/2014 - 9:08AM CEST Amsterdam