Swiss Life Holding's Annual General Meeting of Shareholders will take place on 8 May 2008 in the Hallenstadion in Zurich. The items on the agenda include the proposals to increase the dividend by CHF 10, from CHF 7 to CHF 17, in the form of a repayment of par value and to authorise the Board of Directors to carry out a share buyback programme with a total value of up to CHF 2.5 billion. Furthermore, Rolf Dörig will be nominated for election to the Board of Directors.
As announced when the results for the 2007 financial year were communicated, the Swiss Life Holding Board of Directors will ask shareholders to approve an increase of CHF 10 in the distribution of profit at the General Meeting on 8 May 2008, raising it from CHF 7 to CHF 17 per share. This distribution of profit is to take the form of a repayment of par value, as in previous years. The repayment of par value is not subject to Swiss federal withholding tax and is, as a rule, tax-free for natural persons living in Switzerland as long as these shares form part of their private assets. The payment is expected to be remitted at the end of July. The par value of the Swiss Life Holding share will thus be reduced from CHF 34 to CHF 17 per registered share.
Share buyback programme of up to CHF 2.5 billion
Swiss Life plans to carry out a share buyback programme, as announced in November 2007, in connection with the various divestments. The General Meeting will be asked to authorise the Board of Directors to conduct a share buyback programme with a total value of up to CHF 2.5 billion. The shares acquired through a second trading line at the SWX Europe exchange, over a period of 18 months at the most, will be definitively earmarked for cancellation. The Board of Directors will propose a corresponding capital reduction to the General Meetings in 2009 and 2010, in line with the actual amount of shares repurchased.
Election of Rolf Dörig to the Board of Directors
As announced in November 2007, the Board of Directors proposes that Rolf Dörig, Group CEO since November 2002, be elected to the Board of Directors as part of the long-term succession planning for the Group's top management. It is envisaged that he will have the role of delegate of the board. His key responsibilities will involve strategy development and overseeing strategy implementation. Bruno Pfister, currently CEO International of Swiss Life, is expected to succeed him as Group CEO. In addition, incumbent board members Gerold Bührer, Paul Embrechts and Franziska Tschudi will be nominated for re-election for a term of three years each.
Further information
Swiss Life Holding's 2007 annual report and all other information concerning its General Meeting can be found at www.swisslife.com.
Contact
Media Relations
Phone +41 43 284 77 77
media.relations@swisslife.ch
Investor Relations
Phone +41 43 284 52 76
investor.relations@swisslife.ch
www.swisslife.com
Share buyback programme of up to CHF 2.5 billion
Swiss Life plans to carry out a share buyback programme, as announced in November 2007, in connection with the various divestments. The General Meeting will be asked to authorise the Board of Directors to conduct a share buyback programme with a total value of up to CHF 2.5 billion. The shares acquired through a second trading line at the SWX Europe exchange, over a period of 18 months at the most, will be definitively earmarked for cancellation. The Board of Directors will propose a corresponding capital reduction to the General Meetings in 2009 and 2010, in line with the actual amount of shares repurchased.
Election of Rolf Dörig to the Board of Directors
As announced in November 2007, the Board of Directors proposes that Rolf Dörig, Group CEO since November 2002, be elected to the Board of Directors as part of the long-term succession planning for the Group's top management. It is envisaged that he will have the role of delegate of the board. His key responsibilities will involve strategy development and overseeing strategy implementation. Bruno Pfister, currently CEO International of Swiss Life, is expected to succeed him as Group CEO. In addition, incumbent board members Gerold Bührer, Paul Embrechts and Franziska Tschudi will be nominated for re-election for a term of three years each.
Further information
Swiss Life Holding's 2007 annual report and all other information concerning its General Meeting can be found at www.swisslife.com.
Contact
Media Relations
Phone +41 43 284 77 77
media.relations@swisslife.ch
Investor Relations
Phone +41 43 284 52 76
investor.relations@swisslife.ch
www.swisslife.com
Swiss Life
The Swiss Life Group is one of Europe's leading providers of life insurance and pension solutions. The Group offers individuals and corporations a broad range of products combined with comprehensive advice through its own sales force as well as brokers and banks in Switzerland, France and Germany. It provides internationally operating corporations with employee benefits solutions from a single source, and is among the global leaders in structured life and pension products for high net worth individuals with its centres of competence in Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Singapore.
Swiss Life is the majority shareholder of the Hanover-based AWD Group, one of Europe's top financial services providers for the medium- and high-income customer segments. AWD offers its clients independent financial advisory services. It employs over 6300 financial consultants in ten European countries.
Swiss Life Holding, registered in Zurich, was founded in 1857 as Schweizerische Rentenanstalt. The shares of Swiss Life Holding are listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange (SLHN). The Swiss Life Group employs a staff of around 9000.
The Swiss Life Group is one of Europe's leading providers of life insurance and pension solutions. The Group offers individuals and corporations a broad range of products combined with comprehensive advice through its own sales force as well as brokers and banks in Switzerland, France and Germany. It provides internationally operating corporations with employee benefits solutions from a single source, and is among the global leaders in structured life and pension products for high net worth individuals with its centres of competence in Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Singapore.
Swiss Life is the majority shareholder of the Hanover-based AWD Group, one of Europe's top financial services providers for the medium- and high-income customer segments. AWD offers its clients independent financial advisory services. It employs over 6300 financial consultants in ten European countries.
Swiss Life Holding, registered in Zurich, was founded in 1857 as Schweizerische Rentenanstalt. The shares of Swiss Life Holding are listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange (SLHN). The Swiss Life Group employs a staff of around 9000.
Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking information
This publication contains specific forward-looking statements, e.g. statements including terms like “believe”, “assume”, “expect” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may result in a substantial divergence between the actual results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and those explicitly or implicitly presumed in these statements. Against the background of these uncertainties, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The company assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements or to adapt them to future events or developments.
This publication contains specific forward-looking statements, e.g. statements including terms like “believe”, “assume”, “expect” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may result in a substantial divergence between the actual results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and those explicitly or implicitly presumed in these statements. Against the background of these uncertainties, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The company assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements or to adapt them to future events or developments.