STOCKHOLM, Sweden, March 16, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Skandia's nominating committee proposes that the Annual General Meeting on 15 April 2004 elect Bernt Magnusson to Skandia's board (new election), and also recommends that he be appointed as Chairman of the Board. Further, the Committee proposes that Bjorn Bjornsson be re-elected to the Board and recommends that he be appointed as Vice Chairman of the Board.
Bernt Magnusson has announced that if he is elected to Skandia's board, he will leave Nordea's board. This has also been a condition made by the Nominating Committee for his nomination.
The Nominating Committee's recommendations pertaining to other Directors of the Board will be presented at a later date.
The Committee's proposal as above has the support of shareholders representing slightly more than 15% of the shares and votes in Skandia.
In a comment, the Nominating Committee notes that Skandia now acquires a very good solution to the chairman issue and that Bernt Magnusson and Bjorn Bjornsson have a very broad and vital base of complementary experience that will benefit Skandia.
Bernt Magnusson was born in 1941. He is Chairman of Swedish Match AB and Dyno Nobel ASA, and a director of Nordea Bank AB, Net Insight AB, Volvo Car Corporation, Hoganas AB and Pharmadule AB. He is also an advisor to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Bernt Magnusson has prior experience from Nordstjernan, Nobel and AssiDoman, among other companies. He has also served as chairman of the board of the insurance company Sirius.
Bjorn Bjornsson was born in 1946. He runs a financial consulting business and was elected to Skandia's board at the Annual General Meeting in April 2003. He has been serving as Chairman of the Board since December. Bjorn Bjornsson is a director of Bure Equity, Billerud, JM and Teracom AB, among other companies. His prior experience includes the position as CEO of the asset management company Lancelot, directorship at AssiDoman, among other companies, and reconstruction work for Trustor.
For further information, please contact: Odd Eiken, Executive Vice President, Strategy & Communication, tel + 46-8-788 28 80 Gunilla Svensson, Press Manager, tel +46-8-788 42 97
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