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Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

SMG Swiss Marketplace Group: combined joint venture launched by the TX Group, Ringier, La Mobilière and General Atlantic

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TX Group AG, Ringier AG, Mobiliar and General Atlantic are launching their Joint Venture in the digital marketplaces segment: its name is SMG Swiss Marketplace Group, and it will have its own independent brand identity. The closing of the joint venture was completed on November 11, 2021. At the same time, Martin Waeber, Pierre-Alain Regali, Francesco Vass and Boris Gussen have become members of the Group Leadership Team headed by Gilles Despas.

Zurich, 12 November 2021 – The new group is being launched with the name SMG Swiss Marketplace Group and its own market identity. Headed by CEO Gilles Despas, the company includes a number of well-known platforms – acheter-louer.ch, anibis.ch, AutoScout24, Car For You, FinanceScout24, home.ch, Homegate, icasa.ch, ImmoScout24, ImmoStreet.ch, MotoScout24, Ricardo and tutti.ch – together with marketing of advertising. SMG Swiss Marketplace Group aims to emanate the aura of a digital pioneer: its groundbreaking products will simplify people's lives and drive customers' success ahead. Swissness, simplicity, ambition to grow and digital innovation are the keynotes of the brand image. swissmarketplace.group has been created as the website to launch and promote the new company.

Alongside CEO Gilles Despas, the new Group Leadership Team of SMG Swiss Marketplace Group AG includes several new members: Martin Waeber as Managing Director of the Real Estate Division (Homegate and ImmoScout24); Pierre-Alain Regali as Managing Director of the Vehicles Division (AutoScout24, MotoScout24 and Car For You); and Francesco Vass as Managing Director of General Marketplaces (anibis.ch, Ricardo and tutti.ch). Boris Gussen is taking on the position of Chief Financial Officer for the new group. Further appointments will follow in the coming weeks.

Lothar Lanz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SMG Swiss Marketplace Group AG, comments: "In recent weeks, together with Gilles Despas, Board of Directors member Olivier Rihs and the shareholders, we have been able to appoint excellent and experienced managers to fill the first positions in the new Group Leadership Team. Further positions will follow. I'm extraordinarily pleased to be accompanying the new company as it continues its journey."

Gilles Despas, CEO of SMG Swiss Marketplace Group AG, is delighted: "Today, we're embarking on a thrilling journey with a new forward-thinking company that can meet the challenges of the future. Our burning ambition is to create nothing but the best products and services for our valued customers and users in Switzerland. We intend to be the most flexible and attractive employer among Europe's digital enterprises. A company that strives for sustainability and turns genuine diversity into a living reality every day, in an inspirational and agile multilingual environment as we drive the digitalization of our industries ahead. I'm proud of the in-depth knowledge and growth potential that we already have in our company. And I'm equally proud of the opportunities we can offer to digital talents and stakeholders as we move onwards and upwards. Together with the Group Leadership Team and our remarkable, talented employees, I'm looking forward to continuing the company's development in the coming years."

As announced on 31 August 2021, TX Group AG holds a stake of 31 percent in the new joint venture; Ringier AG and Mobiliar each hold 29.5 percent, and General Atlantic holds 10 percent. The four shareholders each have 25 percent of the voting rights.

CEO Gilles Despas will be glad to respond to media enquiries by telephone between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon on 12 November. If you are interested, please register in advance by contacting Daniel de Carvalho (+41 79 649 29 18, [email protected]) or Simon Marquard (+41 78 670 35 35, [email protected]).

Contacts

TX Group AG:
Ursula Nötzli, Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
+41 76 462 52 45, [email protected]

Ringier AG:
Johanna Walser, Chief Communications Officer
+41 44 259 61 23, [email protected]

La Mobilière:
Alice Chalupny, Head of Corporate Communications
+41 31 389 88 44, [email protected]

General Atlantic:
Susanne Jahrreiss / Ralf Geissler
+49 89 309052950, [email protected]

About TX Group
TX Group forms a network of digital platforms that offer users information, orientation, entertainment and services for everyday needs. Three independent companies operate under the umbrella of the TX Group: Goldbach handles advertising marketing in Switzerland, Germany and Austria; 20 Minuten is the company for commuter media in Switzerland and abroad; Tamedia leads the paid daily and weekly newspapers and magazines into the future. In addition, the TX Group is a participant in the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group joint venture together with Ringier, Mobiliar and General Atlantic. The TX Group and Ringier AG also operate the Jobcloud joint venture together.

About Ringier
Ringier AG is an innovative, digitalised and diversified Swiss media company operating in Europe, Asia and Africa. Its portfolio includes over 110 subsidiaries in the print, digital media, radio, ticketing, entertainment and e-commerce sectors and leading online marketplaces for cars, property and jobs. As a venture capital provider, Ringier supports innovative digital start-ups. Ringier, a family company, founded in 1833 as a publishing house and printing press, has invested consistently in the Group’s digitalisation and global expansion in recent years. In 2020, the company’s approximately 6,800 employees, operating in 18 different countries, generated revenues of CHF 953.7 million. Today, more than 69% of its operating profit already comes from digital, where Ringier is a leader among European media companies. Ringier represents independence, freedom of expression and a pioneering spirit.

About La Mobilière
Every third household and every third company in Switzerland is insured with La Mobilière. As of 31 December 2020, the all-lines insurer had a premium volume of approximately CHF 4.1 billion. Eighty independent general agencies with their own claims services provide cover to some 2.2 million customers at about 160 locations.
In its home markets of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, La Mobilière has about 5,900 employees and 338 apprenticeships. Established as a cooperative in 1826, La Mobilière is the oldest private insurance company in Switzerland. The Board of Directors of Schweizerische Mobiliar Genossenschaft ensure that the cooperative orientation of the group is maintained.

About General Atlantic
General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm with more than four decades of experience providing capital and strategic support for over 400 growth companies throughout its history. Established in 1980 to partner with visionary entrepreneurs and deliver lasting impact, the firm combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to scale innovative businesses around the world. General Atlantic currently has over $65 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2021 and more than 175 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Munich, Palo Alto, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore and Stamford. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit the website: www.generalatlantic.com.

EXTERNAL LINK

Ad hoc release as per Art. 53 LR (PDF)