- Heimo Scheuch appointed new Chairman of the Supervisory Board
- Angelika Sommer-Hemetsberger appointed Vice Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board
- Dieter Hengl succeeds Willibald Cerno on the Supervisory Board
- Excellent earnings secure independence of the Vienna Stock Exchange
- Reorientation of the Vienna Stock Exchange as a West European marketplace
At today’s Annual General Meeting of Wiener Börse AG and CEESEG AG, Dieter Hengl, member of the Management Board of UniCredit Bank Austria AG, responsible for Corporate & Investment Banking, was elected to succeed Willibald Cernko on the supervisory body. At the Supervisory Board meeting held immediately afterwards, new Executive Committee was elected. Effective immediately, Heimo Scheuch, CEO of Wienerberger AG, will serve as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Wiener Börse AG and of CEESEG AG. Angelika Sommer-Hemetsberger, member of the Management Board of Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG, was elected Vice-Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board. The appointments of Heimo Scheuch and Angelika Sommer-Hemetsberger signal both renewal and continuity. Both have already been supporting the stock exchange’s transformation process in recent years. By contributing their experiences gained in the industrial sector and in banking as well as their knowledge of the framework conditions required for the smooth operation of capital markets, they will work with the new Management Board to pave the Vienna Stock Exchange’s road into the future.
Heimo Scheuch on his new position and his engagement for the domestic capital market: “A strong stock exchange is important for Austria as a business location and for the domestic economy. If we want to make our economy fit for the future, we need not only a clear commitment of policy-makers to an active and effective financial marketplace but also the right decisions to be taken. Together with the new Management Board, I will work on repositioning the Vienna Stock Exchange and will proactively call for sound framework conditions. I would like to thank my colleagues on the Supervisory Board for their trust and am looking forward to the task ahead.” Wienerberger AG, a global supplier of building materials and infrastructure solutions, is the company with the largest free float share at the Vienna Stock Exchange.
Positive results presented for 2015
At today’s meeting, Wiener Börse AG presented excellent earnings figures for the year 2015. The operating result was EUR 20.5 million, which is a gain of 12.9% year on year (2014: EUR 18.1 million). The principal driver of this development was climbing trading volumes: Average monthly trading volumes in 2015 were EUR 4.87 billion versus EUR 3.98 billion in the preceding year. Trading volumes for the full year rose by 22.2% to EUR 58.4 billion (2014: EUR 47.8 billion). Equity capital of the Vienna Stock Exchange as at 31 December 2015 was EUR 33.9 million (2014: EUR 30.9 million).Total assets amounted to EUR 57.3 million following EUR 52.9 million in the preceding year. Net profit was EUR 16.5 million following EUR 13.7 million in 2014. Wiener Börse AG employed a staff of 91 (79 full-time equivalents) as of 31 December 2015.
The parent company of the Vienna Stock Exchange, the holding company CEESEG AG, which also owns a stake in the Prague Stock Exchange, can also look back at a positive financial year 2015. The consolidated operating result of CEESEG increased slightly to EUR 30.4 million (2014: EUR 28.3 million).The Group’s total assets were EUR 178 million following EUR 191 million in 2014.
“The earnings of the Vienna Stock Exchange and the joint venture with the Prague Stock Exchange sustainably help to secure the independence of the domestic marketplace. This is an excellent starting point for the reorientation of the Vienna Stock Exchange and for the development of new products and services for companies and investors”, said Heimo Scheuch.
About the Vienna Stock Exchange
The Vienna Stock Exchange is the only securities exchange in Austria. It features a modern infrastructure and supplies market data and relevant information. It guarantees the smooth and efficient execution of stock exchange trades and serves as an intermediary for all market participants. Wiener Börse AG also operates the Austrian power exchange EXAA and the CEGH Gas Exchange under the license of the Vienna Stock Exchange. Wiener Börse AG, together with its holding company, CEESEG, cooperates with 12 exchanges in Central and Eastern Europe and is globally recognized for its unique CEE know-how.
