FESE and EuropeanIssuers announce the winners of the 2nd European Small and Mid-cap Awards

BRUSSELS, 28-11-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — On the evening of 26th November, FESE and EuropeanIssuers co-hosted a prestigious awards ceremony to celebrate the winners of the 2nd European Small and Mid-cap Awards.

The ceremony was presided over by the European Commission: Daniel Calleja Crespo, Director General of DG Enterprise and Industry and SME Envoy of the European Commission.

The Awards aim to highlight the best European small and mid-sized companies who have gained access to capital markets via an Initial Public Offering (IPO). By offering a platform for such companies we aim to encourage more companies to follow suit by accessing finance through public capital markets.

The Awards, now in its second year, were founded by the European Commission, FESE and EuropeanIssuers in 2013 with the aim of highlighting what can be achieved by small and mid-cap companies who have raised money on public exchanges through IPOs.

Among the short-listed nominees, many have significantly increased both revenues and profits since floatation. These companies deserve recognition.

The four Award categories were introduced by Deirdre Somers, Chief Executive of the Irish Stock Exchange and Luc Vansteenkiste, Chairman of EuropeanIssuers.

The winners were announced as follows:

• Best new listed company:
  ID LOGISTICS a French company that provides logistics services, listed on Euronext;
• Most innovative newcomer:
  FEERUM a Polish company that produces comprehensive grain elevators, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange;
• Most internationally-minded newcomers:
  ITALIA INDEPENDENT GROUP an Italian company that heads a group active in eyewear and lifestyle products, listed on Borsa Italiana; and
• Rising star:
  Bionaturis Group a Spanish biopharmaceutical company, listed on Mercado Alternativo Bursátil (MAB).

EuropeanIssuers’ Chairman, Luc Vansteenkiste, said, “We are delighted to highlight the role that quoted companies play in creating jobs and growth in Europe, and we hope that this event will show the importance of capital markets supporting the real economy” Christian Katz, FESE President said, “We need more capital market funding to support innovation, growth and wealth generation. The European Small and Mid-Cap Awards shine a spotlight on exactly the kind of companies that build the future of Europe”

Further information for the Editor

Second and third place were awarded to:
Best new listed company
Second place: DKSH Holding Ltd listed on SIX Swiss Exchange
Third place: MÁSMÓVIL IBERCOM listed on Mercado Alternativo Bursátil (MAB)
Most innovative newcomer
Second place: Good Energy listed on the London Stock Exchange
Third place: Cardio3 BioSciences listed on Euronext (dual listing Brussels+Paris)
Most internationally-minded newcomer
Second place: REC Solar listed on Oslo Børs
Third place: EBIOSS Energy AD listed on Mercado Alternativo Bursátil (MAB)
Rising Star
Second place: One Media iP Group Plc listed on the London Stock Exchange
Third place: Siili Solutions listed on Nasdaq

The Awards Jury
The winners were chosen by an independent jury:

Jean-Pierre Paelinck, World Federation of Investors
Julian Palfreyman, Winterflood Securities
John Rega, mLex
Greg Revenu, Managing Partner of Bryan, Garnier & Co
Phaedon Tamvakakis, Alpha Trust Investment Services

About FESE
The Federation of European Securities Exchanges (FESE) represents 37 exchanges in equities, bonds, derivatives and commodities through 20 full members from 30 countries, as well as one Affiliate Member and one Observer Member.

At the end of 2013, FESE members had up to 8,950 companies listed on their markets, of which 8% are foreign companies contributing towards the European integration and providing broad and liquid access to Europe’s capital markets. Many of our members also organise specialised markets that allow small and medium sized companies across Europe to access the capital markets; 1,478 companies were listed in these specialised markets/segments in equity, increasing choice for investors and issuers.

About EuropeanIssuers
EuropeanIssuers is a pan-European organisation representing the interests of publicly quoted companies across Europe. Our members include both national associations and companies from all sectors, covering markets worth € 6.9 billion market capitalisation with approximately 9000 companies.

We aim to ensure that EU policy creates an environment in which companies can raise capital through the public markets and can deliver growth over the longer-term. We seek capital markets that serve the interests of their end users, including issuers.

For more information, please visit www.europeanissuers.eu

For further information please contact:
FESE
Tracey Roberts
Communications & Policy Adviser
Tel: +32 2 551 01 87
Email: roberts@fese.eu

EuropeanIssuers
Kasia Rusek
Communication Assistant
Tel: +32 2 289 25 74
Email: communication@europeanissuers.eu

About the sponsors:

BDO:
BDO is an international network of independent public accounting, tax and advisory firms that provides services in over 150 countries. The BDO network consists of nearly 60,000 people working out of 1,328 offices worldwide. The combined fee income of all the BDO Member Firms, including the members of their exclusive alliances, was $7.02 billion at year end 2014. At BDO we are passionate about service and have long been aware of its importance to our success: we believe in exceptional client service, delivered by exceptional people.
Contact: Noel Clehane nclehane@bwsbrussels.com

NASDAQ:
Nasdaq (Nasdaq:NDAQ) is a leading provider of trading, exchange technology, information and public company services across six continents. Through its diverse portfolio of solutions, Nasdaq enables customers to plan, optimize and execute their business vision with confidence, using proven technologies that provide transparency and insight for navigating today’s global capital markets. As the creator of the world’s first electronic stock market, its technology powers more than 70 marketplaces in 50 countries, and 1 in 10 of the world’s securities transactions. Nasdaq is home to more than 3,500 listed companies with a market value of over $8.8 trillion and more than 10,000 corporate clients. To learn more, visit www.nasdaq.com/ambition or www.nasdaqomx.com.
Contact: Martin Hedensiö, martin.hedensio@nasdaq.com

Deutsche Börse:
Deutsche Börse Cash Market – one of the leading cash markets in Europe – offers companies, brokers and investors access to the German and international capital markets. Our product portfolio and services cover the admission of securities to trading – according to recognised rules and in customised market segments. In the form of Xetra® and Börse Frankfurt (Frankfurt Stock Exchange) we operate two of the world’s most renowned trading platforms where prices are determined on the exchange. Furthermore, Deutsche Börse listing partners® provide expert knowledge in the going public area.
Contact: Leticia Adam leticia.adam@deutsche-boerse.com

Irish Stock Exchange:
Irish Stock Exchange services include listing debt, companies and funds. ISE offers membership to trade shares and Irish Government bonds. ISE distributes data and announcements and provide LEI and ISIN code services.

Irish Stock Exchange operates three markets – the Main Securities Market for listing debt, companies, funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs); the Global Exchange Market for debt and the Enterprise Securities Market for growth companies
Contact: Ailish Byrne ailish.byrne@ise.ie

Oslo Bors:
Oslo Børs ASA offers the only regulated markets for securities trading in Norway today. Oslo Børs offers a full product range including equities, derivatives and fixed income instruments on their market places.

The marketplace Oslo Børs is constantly bringing domestic and international investors together with world class issuers in a fully regulated environment. The Oslo market has in recent years proven itself as one of the most efficient markets in Europe when it comes to raising equity and debt capital for companies.
Contact: Geir Harald Aase gha@oslobors.no

Euronext:
Euronext is the primary exchange in the Euro zone with over 1,300 issuers worth €2.6 trillion in market capitalization, an unmatched blue chip franchise consisting of 20+ issuers in the EURO STOXX 50® benchmark and a strong diverse domestic and international client base.

Euronext operates regulated and transparent equity and derivatives markets. Its total product offering includes Equities, Exchange Traded Funds, Warrants & Certificates, Bonds, Derivatives, Commodities and Indices. Euronext also leverages its expertise of running markets by providing technology and managed services to third parties. Euronext operates regulated markets: Alternext and the Free Market. In addition it offers EnterNext, a subsidiary of Euronext which facilitates SMEs’ access to capital markets.
Contact: Alix de La Bastide adelabastide@euronext.com