Amsterdam, The Netherlands – VNU N.V. today named Chief Financial Officer Rob Ruijter as its interim chief executive officer, replacing Rob van den Bergh, who stepped down from both the CEO’s office and the company’s Executive Board. Ruijter, who joined the board in 2004, will remain in the CFO position.
Today’s annual general shareholders meeting in Amsterdam was held in the wake of VNU’s $9.7 billion acquisition by Valcon on May 21. Valcon currently holds nearly 99 percent of the outstanding VNU stock and said this week it would initiate a “squeeze-out” for the remaining shares and terminate trading on VNU stock as of July 10. A squeeze-out is a Dutch legal procedure that allows the buy-out of minority stockholders.
VNU Expositions produces more than 70 events in the United States, Europe and Asia including GlobalShop, Medtrade and ShoWest and has a 58 percent stake in nearly 100 other expositions. VNU Business Media publishes Adweek, Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter.
Valcon is a private-equity group comprised of affiliated funds of AlpInvest Partners NV, The Blackstone Group LP, The Carlyle Group, Hellman & Friedman LLC, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. LP and Thomas H. Lee Partners, LP.
Reach Rob Ruijter at 011 31 23 546 34 63.
