Thomas Rietz appointed CEO of AxFast BV Fredrik Persson new CFO of Axel Johnson AB

Thomas Rietz appointed CEO of AxFast BV Fredrik Persson new CFO of Axel Johnson AB Thomas Rietz, formerly Chief Financial Officer of Axel Johnson AB, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Axel Johnson Group's newly established AxFast BV Group. The appointment is effective as of July 1, 2001. The AxFast BV Group owns some 80 properties in Sweden focusing on retail and distribution operations. Christer Sterner will remain President of the wholly owned holding company, AxFast AB. Fredrik Persson, 33, has been appointed new Chief Financial Officer of Axel Johnson AB. Fredrik Persson has been responsible for business development within Axel Johnson AB since June 2000 and joined the Group from Aros Securities, where he was head of the Research Department. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ For further information, please contact: Göran Ennerfelt, President and CEO, Axel Johnson AB +46-8-701 61 00 (- 6108) Thomas Rietz, CEO, AxFast BV +46-8-701 61 00 (-6140) Fredrik Persson, CFO, Axel Johnson AB +46-8-701 61 00 (-6159) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The Axel Johnson Group is a fourth-generation, family-owned company, originating in the A. Johnson & Co. trading company, founded in 1873. The group consists of four legally and financially independent groups with a common owner, Antonia Ax:son Johnson and family. In addition, Axel Johnson has proprietary interests in the British company Spirent, listed on the London Stock Exchange, and in Nordstjernan, which in turn has major interests in other listed companies, including NCC. Axel Johnson AB focuses on consumer goods and services for the Nordic market in general and Sweden in particular. Subsidiaries and affiliated companies report sales totaling SEK 41 billion, with 12,500 employees. Axel Johnson International AB is engaged in the trading and distribution of industrial products, primarily for the European market. Sales total SEK 4.6 billion, and the number of employees 1,200. Axel Johnson Inc., with the majority of its operations in North America, provides products and services in business areas Energy, Environment and Communications Technology. Sales total SEK 24 billion, and the number of employees 1,150. AxFast BV owns real estate in Sweden with the focus on commercial premises for trade and distribution. At year-end 2000, the portfolio comprised some 80 properties, amounting to 644,000 square meters of space. Spirent plc. reported sales in 2000 of SEK 9.8 billion and 6,950 employees. Nordstjernan's subsidiaries and affiliated companies reported sales of SEK 40 billion, with 25,000 employees. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/07/02/20010702BIT00050/bit0002.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/07/02/20010702BIT00050/bit0002.pdf