20 January 2010 - Aker Solutions is offering approximately 17 200 of its employees the opportunity to buy Aker Solutions ASA shares with a market value of approximately NOK 15 000 per employee including a discount of NOK 1 500. The duration of the programme will be 12 months, from March 2010 through to March 2011, and employees who participate in the programme will purchase shares once a month in this period. The programme is binding for the 12 month purchase period. The per-share purchase price will be equal to the average (volume-weighted) share price of Aker Solutions ASA shares on the Oslo Stock Exchange on the last trading day before the shares are distributed. Thus, the number of shares purchased by each employee may vary, dependant on this average price, but will be limited to a value of NOK 1 250 each month.

 

Employees who keep their shares until 3 September 2012 and who are continuously employed by Aker Solutions throughout the period for which they hold their shares will be entitled to a bonus share award, free of charge, of one bonus share for every two Aker Solutions ASA shares held under the programme. If Aker Solutions at the time of bonus share distribution does not hold treasury shares or is prevented from acquiring shares to distribute to its employees, the company will pay a cash amount to employee shareholders corresponding to the value of the bonus shares.

 

The purpose of the programme is to:

- Encourage employees to own shares in the company and to share in any long-term growth in the development of Aker Solutions' share value
- Reinforce employees' interest, commitment and long-term employment in Aker Solutions

The programme will be introduced in 2010 in Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Canada, Chile and the US.

 

The order period runs from 20 January through 18 February 2010 at 15:00 GMT.

 

A comprehensive information package has been sent to the homes of employees eligible for the programme in the UK, the Netherlands and Norway, and distributed by email to employees in the US, Canada and Chile, as well as being available on Aker Solutions' intranet 'eNet'. It is also available on request from Aker Solutions.

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Investor relations: Ingrid Aarsnes, VP Investor Relations, Aker Solutions. Tel: +47 22 94 63 37, Mob: +47 950 38 364

 

Media: Jannik Lindbæk, SVP Corporate Communications, Aker Solutions. Tel: +47 67 51 30 36, Mob: +47 977 55 622

Career opportunities: visit http://www.akersolutions.com/CareerCentre  

 

 

Aker Solutions ASA, through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("Aker Solutions"), is a leading global provider of engineering and construction services, technology products and integrated solutions. Aker Solutions' business serves several industries, including oil & gas, refining & chemicals, mining & metals and power generation. The Aker Solutions group is organised in a number of separate legal entities. Aker Solutions is used as the common brand/trademark for most of these entities.

 

Aker Solutions' parent company is Aker Solutions ASA. Aker Solutions has aggregated annual revenues of approximately NOK 58 billion and has approximately 22 500 employees and 9 500 contract staff in about 30 countries.

 

Aker Solutions is part of Aker (www.akerasa.com), a group of premier companies with a focus on energy, maritime and marine resource industries. The Aker companies share a common set of values and a long tradition of industrial innovation. Through its majority-owned holding company Aker Holding AS, Aker controls 40.27 percent of the shares in Aker Solutions, and takes an active role in the development of the company.

 

This press release may include forward-looking information or statements and is subject to our disclaimer, see our web-pages www.akersolutions.com.

 

 

This information is subject of the disclosure requirements acc. to §5-12 vphl (Norwegian Securities Trading Act)