Information Highway/Connecta Propose Name Change to Adcore

Information Highway/Connecta Propose Name Change to Adcore The recently merged Internet consulting company, Information Highway/Connecta, is expected to adopt the new name Adcore. After a successful integration process and a comprehensive international registration of the proposed name, brand and necessary domains, the management team will present the proposal at an extra shareholders' meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, 6 June. The occasion will also be used to present the new logotype and brand that will position Adcore as Europe's leading digital business consultants. "Adcore is a very good name," according to Göran Wågström, CEO and President of the new organisation. "We have solved the last challenges involved in the integration process and are very pleased to be presenting such a thorough and internationally viable name to the shareholders. We are constructing a strong brand and an international company that unifies the values and corporate cultures held by Information Highway, Connecta and Germany's berens/partners and we will quickly fortify our new identity in the market," says Göran Wågström. The comprehensive task of creating a new brand began as soon as Information Highway and Connecta made public their merger plans on 23 February. The process has been conducted under the stewardship of an internal project group in co-operation with well-respected external experts. The work has involved the review of hundreds of proposed names, language and legal checks, registration, design, development of a brand platform, graphic identity manual as well as all production. The launch of the new brand will take place after the shareholders' meeting, 6 June. "With Adcore we are writing the first chapter of our new history," says Christer Jacobsson, former CEO for Connecta and proposed Chairman of the Adcore Board of Directors. "The integration process has progressed excellently and we are now building Europe's leading consultancy in the digital arena, an international company focusing on business-to-business. Connecta, Information Highway and Germany's berens/partner are now all working together and naturally we should be acting under one name. Adcore lives up to the high demands that we, our shareholders and not least our clients demand of a successful, innovative and international company," concludes Christer Jacobsson. New Board of Directors and Aggressive Options Programme The question of a new name, in other words changes to the articles of association with respect to the firm, are the main issues on the agenda in the coming shareholders' meeting, 6 June. The shareholders will also have to decide on the composition of the new Board of Directors. It is proposed that the new board will consist of the following members: Christer Jacobsson, Göran Wågström, Anders G. Carlberg, Lars Irstad and Lars Evander. Shareholders will then decide on a new share issue, take a position on the acquisition of German Internet consultancy berens/partner AG as well as shares in the Danish Internet consultancy Implement A.S. The shareholders' meeting will also make a decision concerning the authorisation for the board to issue new shares in exchange for acquisition of equity in companies. Finally the board will ask the shareholders' meeting to decide on a new, aggressive incentive /options programme for employees of the company, as well as the revision of all previous programmes. Background The merger between Information Highway and Connecta is complete. In early May it was made public that Connecta shareholders, representing 95.6% of the capital and 98.6% of the votes had accepted Information Highway's offer. Thereby, the proviso of Information Highway's public offering to Connecta's shareholders and holders of subscription rights and convertibles issued by Connecta has been satisfied. Adcore thereby becomes one of Europe's biggest Internet companies and the absolute leader in the business-to-business market, the segment expected to experience the highest growth rates in the future. With its headcount of some 1 400 (including berens/partner of Germany), the new group will gain an extremely secure platform, including Europe's biggest strategic consulting unit. The merger has progressed very smoothly and is practically complete. Trading in the new shares, received in exchange for Connecta stock, is scheduled to commence on or around 22 May 2000. The application period has been extended to 29 May 2000 for those shareholders that have still not accepted the offer. Shareholders accepting the offer during this extension period will receive new Information Highway shares on or around 20 June 2000. Information Highway intends to demand compulsory redemption of any remaining shares after the end of the extended application period. Stockholm, 23 May 2000 Information Highway AB (publ), Connecta AB (publ) For more information, please contact: Göran Wågström, CEO/President, Information Highway, tel +46 (0)70-526 2758, goran.wagstrom@ih.com Christer Jacobsson, CEO/President, Connecta, tel +46 (0)70-571 74 47, christer.jacobsson@connecta.se Sune Holm, Marketing Chief, Information Highway, tel +46 (0)70-519 46 69, sune.holm@ih.com Ulf Karnell, VP Corp. Comm., Information Highway, tel + 46 (0)70-514 17 39, ulf.karnell@ih.com Frans Benson, VP IR, Information Highway/Connecta, tel +46 (0)70-510 70 95, frans.benson@connecta.se Adcore - Digital Business Consultants Information Highway and Connecta will officially merge, 6 June, and adopt the new name Adcore. Thereby creating one of Europe's leading digital consulting practices oriented towards strategic business-to-business solutions. The new group will have a very secure platform for sustained robust international expansion. The two companies have an aggregate headcount of about 1,200 (1,400 including the acquisition of berens/partner in Germany). The objective is to have at least 2,000 employees by the end of the year. About Information Highway [www.ih.com] Information Highway assists enterprises in exploiting the business opportunities presented by the new network economy. Information Highway consolidates its clients' competitiveness, making them successful in the digital arena by providing Internet-based solutions characterised by business expertise, creativity and leading-edge technology skills, essentially offering "a safe ride to The New Economy". Information Highway was founded in 1994 and currently employs over 600 people at ten locations in Sweden and in Norway, Denmark, Finland, Germany and the UK. The share is quoted on OM Stockholm Exchange's O-list (symbol: IHWY). Göran Wågström is Information Highway's President. Information Highway provides solutions for ABB, Ericsson, Telia, SAS, Vattenfall, Lufthansa, Codan, Telenor and Swiss Valore. About Connecta [www.connecta.se] Connecta is an Internet consulting enterprise active in Internet business development. The company provides services in the areas of Strategy, Internet and Human Resource Management. With its total concepts, Connecta is able to serve as a full-range provider to major corporations and organisations, offering consulting services that consolidate their business capacity in the new digital economy. Connecta was incorporated in 1993 and now has 600 employees. Connecta stock is quoted on OM Stockholm Exchange's O-list (symbol: CNTA). Christer Jacobsson is Connecta's President. Connecta provides solutions for clients including SEB, Skandia, Ericsson, Folksam, Scania, Statoil, SAF, Volkswagen and Thomson Travel Group (Fritidsresor). ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/05/23/20000523BIT00120/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/05/23/20000523BIT00120/bit0002.pdf