Hilding Anders - new CEO

Hilding Anders - new CEO Anders Pålsson will take up his position as CEO of Hilding Anders on 1 January 2003. He will take over from the present CEO Bengt Adolfsson who has been appointed chairman of the board. "The Hilding Anders Group is in an expansive phase and I see the realisation of the company's goal to be one of the world's leading bed manufacturers as an exciting challenge," comments Anders Pålsson on his new appointment. Anders Pålsson, 44, is currently head of the Services business area at Sydkraft. Prior to this he worked at PLM and Trelleborg. Hilding Anders (www.hildinganders.se) is today Europe's largest bed manufacturer with a market share of 15%. The company has operations in 14 countries around Europe. Hilding Anders has grown substantially in recent years from sales in 1987 of approximately SEK 62m to its present level of approximately SEK 3.8 billion. The company has approximately 2,200 employees. A stock-exchange listing is planned in 2003. "This is a suitable time to make changes in the company's management while the fact that I will remain as chairman of the board will provide continuity," says the present CEO Bengt Adolfsson who has been with the company since 1974. Ratos's holding in Hilding Anders amounts to 27%. For additional information, please contact: Arne Karlsson, CEO Ratos, +46 8 700 17 00 Anders Pålsson, Sydkraft, +46 40 25 58 05, +46 703 203 202 Financial calendar 2002 and 2003: Interim Report January-September 2002 13 November 2002 Year-end report 2002 21 February 2003 Annual General Meeting 2003 9 April 2003 Interim Report January-March 2003 12 May 2003 Interim Report January-June 2003 27 August 2003 Interim Report January-September 2003 12 November 2003 Ratos is a listed private equity company. The business concept is to maximise shareholder value over time by investing in, developing and divesting primarily unlisted companies. Ratos thus offers stock market players a unique investment opportunity. The net asset value of Ratos's investments is more than SEK 8 billion. Ratos's holdings include Arcorus, Atle Industri, Camfil, Capona, Dahl, DataVis, DIAB, Dynal Biotech, Gadelius, Giga Consulting, Haendig, Haglöfs, Hilding Anders, HL Display, Industri Kapital, Intervect, Lindab, Martinsson, Q-Labs, Superfos and Telia Overseas. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/10/17/20021017BIT01050/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/10/17/20021017BIT01050/wkr0002.pdf