AXA Private Equity concludes share purchase agreement with Planisware Paris, Monday January 27, 2003

AXA Private Equity, one of the market leaders for investment in unlisted companies, has announced that it is to buy a stake in Planisware, a software engineer specialising in project management applications.

Created in 1996 following a spin-off from Syseca, an IT services company 100%-owned by Thomson CSF, Planisware designs and markets the OPX2 range of applications.

Planisware is Europe’s leading publisher of enterprise-wide project management solutions. Its range of products is tightly focused on the traditional markets for project management-pharmaceuticals, aerospace, auto, energy, engineering and maintenance.

Planisware has a European positioning following its expansion into Germany and the UK, and opened a US subsidiary in 1999.

Thanks to its strong market positioning and high-quality management, Planisware has achieved organic growth rates of 30-50% each year since its creation. At year-end 2002, it posted sales of € 9 million and a net profit margin in excess of 20%.

Under the terms of the agreement, AXA Private Equity will hold 20% of Planisware’s total capital.

The change in the shareholder base should not affect Planisware’s current strategy, the aim being to continue the company’s expansion and to cement its market lead.