SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For November 8, 2007
Commission File Number 1-14642
ING Groep N.V.
Amstelveenseweg 500
1081-KL Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of
Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by
Regulation S-T rule 101(b)(1): o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by
Regulation S-T rule 101(b)(7): o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this
Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to rule 12g3-2(b) under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
If Yes is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with
Rule 12g3-2(b).
Page 1 of 4
|
|
|
PRESS RELEASE
|
|
Amsterdam, 7 November 2007 |
ING to acquire strategic stake in Thailands TMB Bank
ING announced today that it has reached a conditional
agreement to acquire a 30% stake (on a fully diluted basis) in
TMB Bank PCL (TMB) in Thailand for approximately EUR 460
million. The transaction enables ING to extend its footprint in
the fast growing Asian market.
Eli Leenaars, Executive Board member and responsible for INGs
global retail banking activities said, This transaction
provides ING with a unique opportunity to enter a major growth
market in Asia. The partnership leverages our expertise in
retail banking and TMBs superior distribution platform thereby
greatly enhancing the quality of service and breadth of
financial products offered to TMBs customers.
The strategic investment is part of TMBs capital raising plan
to strengthen its capital adequacy. According to the plan, TMB
will allocate 25,000 million shares at a price of Thai Baht
(THB) 1.60 per share to ING and THB 1.40 per share to existing
investors. ING will acquire a stake of 25.1% in TMB voting
shares and a further 4.9% either in voting shares or in
non-voting shares (through tradable depository receipts). TMB
will request a waiver from the Thai Securities and Exchange
Commission so as not to trigger a tender offer to purchase all
the outstanding shares of TMB. The Thai Ministry of Finance is
also expected to participate in the capital raising with a 26.1%
stake following the capital raising. The remaining shares will
be offered to existing shareholders and other new shareholders
once existing shareholders demand is met.
Established in 1957, TMB is one of the leading banks in Thailand
with approximately EUR 14 billion in total assets, over 5
million customers and 472 branches with a broad representation
throughout Thailand. TMB offers a wide range of products and
services with a large retail deposit base and lending focus on
the small-to-medium enterprise (SME) and corporate sectors.
ING is working closely with TMB and the Thai Ministry of Finance
on a post-agreement plan that best leverages the strength of
both entities.
ING believes there is a significant growth opportunity in Asia
and has made several strategic investments in countries which it
views as having growth potential e.g. ING holds a 16.07% stake
in Bank of Beijing in China and a 44% stake in ING Vysya Bank in
India.
The transaction is subject to TMBs shareholders approval of,
amongst other things, the waiver of INGs obligation to make a
general offer, which requires a 75% vote, together with
approvals from various regulators including the Bank of
Thailand, the Thai Ministry of Finance and the Dutch Central
Bank (DNB). The transaction is expected to close in the last
quarter of 2007 and will have a negligible impact on the Tier-1
ratio of ING Bank NV.
Press enquiries
Nanne Bos
ING Group
+31 20 5416516
nanne.bos@ing.com
Karen Williams
ING Asia/Pacific
+852 3762 8236
karen.williams@ap.ing.com
Profile ING
ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering
banking, insurance and asset management to over 75 million
private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50
countries. With a diverse workforce of about 120,000 people, ING
comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that
increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand.
Page 3 of 4