EQS Group: General Meeting resolves upon squeeze-out

Munich - July 30, 2024

Following the closing of the public takeover offer by investment firm Thoma Bravo and the subsequent delisting, the Annual General Meeting of EQS Group today resolved upon the squeeze-out under stock corporation law. Concurrently, the Annual General Meeting also resolved upon the transfer of the EQS shares of the minority shareholders to Pineapple German Bidco GmbH, a holding company controlled by funds managed by Thoma Bravo. Pineapple German Bidco GmbH is the main shareholder of EQS Group with approx. 98% of the company's share capital.

The minority shareholders will receive a cash compensation of EUR 40.00 per EQS share. Trading of the EQS shares on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange was already terminated on May 6, 2024.

"We would like to thank our shareholders for their trust over the 18 years since our IPO. This period has been a success story for both sides. In the coming years, we will run EQS as a private company in order to take the next step in our growth strategy with Thoma Bravo as a strong partner," says Achim Weick, founder and CEO of EQS Group.

Changes to the Supervisory Board

At the Annual General Meeting, which was held virtually for the fifth consecutive year, a new five-member Supervisory Board was elected. The mandates of Supervisory Board Chairman Robert Wirth and of Stephan Ritter expired at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting. With effect as of the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting, Catharina van Delden, Prof. Dr. Kerstin Lopatta, and Laurenz Nienaber, also stepped down from their positions as members of the Supervisory Board.

Robert Wirth, former Chairman of the Supervisory Board of EQS Group: "Many thanks to my colleagues on the Supervisory Board and to the Executive Board for the many years of cooperation, which was characterized by trust and friendly cooperation. We will always remain connected to EQS. I wish the new Supervisory Board members all the best in their new roles."

Five new Supervisory Board members were elected by the Annual General Meeting:

• Irina Hemmers, Partner at Thoma Bravo, who succeeds Robert Wirth as Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board.
• William Downing, Vice President at Thoma Bravo, who succeeds Laurenz Nienaber as Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
• In addition, David Tse, Vice President at Thoma Bravo, Eugene Austin, Operating Partner at Thoma Bravo and Anthony Palladino, Operating Partner at Thoma Bravo, were elected to the Supervisory Board.

"The previous Supervisory Board members have played an instrumental role in shaping our company's trajectory over the past years, providing invaluable guidance and support. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all departing members," says Achim Weick. "At the same time, we are very much looking forward to working with the new Supervisory Board members and forging an even closer partnership with Thoma Bravo. Their extensive industry expertise has already proven to be extremely valuable and will help us in achieving our strategic goals, expand our growth, and establish the leading compliance platform in Europe. We look forward to this new stage with great confidence."

Press contact

Christina Jahn

Phone: +49 89 444430133

E-Mail: christina.jahn@eqs.com

About EQS Group 

EQS Group is a leading international cloud provider in the areas of corporate compliance, investor relations and sustainability reporting. Thousands of companies across the world use EQS Group’s products to build trust by reliably and securely meeting complex regulatory requirements, minimizing risks and transparently reporting on business performance and its impact on society and the environment.  

EQS Group’s products are bundled in the cloud-based software EQS COCKPIT. This allows compliance processes in the areas of whistleblower protection and case handling, policy management and approval processes to be managed just as professionally as business partners, insider lists and reporting obligations. Listed companies also benefit from a global newswire, investor targeting and contact management, as well as IR websites, digital reports and webcasts for efficient and secure investor communication. In addition, EQS Group provides software for the fulfillment of human rights due diligence obligations along corporate supply chains, as well as for compliant sustainability reporting.  

EQS Group was founded in Munich in 2000. Today, the group employs around 550 professionals and is represented in the world’s most important financial centers. 

https://www.eqs.com/