ProxyPartner Germany

RiskMetrics Group (ISS Governance Services) and DSW announce Proxy Partnership for Germany

ISS Governance Services, a business unit of the RiskMetrics Group, the leading risk management and corporate governance services provider for the global market place (NYSE:RMG), and DSW, Germany’s oldest and largest association of private investors, have expanded their partnership. The new cooperation will provide the first complete and fully integrated proxy service for RMG customers at annual general meetings held in Germany.

"ProxyPartner Germany"

Once investors’ proxies appear at annual general meetings and confirm that they are doing so in line with the stockholders’ instructions, this will close the gap in the proxy procedure, thus completing the process from the issuance of instructions via the representation of the stockholder, to the final confirmation of the actions taken as proxy.

ProxyPartner Germany is the ideal complement to the services provided by Global Proxy Distribution TM (GPD), of the RiskMetrics Group, which offers solutions to custodian banks. By offering complete proof of the votes exercised, the average number of votes recorded as being present at annual general meetings will increase, thus enhancing corporate governance in Germany. This is an important milestone, both for the companies emitting shares as well as the stockholders.

Dag Wright, director of the RiskMetrics Group in Germany, was confident that “RiskMetrics Group and DSW are particularly well suited to offer to institutional investors the joint benefit of global corporate governance experts and the local experience of providing proxy services”, and Jella Benner-Heinacher agrees: The DSW managing director stated, “We cannot imagine a better strategic partnership than that between RiskMetrics Group, the brand known all over the world for its professional and recognized standards in corporate governance solutions, and DSW as the leading national organization representing institutional and private stockholders.”

About RiskMetrics Group:

The RiskMetrics Group is the leading provider of risk management products and services to financial market participants. Our services join global organizations to one another and link them up with their investors in order to expand the awareness and the application of risk management and to thus ensure better financial decisions. Headquartered in New York, with 19 branch offices all over the world, RiskMetrics assists more than 2,300 institutions and 1,000 companies in 50 countries.

About Deutsche Schutzvereinigung für Wertpapierbesitz e.V.:

The Deutsche Schutzvereinigung für Wertpapierbesitz (DSW, association for the protection of securities investors) was established in 1947. At approximately 25,000 members, it is the leading German association representing the rights of private and institutional investors. Klaus Nieding, attorney, is the managing director of the Land regional association, operating from Frankfurt am Main.

For further information on RiskMetrics Group, please log onto its homepage: www.riskmetrics.com.