At its session yesterday prior to tomorrow's general meeting, the steering committee for the creation of the new Swiss airline, in consultation with the investors, reiterated its proposals for appointments to the new board and thereby made the position unmistakably clear regarding the standpoint of the investors it represents. As soon as the new board is in place, the mandate of the steering committee will have been fulfilled and the committee will be dissolved. 

The steering committee for the creation of the new Swiss airline – on behalf of and after due consultation with the most important investors – proposes the following as members of the board of the new airline:

Pieter Bouw (Chairman), Jacques Aigrain, Kevin E. Benson, Philip H. Geier, Claudio Generali, Riccardo Gaetano Gullotti, André Kudelski, Michael Pieper, Urs Rohner, Peter Siegenthaler and Peter Wagner.

At the last session before tomorrow's Crossair general meeting, the steering committee confirmed its proposals for appointments to the board and furthermore reiterated its open recognition of the services of the current Crossair Chairman, Moritz Suter. In so doing, the steering committee has clarified its position in the interests of bringing objectivity to the debate and of working towards the creation of the new airline.

The steering committee was appointed by the largest investors of the new Swiss airline. They are ensuring the financing of the operation and as shareholders are also responsible for the election of the board. The following are members of the steering committee: Rainer E. Gut, Chairman of the Board, Nestlé SA (Chair), Jens Alder, CEO, Swisscom, Professor Peter Forstmoser, Chairman of the Board, SwissRe, State Councillor Ruedi Jeker, Director of Economic Affairs for Canton Zurich, and Peter Siegenthaler, Director of the Fed. Finance Administration.

The most important tasks of the steering committee, which will be dissolved following the appointment of the new board, included:

• Preparatory tasks for the appointment of the board of the new airline; 
  
• Assurance of the controlling of the basic agreement between the investors – particularly regarding the finance plan; 
  
• Integration process prior to the appointment of the new board. 

However, the steering committee did not and does not hold any management responsibility. This lies with the proper bodies of the individual companies.

Further details: Holger Demuth, Steering Committee Secretary,
Tel.: (01) 333 89 42

Originator: Steering Committee, released by Communications FDF

5 December 2001