News 2007

BC Partners announces partnering agreement with Macquarie European Infrasructure Fund II in relation to Techem AG

Hamburg, Germany, 11 January 2007 – Funds advised by BC Partners (“BC Partners”) announce today that their subsidiary TBU-8 S.A. has entered into a binding agreement with MEIF II Germany Holdings S.à r.l., a subsidiary of Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund II (“MEIF II”) for shared control of Techem AG, to be implemented following a successful offer for the company. Under the agreement, TBU-8 S.A. will participate in 50 per cent of the capital of MEIF II's subsidiary, MEIF II Energie Beteiligungen GmbH & Co. KG ("MEIF II KG"), which launched the offer for Techem AG. The agreement is subject to anti-trust clearance by the European Commission and will only be consummated in the event that MEIF II KG's offer is successful. Following the settlement of the offer, BC Partners will invest at equal economic terms with MEIF II, effectively valuing the 50 per cent stake at EUR 55 per Techem share. As a consequence of the described transaction, TBU-8 S.A. will not be obliged to make a mandatory takeover offer for Techem AG. An application for exemption has been filed with the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority for reasons of precaution.

Morgan Stanley, Latham & Watkins, Ernst & Young and CMS Hasche Sigle are advising BC Partners in relation to the transaction.

About BC Partners
BC Partners is a leading pan-European private equity firm with offices in Geneva, Hamburg, London, Milan and Paris. Since the firm was founded in 1986, the funds advised by BC Partners have invested in 63 acquisitions with a total transaction volume of €48 billion. The latest fund, BC European Capital VIII, closed in 2005 with nearly €5.9 billion commitments and is one of the largest European buyout funds to date. Its most prominent investments in Germany include Techem, Grohe and Sanitec. At present, BC Partners holds the biggest stake of 38% in Unity Media (Cologne), which acquired exclusive pay-TV broadcasting rights for Bundesliga football in December 2005 through its subsidiary Arena; it also holds a majority interest in Brenntag.

For Further Information
Merlin Koene
Tel: +49 (0) 89 – 599 458 – 122
merlin.koene@cnc-communications.com

Exemption granted by BaFin
Hamburg, Germany, 26 January 2007 – The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) has granted an exemption to TBU-8 S.A., as a consequence of which it is not obliged to make a mandatory takeover offer for Techem AG following the announced transaction with MEIF II.