NYSE EURONEXT, ATOS ORIGIN SHUFFLE HOLDINGS IN EACH OTHER’S VENTURES

Posted August 6, 2008

NEW YORK – European IT services company Atos Origin has completed an ownership change in which NYSE Euronext bought out Atos Origin’s 50 percent stake in Atos Euronext Market Solutions (AEMS), and Atos Origin acquired AEMS’s third-party clearing and settlement and capital markets businesses, following the December 2007 announcement of their plans.

With the transaction complete, NYSE Euronext acquires ownership of the NSC cash trading and LIFFE Connect derivatives trading platform technology and all their associated management and development services, along with AEMS’s third-party exchange technology business. As a result, NYSE Euronext has insourced its European technology operations and integrated the AEMS third-party exchange business into its NYSE Euronext Advanced Trading Solutions unit.

“This transaction is beneficial for both parties,” says Philippe Germond, Chief Executive Officer of Atos Origin. “After having provided quality technology services to NYSE Euronext for more than 10 years, and having been its partner in its international development, Atos Origin is now contributing by this new move to the future development of one of its longstanding customers. I am happy this successful relationship will now be continued through a preferred supplier arrangement.”

Atos Origin and Euronext have a long-standing relationship. NYSE Euronext has paid €282 million (US $445 million) as part of the transaction, and Atos Origin has paid AEMS €14 million (US $21 million). NYSE Euronext has acquired AEMS’s cash balance of about €113 million ($178 million) as of June 30.

“AEMS expands our portfolio of sophisticated technological solutions and expertise for the benefit of our customers and our own technology mission,” says Jean-François Théodore, Deputy Chief Executive of NYSE Euronext. “Furthermore, this transaction provides Atos Origin with an increased financial flexibility to invest in its strategic development priorities, such as payments and offshore, and consolidate its current activity portfolio focusing on creating value for our shareholders.”