Thomas Rietz appointed CEO of AxFast BV Fredrik Persson new CFO of Axel Johnson AB

7/2/2001 3:20 AM EST

Thomas Rietz appointed CEO of AxFast BV
Fredrik Persson new CFO of Axel Johnson AB

Thomas Rietz, formerly Chief Financial Officer of Axel Johnson AB, has
been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Axel Johnson Group's newly
established AxFast BV Group. The appointment is effective as of July 1,
2001.

The AxFast BV Group owns some 80 properties in Sweden focusing on retail
and distribution operations.

Christer Sterner will remain President of the wholly owned holding
company, AxFast AB.

Fredrik Persson, 33, has been appointed new Chief Financial Officer of
Axel Johnson AB. Fredrik Persson has been responsible for business
development within Axel Johnson AB since June 2000 and joined the Group
from Aros Securities, where he was head of the Research Department.
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For further information, please contact:
Göran Ennerfelt, President and CEO, Axel Johnson AB +46-8-701 61 00 (-
6108)
Thomas Rietz, CEO, AxFast BV +46-8-701 61 00 (-6140)
Fredrik Persson, CFO, Axel Johnson AB +46-8-701 61 00 (-6159)
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The Axel Johnson Group is a fourth-generation, family-owned company,
originating in the
A. Johnson & Co. trading company, founded in 1873. The group consists of
four legally and financially independent groups with a common owner,
Antonia Ax:son Johnson and family. In addition, Axel Johnson has
proprietary interests in the British company Spirent, listed on the
London Stock Exchange, and in Nordstjernan, which in turn has major
interests in other listed companies, including NCC.
Axel Johnson AB focuses on consumer goods and services for the Nordic
market in general and Sweden in particular. Subsidiaries and affiliated
companies report sales totaling SEK 41 billion, with 12,500 employees.
Axel Johnson International AB is engaged in the trading and distribution
of industrial products, primarily for the European market. Sales total
SEK 4.6 billion, and the number of employees 1,200.
Axel Johnson Inc., with the majority of its operations in North America,
provides products and services in business areas Energy, Environment and
Communications Technology. Sales total SEK 24 billion, and the number of
employees 1,150.
AxFast BV owns real estate in Sweden with the focus on commercial
premises for trade and distribution. At year-end 2000, the portfolio
comprised some 80 properties, amounting to 644,000 square meters of
space.
Spirent plc. reported sales in 2000 of SEK 9.8 billion and 6,950
employees. Nordstjernan's subsidiaries and affiliated companies reported
sales of SEK 40 billion, with 25,000 employees.