Otto Beisheim Group places up to 5.2% of its shares in Metro AG

München / Baar (Switzerland) (ots) - 6 October 2009 - Otto
Beisheim Group is placing a stake of up to 5.2 percent in Metro AG
from its shareholding in a private placement to national and
international institutional investors.

Furthermore, Otto Beisheim Group has entered into hedge
transactions concerning its share- holding in Metro AG. As a result
of these hedges, Otto Beisheim Group has the option to sell a further
3.1 percent stake in Metro to the hedge counterpart. Otto Beisheim
Group signed a market standard lock-up agreement in relation to the
share placement with the bookrunning bank.

The Group considers a shareholding of around 10 percent in Metro
AG as strategically sensible and sufficient. Otto Beisheim, who is a
co-founder of Metro AG, will remain a committed major shareholder
following the share placement.

Erich Greipl, Managing Director of Otto Beisheim Group, said: "As
announced in September, this decision is part of our strategy to put
our corporate engagement on an independent footing and to give it a
sustainable flexible and value-adding focus. As a founder and the
person, who has been essential in shaping the Metro Cash & Carry
concept, Otto Beisheim has influenced the development of Metro AG
significantly. This bond, that was crucial for Metro's organizational
success, will continue to exist, also with a reduced shareholding."

UniCredit Group (Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank AG) is acting as
Sole Bookrunner for the placement by way of an accelerated
bookbuilding offering.

Otto Beisheim Group
With the opening of a wholesale market in Mühlheim, Germany, in 1964,
Otto Beisheim (85), one of the co-founders of Metro AG, has
influenced the development of the wholesale concept Cash & Carry
decisively. He was Managing Director of the Metro SB wholesale
markets for many years and later served as Chairman of Metro Holding
AG (Switzerland). In these positions he was the initiator and motor
for the organizational success of Metro Group. Apart from his
corporate activities, Otto Beisheim is also engaged in international
foundation work. For example, the WHU (Otto Beisheim School of
Management) in Vallendar / Koblenz is one of the projects Otto
Beisheim sponsors in Germany; it is one of the most prestigious
private universities in Europe. Otto Beisheim Group includes Otto
Beisheim Betriebs GmbH, Munich (Germany), and Otto Beisheim Holding
GmbH, Baar (Switzerland).

Originaltext: Otto Beisheim
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Pressekontakt:
Gundolf Moritz
Brunswick Group
Tel: +49 (69) 24005562
Email: gmoritz@brunswickgroup.com

Alexa von Wietzlow
Brunswick Group
Tel: +49 (69) 24005559
Email: avonwietzlow@brunswickgroup.com