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Erste Bank JPMorgan Merrill Lynch International

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PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDER<br />

The Issuer’s principal shareholder is Wiener Städtische Wechselseitige Versicherungsanstalt –<br />

Vermögensverwaltung (“WST-Versicherungsverein”). To the knowledge of the Issuer, the remaining<br />

shares of Wiener Städtische AG are in free float. Except for WST-Versicherungsverein, no other<br />

person directly or indirectly holds an interest exceeding 5% of the share capital. With this interest in<br />

the share capital, WST-Versicherungsverein will continue to have a controlling interest in the Issuer.<br />

WST-Versicherungsverein will be able to exercise a controlling influence on the Issuer, its business<br />

activities and its dividend distribution policy. Although its purpose is to promote and support the<br />

economic development of the Issuer, WST-Versicherungsverein as shareholder does not necessarily<br />

pursue in all aspects interests identical to those of minority shareholders. In particular, it is not<br />

guaranteed that WST-Versicherungsverein will align its voting behavior with the interests of the<br />

minority shareholders. Before the share capital increase, WST-Versicherungsverein holds<br />

75,888,882 Shares representing 72.3% of the share capital of Wiener Städtische AG. Not taking into<br />

account the exercise of the over-allotment option by the Joint Global Coordinators, WST-Versicherungsverein<br />

is expected to hold at least 91,888,882 Shares, representing at least 71.8% of the share<br />

capital of Wiener Städtische AG, after completion of the Offering (assuming all 23,000,000 New<br />

Shares are sold in the Offering). Assuming that the Joint Global Coordinators exercise their overallotment<br />

option in full, WST-Versicherungsverein is expected to hold at least 90,888,882 Shares,<br />

representing at least 71.0% of the share capital of Wiener Städtische AG, after completion of the<br />

Offering.<br />

Since the conversion of the non-voting preferred stock to common stock in June 2005, all<br />

shareholders of Wiener Städtische AG have identical voting rights. Neither WST-Versicherungsverein<br />

nor any other shareholder has voting rights which differ from those of any other shareholders.<br />

Wiener Städtische Wechselseitige Versicherungsanstalt – Vermögensverwaltung<br />

Until 1991, “Wiener Städtische” operated its insurance business in the legal form of a mutual<br />

insurance society (Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit). The roots of “Wiener Städtische” date<br />

back to the years 1824, 1839 and 1898, when the three mutual insurance institutes that were the<br />

predecessor companies of Wiener Städtische AG were established see “Business – History of the<br />

Vienna Insurance Group”.<br />

In 1992, the complete insurance operation was spun off and transferred to the Issuer as a<br />

contribution in kind by way of universal succession pursuant to §§ 61a ff VAG. Since then, the mutual<br />

insurance society has existed as “Wiener Städtische Wechselseitige Versicherungsanstalt – Vermögensverwaltung”<br />

(“WST-Versicherungsverein”) and performs the functions of an investment holding<br />

company.<br />

Mutual Insurance Society<br />

The essential characteristic of a mutual insurance society is that, upon entering into an insurance<br />

contract, the policyholders at the same time become members of the insurance society. This did not<br />

change when the insurance operations were transferred to a stock corporation. Upon entering into an<br />

insurance contract with the Issuer, holders of policies issued by the Issuer automatically become<br />

members of WST-Versicherungsverein, except in the case of a coinsurance or reinsurance or an<br />

insurance contract with a term of less than one year. The Issuer, however, also has the right to enter<br />

into insurance contracts not involving membership in WST-Versicherungsverein. The members of<br />

WST-Versicherungsverein exercise their rights through the members’ assembly and, therefore, do not<br />

as a whole directly participate in the business activities or supervision of the Issuer.<br />

The purpose of the society is asset management, in particular, acquiring, managing and disposing<br />

of shares in other companies, in particular the interest in the Issuer, supporting the members, in<br />

particular by promoting and assisting the economic development of the Issuer and its group<br />

companies, as well as providing administrative securities services to affiliated companies. WST-<br />

Versicherungsverein is allowed to take steps to strengthen the capital reserves of the Issuer or to<br />

support the Issuer and its group companies in promoting their corporate image, for example through<br />

sponsoring and advertising activities.<br />

The rights of the Issuer’s shareholders are not restricted by WST-Versicherungsverein.<br />

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