Towers Perrin/Watson Wyatt Merger Cleared by European Commission
04 Dezembro 2009 - 8:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
STAMFORD, Conn. and ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
-- Towers, Perrin, Forster & Crosby, Inc. and Watson Wyatt
Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:WW) ( NASDAQ: WW) , both leading global
consulting firms, today announced that they have been granted
conditional clearance from the European Commission to allow the
Parties to proceed with their merger to form Towers Watson &
Co. U.S. antitrust authorities previously cleared the transaction.
As part of the European Commission's clearance decision, Watson
Wyatt has committed to sell its life insurance actuarial software
business, VIPitech. However, the European Commission has agreed
that the merged company may retain a license to use the VIPitech
software, which will allow it to continue to serve those clients
that have implemented this software. Watson Wyatt is currently
preparing the business for sale and will be issuing more
information in due course. "This is a key milestone in our progress
toward completing the transaction that will bring together our two
firms," said John Haley, Watson Wyatt Chief Executive Officer who
will serve as Chief Executive Officer of Towers Watson. "We are
very pleased to have received clearance from the Commission on a
timescale which will allow the companies to continue plans to
finalize the merger by the end of this year. While we are
disappointed that we could not retain VIPitech, we are committed to
ensuring that VIPitech is sold as a viable business and that all of
our VIPitech clients remain fully supported." The decision by the
European Commission gives Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt the
necessary regulatory approvals to complete the merger. However, the
proposed transaction remains subject to additional conditions
contained in the merger agreement, including the approval by the
shareholders of Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt. Both companies'
shareholder meetings are scheduled for December 18, 2009. Assuming
that the requisite shareholder approvals are obtained and all other
conditions are satisfied, the Parties currently anticipate that the
merger will become effective on January 1, 2010. The proposed
merger will result in a leading global professional services firm
with an enhanced portfolio of services across a range of financial,
risk and people management areas. About Towers Perrin Towers Perrin
is a global professional services firm that helps organizations
improve performance through effective people, risk and financial
management. The firm provides innovative solutions in the areas of
human capital strategy, program design and management, and in the
areas of risk and capital management, insurance and reinsurance
intermediary services, and actuarial consulting. Towers Perrin has
6,300 employees located in 26 countries and is located on the Web
at http://www.towersperrin.com/. About Watson Wyatt Watson Wyatt
(NYSE:WWNASDAQ:WW) is the trusted business partner to the world's
leading organizations on people and financial issues. The firm's
global services include: managing the cost and effectiveness of
employee benefit programs; developing attraction, retention and
reward strategies; advising pension plan sponsors and other
institutions on optimal investment strategies; providing strategic
and financial advice to insurance and financial services companies;
and delivering related technology, outsourcing and data services.
Watson Wyatt has 7,500 associates in 33 countries and is located on
the Web at http://www.watsonwyatt.com/. Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
You can identify these statements and other forward-looking
statements in this document by words such as "may", "will",
"would", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "plan",
"intend", "continue", or similar words, expressions or the negative
of such terms or other comparable terminology. These statements
include, but are not limited to, the benefits of the business
combination transaction involving Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt
and the anticipated timing of the transaction, as well as other
statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based
upon the current beliefs and expectations of Towers Perrin's and
Watson Wyatt's management and are subject to significant risks and
uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in
the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among
others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth
in the forward-looking statements: the failure of Towers Perrin
shareholders and Watson Wyatt stockholders to approve the
transaction; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated
successfully; the risk that anticipated cost savings and any other
synergies from the transaction may not be fully realized or may
take longer to realize than expected; the ability to recruit and
retain qualified employees and to retain client relationships; the
combined company's ability to make acquisitions, on which its
growth depends, and its ability to integrate or manage such
acquired businesses; and the risk that a significant or prolonged
economic downturn could have a material adverse effect on the
combined company's business, financial condition and results of
operations. Additional risks and factors are identified under "Risk
Factors" in the joint proxy statement/prospectus included in the
amended registration statement on Form S-4/A filed by Jupiter
Saturn Holding Company on November 9, 2009 with the Commission and
under "Risk Factors" in Watson Wyatt's Annual Report on Form 10-K
filed on August 14, 2009 with the Commission. You should not rely
upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events
because these statements are based on assumptions that may not come
true and are speculative by their nature. None of Jupiter Saturn
Holding Company, Towers Perrin or Watson Wyatt undertakes an
obligation to update any of the forward-looking information
included in this document, whether as a result of new information,
future events, changed expectations or otherwise. Where You Can
Find Additional Information This press release was issued December
4, 2009. Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt have formed a company,
Jupiter Saturn Holding Company (the "Holding Company"), which has
filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") that contains a joint proxy
statement/prospectus and other relevant documents concerning the
proposed transaction. YOU ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND THE OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH
THE COMMISSION BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT
TOWERS PERRIN, WATSON WYATT, THE HOLDING COMPANY AND THE PROPOSED
TRANSACTION. The joint proxy statement/prospectus and the other
documents filed with the Commission may be obtained free of charge
at the Commission's website, http://www.sec.gov/. In addition, you
may obtain free copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and
the other documents filed by Towers Perrin, Watson Wyatt and the
Holding Company with the Commission by requesting them in writing
from Towers Perrin, One Stamford Plaza, 263 Tresser Boulevard,
Stamford, CT. 06901-3225, Attention: Marketing, or by telephone at
203-326-5400, or from Watson Wyatt, 901 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington,
VA. 22203, Attention: Investor Relations, or by telephone at
703-258-8000. Towers Perrin, Watson Wyatt, the Holding Company and
their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed
under the rules of the Commission to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Watson Wyatt. A
list of the names of those directors and executive officers and
descriptions of their interests in Towers Perrin, Watson Wyatt and
the Holding Company is contained in the joint proxy
statement/prospectus which has been filed by the Holding Company
with the Commission. Stockholders may obtain additional information
about the interests of the directors and executive officers in the
proposed transaction by reading the joint proxy
statement/prospectus. DATASOURCE: Watson Wyatt; Towers Perrin
CONTACT: Towers Perrin Media: Joe Conway, +1-914-745-4175, , Watson
Wyatt Media: David Popper, +1-703-258-7582, , Investors: Mary
Malone, +1-703-258-7841, Web Site: http://www.watsonwyatt.com/
http://www.towersperrin.com/
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