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Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 5 December 2024 - IBA (Ion Beam Applications SA), the world leader in particle accelerator technology, announces today an initiative aimed at perpetuating the entrepreneurial anchoring of its shareholder base. A new generation of executives will acquire a significant indirect stake in IBA. It is part of a broader strategy to ensure IBA's growth, value creation and sustainability. Company’s success originates from a unique combination between entrepreneurial driving force and reference shareholding.
The operation consists of different steps (detailed in appendix) involving the support of IBA allowing Management Anchorage, a holding investment vehicle created by IBA executives in 2020, to acquire a 21% stake in Sustainable Anchorage. Sustainable Anchorage would remain IBA's reference shareholder with approximately 20% of the shares and 30% of the voting rights.
IBA supports and welcomes the commitment of a new generation of executives to invest in the company’s future. It reflects IBA’s ambition to reinforce its stable entrepreneurial shareholding structure, fully aligned with company’s long-term purpose and core values, while serving as a powerful lever for motivation, talent retention, and long-term value creation.
Completion of the operation is, among other things, subject to acceptance of the payment facilities by IBA's shareholders meeting convened on 7 January 2025. If this condition is met, the transaction will be executed shortly after the obtaining of this approval.
“Together with the employees of the time, we created Sustainable Anchorage to preserve IBA’s integrity against hostile takeover ambitions in 1999. For 25 years, Sustainable Anchorage has been instrumental for IBA’s successful development into a world leader allowing a strong alignment between shareholders and management powered by a shared long-term vision and common human and entrepreneurial values" explains Pierre Mottet, Chairman of the board of IBA and co-founder of Sustainable Anchorage.
For Henri de Romrée, Deputy CEO of IBA, “the creation of Management Anchorage four years ago responds to the same aspirations as those of Sustainable Anchorage. Its goal is to perpetuate the DNA and long-term vision of IBA, to foster initiative taking from its employees, and to share with them the value created.”
“I am energized by the commitment of the new management generations to continue IBA's reference shareholding” comments Olivier Legrain, CEO of IBA. “Their determination, their enthusiasm and their strong stand for our core values and ambitions are inspiring”. This initiative further consolidates our position as an independent leader, and a globally recognized expert in our fields of activity.”