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PARIS, March 04, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
Veolia (Paris:VIE) and CriteriaCaixa, la Caixa Foundation's investment company, announce that CriteriaCaixa will enter into the capital of Veolia Environnement, and have a representative to its Board of Directors, as part of a stable shareholding and governance agreement.
CriteriaCaixa's upcoming investment in Veolia, a world leader in ecological transformation, reflects its commitment to Veolia's vision and strategic direction, and in particular to its GreenUp plan, which offers its shareholders an investment profile with the opportunity of creating sustainable value. Such investment is also based on the values promoted by Veolia and its global approach to managing its activities and its relations with its employees, partners and stakeholders, across the globe and in the context of the company engagement in Spain.
With a representative on Veolia's Board of Directors to be proposed at the next General Shareholders Meeting, CriteriaCaixa, as a strategic investor, will thus support Veolia's strategic direction, governance and independence, both on the Board of Directors and at the General Shareholders Meeting. Through this representation CriteriaCaixa will be able to contribute meaningfully to the company’s governance and long-term success.
The acquisition of a 5% stake in Veolia will reinforce CriteriaCaixa’s diversified portfolio. The deal will be a major milestone in the company 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes its role as a stabilizing agent of the economy, reinforcing its commitment to companies in strategic industries such as banking, energy, telecommunications and utilities, as well as promoting future industrial development through investment in new sectors and projects.
CriteriaCaixa has capped its stake in Veolia at 5.5% and will hold on to its shares for at least two years.
Isidro Fainé, Chairman of CriteriaCaixa, expressed: "We are very pleased to join forces with Veolia and to contribute to its future development. Our commitment and involvement in the success of this company will strengthen "la Caixa" Foundation’s assets structure, with the aim of generating the necessary financial resources to further developing our social and philanthropic activity".
Antoine Frérot, Chairman of Veolia Environnement, commented: "We are delighted to welcome our new shareholder CriteriaCaixa, a company that we know well, to our Board of Directors. Veolia is convinced that through this investment, the friendly commitment of this major ally in support of our strategic plan and our independence will create shared opportunities and have a very positive impact on the Group's development’."