Posted in Euronext, London Stock Exchange, NYSE, New York Stock Exchange, Thomas Caldwell
The New York Stock Exchange.
The New York Stock Exchange last night signed a $20 billion (£10.7 billion) merger agreement with Euronext, the conglomerate of European exchanges, in an historic deal to create the world’s biggest stock exchange.
The combined business will become the world’s first transatlantic exchange: NYSE Euronext, at a ceremony in Paris this afternoon, chosen to demonstrate that it’s a merger of equals, not a takeover.
However, Thomas Caldwell, whose company owns 4.3 million NYSE shares, told The Times (London) last night that “the international nature of the deal might fall foul of politicians worried by foreign takeovers of key US businesses”.
John Thain, NYSE chief executive, will become CEO of the proposed combine, the headquarters of which will be on Wall Street. Jan Michel Hessels, Euronext’s supervisory board chairman, will be the new chairman, reports The Times.
A Euronext spokesman said: “The balance of the executives will be maintained.” A Euronext director could take over the CEO role when Thain retires, he implied.
NYSE and Euronext shareholders must still vote on the merger.
Posted in London Stock Exchange, NYSE, New York Stock Exchange, Thomas Caldwell
Thomas Caldwell is emerging as a significant player in the attempts to consolidate the major stock exchanges across the Atlantic. His website gives the following biography:
“Thomas S. Caldwell is Chairman and Chief Investment Strategist of Caldwell Asset Management Inc. (New York). He is also Chairman of Caldwell Financial Ltd. and its subsidiary companies Caldwell Securities Ltd. (Toronto), Caldwell Investment Management Ltd. (Toronto). Mr. Caldwell is a Member of the Board of Associates of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (MIT) Boston, the Economic Club of New York, a Director of the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments, and a Director of The Conference of Defence Associations Institute (CDAI). He is a former Governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange, a New York Stock Exchange Member, a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute and he is also President and a Director of Urbana Corporation. He is past Director of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada and Liberty Insurance Company of Canada, a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual Insurance.”
Caldwell was formerly head of one of the largest groups of NYSE members and still represents a large number of smaller shareholders.
He says he is talking with several institutional shareholders who between them own a significant percentage of the NYSE shares.
