Finmeccanica to acquire 11.1 % of Eurotech

The Board of Directors of Finmeccanica has decided to enter the shareholding of Eurotech through the acquisition of around 11.1% of the Company’s share capital - equivalent to 3,936,461 shares - from a number of the company’s founders (Dino Feragotto, Roberto Chiandussi, Giorgio Pezzulli) at a price of €4.60 per share.

Finmeccanica will also sign a shareholder agreement with the current management of Eurotech – Chairman Roberto Siagri, Vice Chairman Massimo Mauri and Chief Technical Officer Giampietro Tecchiolli (“Manager Shareholders”) – who today hold around 10.7% of the share capital of the Company. The agreement will be communicated to the appropriate authorities and to the market in accordance with the terms foreseen by current regulations.

The entrance into Eurotech’s share capital will reinforce the strategic partnership initiated in July 2006 by means of an agreement for commercial and scientific cooperation, and will permit a further deepening of relations between the two Groups, particularly given the progress made by Eurotech in the development of innovative products as well as significant growth in new geographic areas of strategic importance to Finmeccanica such as the United States and Japan.

The operation is subject to the approval by the relevant regulatory authorities. Finmeccanica is assisted by Mediobanca, as financial advisor for the transaction.

FINMECCANICA S.p.A.
Finmeccanica (FNC.MI) is the main Italian group in the high technology sector, leader in the design and production of civil and military aircraft, aerostructures, helicopters, satellites, space infrastructure, missiles and defence electronics. Finmeccanica has a top level role in the European aerospace and defence industry, and is present in the major international programmes in the sector thanks to its consolidated partnerships in Europe and the USA. The Group also boasts productive assets and consolidated competencies in the transport and energy sectors. Finmeccanica, listed on the Milan stock exchange, operates in Italy and abroad through subsidiaries and joint ventures, with a consolidated total of 60,000 employees of whom 10,000 are in the UK, 3,500 in France and 2,000 in the USA. In order to maintain and develop its technological competencies, Finmeccanica commits resources equivalent to 14% of revenues to Research and Development.

EUROTECH S.p.A.
Eurotech (ETH.MI), established in 1992, is a leading company in the research, development, production and sale of miniaturised computers (NanoPCs) and high performance computing (HPC) computers. Eurotech offers a complete range of products and services of the highest technology to customers operating in the aerospace, transport, security and manufacturing sectors. The Eurotech Group has its head office in Italy and is present in the USA, France, the United Kingdom, Finland, Japan, Germany and China, employing around 620 people with pro-forma revenues for 2007 of approximately €100 million.