As a result of the Millennium bcp (MBCP) EUR 2.25 billion rights issue, in which Ageas participated, and the exercise of unsubscribed rights, Ageas directly and indirectly now holds 2.01% of MBCP's outstanding shares. MBCP is Portugal's largest private owned bank with a network of 774 branches.

Ageas already held a 1.98% stake in MBCP following a EUR 24 million investment in an earlier rights issue. Ageas participated proportionately in the most recent rights issue bringing its total investment in MBCP to EUR 69 million. This includes the take up of a limited number of unsubscribed rights which has resulted in Ageas surpassing the regulatory threshold of 2%. The market value of Ageas's current holding in MBCP represents EUR 130 million.

Ageas is an international insurance group with a heritage spanning 190 years. Ranked among the top 20 insurance companies in Europe, Ageas has chosen to concentrate its business activities in Europe and Asia, which together make up the largest share of the global insurance market. These are grouped around four segments: Belgium, United Kingdom, Continental Europe and Asia and served through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and partnerships with strong financial institutions and key distributors around the world. Ageas operates successful partnerships in Belgium, the UK, Luxembourg, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, China, Malaysia, India and Thailand and has subsidiaries in France, Hong Kong and the UK. Ageas is the market leader in Belgium for individual life and employee benefits, as well as a leading Non-Life player through AG Insurance. In the UK, Ageas is the sixth largest Non-Life insurer with a number 2 position in cars insured and has a strong presence in the over 50's market. Ageas employs more than 13,000 people in the consolidated entities and over 30,000 in the non-consolidated partnerships, and has annual inflows of more than EUR 23 billion.