KBC Groupe : Securities recognised once again at Euronext Awards

Press release

Brussels, 16 January 2018

KBC Securities recognised once again at

Euronext Awards

Euronext Brussels again names KBC Securities 'Equity Finance House of the Year' and 'Cash Market Belgian Brokerage House of the Year'.

Today, KBC Securities was named 2017 'Equity Finance House of the Year 2017' and 'Cash Market Belgian Brokerage House of the Year 2017' by Euronext Brussels. These awards are extended by Euronext to the major players on the Brussels stock market in the past year.

The Equity Finance House Award is based on the number of share transactions handled by the winner, as well as the advisory role it had played in them. The Cash Market Belgian Brokerage House of the Year Award goes to the Belgian brokerage house that accounts for the highest volumes on the Euronext Brussels securities market.

Bartel Puelinckx, CEO of KBC Securities:'We are absolutely delighted that Euronext Brussels has again recognised our efforts with these awards. It clearly shows that KBC Securities continues to be the reference broker on the Belgian stock market. In 2017, there were 16 capital market transactions on Euronext Brussels, ranging from IPOs to capital increases and bookbuilding offerings. The fact that KBC Securities had a leading role in 13 of these events illustrates that we are the indisputable leader in the area of equity capital market transactions. We can attribute that in the first place to the trust of our clients, but also to the efforts put in by our teams in what are increasingly challenging conditions. Last year, we joined the international M&A network, Oaklins, which has been an additional shot in the arm for our mergers and acquisitions activities. We will continue, as an innovative and client-centric market player, to develop services in 2018 that support large businesses, medium-sized enterprises and SMEs throughout their entire life cycles. That will be possible in no short measure to our ever growing team of dedicated specialists.'

These awards demonstrate the role KBC Securities plays in the Belgian economy. This position is now being further strengthened by focusing more on equity research in Belgium and the Netherlands, appointing a team specifically for the Family Offices, setting the sights high as regards capital markets and mergers and acquisitions, expanding the sales teams in Brussels and New York, and recruiting additional specialised analysts. This will allow KBC Securities to further achieve its strategy in the future and become the reference for companies in all markets in which it is present.