Ladies and Gentlemen,

On August 13, the entrepreneur and patron of the arts Prof. Dr. h.c. Werner Otto will be celebrating his 100th birthday. Werner Otto, the founder of the Otto mail-order company (named Otto Group today) and ECE as well as numerous other enterprises all over the world, is considered to be one of the most remarkable and successful personalities of the social market economy. Both above-mentioned companies are still family-owned and managed by his sons Alexander (chairman of the ECE board) and Dr. Michael Otto (chairman of the supervisory board of the Otto Group). Werner Otto lives in Berlin together with his wife Maren.

On these pages, we have compiled extensive information about Werner Otto for your use. Here you find Otto’s curriculum vitae, photos, quotes by and about him, chronicles of the Otto Group and ECE as well as original video and audio material, which is available for download or can be ordered from our company.

On the morning of August 11, there will be a press conference with Werner Otto’s wife Maren (more information regarding this event is to be provided here soon). On this day, additional press releases and photo material will be made available on this Internet page.

Please note that there will be no interviews with Werner Otto. Maren Otto will be available for questions only during the press conference held on August 11 in Berlin.

For all media requests regarding Prof. Werner Otto (material, further information, press conference, interview requests with Maren Otto and Alexander Otto, information about ECE) please contact

ECE
Corporate Communications
Christian Stamerjohanns

phone. : +49 (0)40/60606-6898
fax : +49 (0)40/60606-6511


www.ece.com

Heegbarg 30, D-22391 Hamburg

For more information about the Otto Group or Dr. Michael Otto, please contact Otto Group corporate communications:

Otto Group
Unternehmenskommunikation
Wandsbeker Straße 3-7
D-22172 Hamburg

phone +49(0)40/6461-401
fax +49(0)40/6461-449

www.ottogroup.com

Thomas Voigt, phone: +49 (0)40/6461-401, fax: -449, email:
Brita Hemme, phone: +49 (0)40/6461-282, fax: -449, email: