Cognis Holding Luxembourg S.à r.l., controlled by Permira Funds, GS Capital Partners and SV Life Sciences, signed a sale and purchase agreement to sell 100 percent of the shares in Cognis Holding GmbH to BASF SE on June 22, 2010.

MONHEIM, Germany - Cognis Holding Luxembourg S.à r.l., controlled by Permira Funds, GS Capital Partners and SV Life Sciences, signed a sale and purchase agreement to sell 100 percent of the shares in Cognis Holding GmbH to BASF SE on June 22, 2010.

The enterprise value is EUR 3.1 billion. The transaction is subject to the usual closing conditions, including regulatory approval, and is expected to be formally completed at the latest by November 2010.

Antonio Trius, Chief Executive Officer of Cognis, commented, “Cognis has performed very well over the last years and is well positioned in attractive growth markets. The transaction combines expertise and synergies in technologies, innovations and market know-how. This will allow the leveraging of business opportunities and provide a comprehensive range of products and solutions for customers. We also believe that Cognis’ excellent market position and clear focus on the trends wellness and sustainability, especially our green products, make a perfect strategic fit.”