Bureau Veritas Launches Initial Public Offering

Bureau Veritas, the world’s second largest group offering conformity assessment services in the areas of quality, health and safety, environment and social responsibility (QHSE) announces the launch of its initial public offering on Eurolist by EuronextTM Paris (Compartment A). The main objective of the initial public offering is to support the growth strategy of Bureau Veritas. The shares will be distributed in the framework of an offer (the "Global Offer") comprising of a public offering to retail investors in France (the "French Public Offering") and an international offering to institutional investors in France and in certain countries, including in the United States under Rule 144A (the "International Offering"). The Global Offer comprises 24,831,570 existing shares principally sold by the Wendel Group (24,000,000 shares) and by certain Bureau Veritas manager shareholders (831,570 shares). This amount may be increased to a maximum of 28,556,305 existing shares in case the increase option is exercised in full. Wendel granted the Joint Bookrunners an option to purchase an additional amount of up to 15% of the total number of shares offered in the Global Offer (including the shares that may be sold upon exercise of the increase option) (the “Over-allotment Option”), amounting to a maximum of 4,283,445 additional existing shares. Should the increase option and the Over-allotment Option be exercised in full, the number of existing shares offered will amount to 32,839,750. The indicative price range for the Global Offer has been set between $45.61 and $52.98 per share. In addition, Bureau Veritas may issue up to 1,150,000 new shares under the offers reserved to Group employees and certain Group managers (the "Reserved Offers”). The indicative price range for the Reserved Offers has been set between $36.49 and $32.38 per share (representing a 20% discount to the Global Offer price range). After the completion of the restructuring transactions that should occur on the pricing date of the Global Offer and the Reserved Offering, Wendel will hold 60.8% of the share capital excluding treasury shares and 60.6% of the voting rights in Bureau Veritas, assuming exercise in full of the increase option and the Over-allotment Option and based on the mid-point of the indicative price range of the Global Offer. The French Public Offering will begin on October 9, 2007 and will end on October 22, 2007 at 5pm Paris time (8pm Paris time for orders placed by Internet). The International Offering will begin on October 9, 2007 and will end (except in case of early closing) on October 22, 2007 at 8pm Paris time. The Offering Price will be fixed on October 23, 2007. Trading on Eurolist by EuronextTM Paris (Compartment A) will commence on October 24, 2007. Settlement and delivery should occur on October 26, 2007.