Excellence in Automotive & Transportation Awards Banquet

London, UK, 1 June 2005…Frost & Sullivan’s 2005 Excellence in Automotive & Transportation Awards Banquet was held last night at the Steigenberger Hotel in Stuttgart, Germany. The well-attended event honoured leaders and achievers in the European automotive and transportation industry. Awardees at the evening’s function were welcomed by Aroop Zutshi, Managing Director at Frost & Sullivan with Sarwant Singh, Director of the Automotive & Transportation Practice at Frost & Sullivan delivering the keynote address. In his keynote speech, Mr. Singh, commented on the exciting future of the European market saying, "There are a plethora of automotive and transportation technologies waiting to be commercialised. Cars of the future are going to have cooperative systems which will enable vehicle-to-infrastructure communication and inter-action, which is going to open up huge opportunities for technologies and will make driving a much safer and more enjoyable experience." This was followed by a glittering awards presentation ceremony. Award recipients were commended for exceptional planning and execution of product launches, strategic alliances, distribution strategies, technological innovations, customer service and mergers and acquisitions. Outstanding leadership, strategy, service, innovation, integration and development skills were also recognised at the event. Among top performers lauded for their accomplishments in the automotive and transportation industry included Pierre Lévi, CEO of FAURECIA for Automotive CEO of the Year, Thyssenkrupp AG for Automotive Company of the Year and Autostrade S.p.A. for Transportation Company of the Year. The Automotive Product of the Year Award was conferred on Pioneer Corporation while the Automotive Technology of the Year Award was presented to IBM Automotive Solutions. In recognition of its technology leadership, Toll Collect GmbH was bestowed the Transportation Technology Innovation & Leadership of the Year Award. Frost & Sullivan also honoured Raben Group with the 2005 Customer Service Leadership Award, BOSE with the 2005 Product Innovation Award and IBM Corporation with the 2005 Customer Service Innovation Award. Autostrade S.p.A. was honoured with the 2004 Vertical Market Penetration Leadership Award with FIEGE Group winning accolades as the recipient of the 2005 Product Innovation Award. The awards gala was preceded by a round table discussion on ‘Automotive Technologies of the Future: Developing a Business Model’ held at the Open Technology Forum of the European Automotive Components Exposition. Industry experts debated strategic approaches to developing a business case for future automotive technologies. Round table discussants included Michael Wellenzohn, MD and member of the Board for ThyssenKrupp Presta Steertec; Erich Nickel, Director of IBM Global Automotive Solutions in Marketing Sales and Services; Peter Mies, Deputy General Manager, Automotive Business Unite, Renesas Technology Europe; Piero Bergamini, Director, Advanced Services Direction of Autostrade per l'Italia; Edmund Chew, Editor, Supplier Business; and Sarwant Singh, Automotive & Transportation Practice Director at Frost & Sullivan. Nick Ford, consulting Manager of Frost & Sullivan’s Transportation Practice, moderated the productive and rewarding session. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community, by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit http://www.frost.com Frost & Sullivan Awards are presented to companies that demonstrate best practices in their industry, commending the diligence, commitment, and innovative business strategies required to advance in the global marketplace. Frost & Sullivan rigorously analyses specific criteria to determine award recipients in a broad spectrum of market industries and landscapes For more information, visit http://www.awards.frost.com For further information, please contact: United Kingdom Magdalena Oberland P: +44 (0) 20 7915 7876 E: magdalena.oberland@frost.com Germany Janina Hillgrub P: +49 (0) 69 770 3311 E: janina.hillgrub@frost.com