Tele2’s offer backed by Versatel shareholders

Shareholders of Versatel Telecom International have voted to approve the EUR2.20 per share takeover bid by Tele2 of Sweden, valuing the company at more than EUR1.34 billion. The decision was taken during an Extraordinary General Meeting held in Amsterdam on 29 September, and came despite skepticism from certain large shareholders over whether the bid fully reflects the value of the company's assets. However, Dutch media tycoon John de Mol's investment company Talpa, which holds a 42% stake in Versatel, supported the bid and helped the company achieve approval for the offer from a majority of shareholders.