-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, UT7u7FGxZo1tJIh4ef3XVwBvWk5B2CUoyEORu63YpXGGekVWCWpmY3U6e0bMeA/n CHEzQw0vkS/6ByK/jhqV7A== 0000950136-99-000497.txt : 19990419 0000950136-99-000497.hdr.sgml : 19990419 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950136-99-000497 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13D/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 19990416 SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: FRANCE GROWTH FUND INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000860743 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: UNKNOWN SIC - 0000 [0000] IRS NUMBER: 133560020 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-42274 FILM NUMBER: 99596074 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1285 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS STREET 2: C/O MITCHELL HUTCHINS ASSET MANAGEMENT CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10019 BUSINESS PHONE: 2127133589 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1285 AVE OF THE AMERICAS STREET 2: 32ND FL CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10019 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BANKGESELLSCHAFT BERLIN AG CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001038872 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: [] FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: ALEXANDERPLATZ 2 CITY: 10178 BERLIN GERMANY MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: ALEXANDERPLATZ 2 CITY: 10178 BERLIN GERMANY SC 13D/A 1 AMENDMENT TO SCHEDULE 13D Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13D Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 1) INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(a) The France Growth Fund, Inc. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Issuer) Common Stock, par value $.01 per share - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Title of Class of Securities) 35177K108 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (CUSIP Number) Moritz A. Sell Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin Germany - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications) April 9, 1999 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement) If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box. [ ] Page 1 of 10 Pages - ----------------------- ------------------------ CUSIP No.: 35177K108 13D Page 2 of 10 Pages - ----------------------- ------------------------ SCHEDULE 13D CUSIP NO. 35177K108 PAGE 2 OF 10 PAGES 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S ID NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ] (b) [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. SEC USE ONLY - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. SOURCE OF FUNDS WC - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Federal Republic of Germany - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NUMBER OF 7. SOLE VOTING POWER 1,490,400 SHARES ------------------------------------------------------ BENEFICIALLY 8. SHARED VOTING POWER 0 OWNED BY ------------------------------------------------------ EACH 9. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,490,400 REPORTING ------------------------------------------------------ PERSON WITH 10. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,490,400 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12. CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 9.71%% - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON BK - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 2 of 10 Pages This Amendment No. 1 amends and supplements Items 3, 4 and 5 of the Schedule 13D of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG (the "Bank") with respect to the shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of The France Growth Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"). In addition, this Amendment No.1 restates in its entirety Annex A of the Schedule 13D of the Bank. Annex A sets forth the name, business address and principal occupation of each director and executive officer of the Bank and the name, address, jurisdiction of incorporation and principal business of each shareholder of the Bank who may be deemed to be in control of the Bank. All of the individuals listed on Annex A are citizens of Germany, except for David Clark and Zoe Shaw, who are citizens of Great Britain, and Erik Blahut, who is a citizen of Austria. ITEM 3. SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS OR OTHER CONSIDERATION The source of the funds used by the Bank to purchase the 1,490,400 shares of Common Stock listed in Item 5(a) was working capital. The amount of the funds used to purchase such shares aggregated approximately $19,744,269 (exclusive of commissions). ITEM 4. PURPOSE OF TRANSACTION The Bank and the Fund have recently discussed the persistent discount from net asset value at which the shares of Common Stock have traded and possible methods of reducing the discount. To the knowledge of the Bank, the Fund has not determined to pursue any of the courses of action discussed by the Bank and the Fund. The Fund initiated discussions concerning the possibility of the Fund offering representation on the Board of Directors of the Fund to the Bank. However, no agreement has been reached by the Bank and the Fund with respect to this matter. ITEM 5. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER (a) The Fund's proxy statement, dated March 11, 1999, relating to the 1998 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Fund to be held on April 29, 1999 states that, as of February 9, 1999, there were 15,345,333 shares of Common Stock outstanding. The percentage set forth in this Item 5(a) was derived using such number. The Bank is the beneficial owner of 1,490,400 shares of Common Stock, which constitute approximately 9.71% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. (b) The Bank has sole power to vote and to dispose of the shares of Common Stock owned by it. (c) During the last sixty days, the Bank has effected the following purchases in the shares of Common Stock, all of which were made on the New York Stock Exchange. Page 3 of 10 Pages Date Number of Shares Purchased Price Per Share ---- -------------------------- --------------- April 8, 1999 10,000 $13.6250 April 9, 1999 10,000 12.4219 (d) No person other than the Bank has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the shares of Common Stock owned by the Bank. (e) It is inapplicable to state the date on which the Bank ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the Common Stock. Page 4 of 10 Pages SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of our knowledge and belief, we certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Date: April 15, 1999 BANKGESELLSCHAFT BERLIN AG By: /s/ Gregory L. Melville ------------------------- Name Gregory L. Melville Title: Assistant Director By: /s/ Moritz Sell ------------------------- Name: Moritz Sell Title: Market Stategist Page 5 of 10 Pages ANNEX A Unless otherwise indicated, the business address for all individuals listed in this Annex A is Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG, Alexanderplatz 2, 10178 Berlin Federal Republic of Germany. MEMBERS OF THE MANAGING BOARD Name and Address Principal Occupation - ---------------- -------------------- Dr. Wolfgang Rupf Speaker of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Norbert Pawlowski Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Hans Leukers Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Leopold Troebinger Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Dr. Thomas Kurze Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Dr. Lothar Wackerbeck Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Dr. Johannes Evers Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Page 6 of 10 Pages EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Name and Address Principal Occupation - ---------------- -------------------- Christian Krueger Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Konzern-Finanzen und Beteiligungen Hardenbergstrasse 32 10623 Berlin Federal Republic of Germany Willi Boehmer Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Peter Koenig Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Hans Joachim Bley Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Jochen W. Sawahn Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Dr. Joachim Preussner Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Heinrich Honerlage Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Konzern-Revision Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Otto-Braun Str. 90 10249 Berlin Federal Republic of Germany Stefan Traegler Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Handels Controlling Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG 13355 Berlin Federal Republic of Germany Page 7 of 10 Pages Name and Address Principal Occupation - ---------------- -------------------- Artur Fischer Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Konzern-Organisation Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Brunnestrasse 111 13355 Berlin Federal Republic of Germany Helmut Ramthun Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Konzern-Organisation Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Brunnestrasse 111 13355 Berlin Federal Republic of Germany Joachim Antczack Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Wolfgang Stoeckel Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Heinz-Dieter Gottschalk Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Jochen Zimmermann Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Frank-Michael Boenke Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Georg-Heinrich Sieveking Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Hadi Saidi Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Gerhard Richter Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Page 8 of 10 Pages Name and Address Principal Occupation - ---------------- -------------------- Zoe Shaw Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Asset-Backed Transaktionen Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG London Branch 1 Crown Court Cheapside London EC2V 6JP Dr. Karl-Friedrich Hirschhaeuser Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Guenter Laubner Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG David Clark General Manager of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG London Branch 1 Crown Court Cheapside London EC2V 6JP Dr. Erik Blahut Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Serge Demoliere Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Hans-Werner Wilms Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Tim Kettemann Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bruno Schmidt-Voss Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Cord-Friedrich Koening Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Page 9 of 10 Pages SHAREHOLDERS WHO MAY BE DEEMED TO CONTROL THE BANK The following shareholders of the Bank may be deemed to control the Bank: The City of Berlin Gothaer Beteiligungsgesellschaft, an affiliate of an insurance company formed under the laws of Germany, whose principal address is Lutzowstrasse 89, 10785 Berlin, Germany, and whose principal shareholders are Gothaer Versicherungs Bank AG (principal office: Gothaer Allee 1, 50672, Koln, Germany), Gothaer Lebenversicherung AG (principal office: Gothaer Platz 2-8, 37069 Gottingen, Germany) and Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale NORD/LB (principal address is Georgplatz 1, D-30159, Hannover, Germany). Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale NORD/LB, a bank formed under the laws of Germany, whose principal address is Georgplatz 1, D-30159, Hannover, Germany. -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----