-----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, TnPEY2euuF9BxYUW8igjcK8y40vbCbZ4HpP6GO5Zkkxu/JmH2POithjCrxNsXCFb 41ca9TOLzQhb9Rrs7nDYYQ== 0000950136-03-000388.txt : 20030221 0000950136-03-000388.hdr.sgml : 20030221 20030221162425 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950136-03-000388 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13D/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 FILED AS OF DATE: 20030221 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BANKGESELLSCHAFT BERLIN AG CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001038872 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 SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: ABERDEEN AUSTRALIA EQUITY FUND INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000779336 IRS NUMBER: 133304681 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MD FISCAL YEAR END: 1031 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13D/A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-46244 FILM NUMBER: 03576241 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 MUDBERRY STREET CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NJ ZIP: 07102-4077 BUSINESS PHONE: 2122141250 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 MUDBERRY STREET CITY: NEWARK STATE: NJ ZIP: 07102-4077 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: FIRST AUSTRALIA FUND INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 SC 13D/A 1 file001.txt SCHEDULE 13D/A Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13D Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 3) INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(a) Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Issuer) Common Stock, par value $.01 per share - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Title of Class of Securities) 318652104 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (CUSIP Number) Moritz Sell Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin Germany +44.20.7572.6200 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications) February 21, 2003 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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 5 Pages
- ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- CUSIP No.: 465395101 13D Page 2 of 5 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 ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e) - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Federal Republic of Germany - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF SOLE VOTING POWER 5,374,949 SHARES - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFICIALLY SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BY EACH SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 5,374,949 REPORTING - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PERSON SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 5,374,949 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 31.4% - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON BK - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 2 of 5 Pages This Amendment No. 3 amends and supplements Items 4 and 7 of the Statement on 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 Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"). Annex A sets forth the name, 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 the Federal Republic of Germany, except Zoe Shaw, who is a citizen of Great Britain. Items not included in this amendment are not amended and remain as previously reported. ITEM 4. PURPOSE OF TRANSACTION In Amendment 2 to the Bank's Statement on Schedule 13D with respect to the Fund, the Bank reported that it had notified the Fund that the Bank proposed to nominate four nominees of the Bank for election to the Fund's board of directors at the Annual Meeting of the Fund in 2003 and, in connection therewith, had delivered to the Fund written notice of such nominations and of proposals, to be submitted for a vote at that annual meeting, to terminate the investment management and advisory agreements of the Fund and to urge the board of directors of the Fund to change the name of the Fund to omit the name "Aberdeen." On February 19, 2003, the Fund issued a press release stating its intention to make an in-kind tender offer for 40% of its outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price equal to 90% of the net asset value of such shares. In a letter dated February 21, 2003, from the Bank to the Fund, the Bank applauded the decision by the Fund's board of directors to engage in such tender offer and stated that, in light that decision, the Bank had decided to withdraw its director nominations and other proposals to be submitted to the Fund's 2003 annual meeting of stockholders. A copy of the Bank's letter to the Fund is attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Bank believes that the in-kind tender offer is in the best interests of the Fund's stockholders and intends to participate in it. For the Bank's participation to be permissible, the Bank must receive exemptive relief from the Securities and Exchange Commission, pursuant to subsection 17(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, from certain prohibitions set forth in subsection 17(a) of the Investment Company Act. The Bank intends to initiate the process of obtaining such relief promptly. The Bank also anticipates that it will support the Fund's director nominees and the other actions for the which the Fund seeks approval at the 2003 annual meeting, which include authorization of the issuance of preferred stock and debt within limits established by the Investment Company Act and related amendments to the Fund's management and investment advisory agreements. Page 3 of 5 Pages Except as set forth herein and in the Schedule 13D and amendments thereto previously filed by the Bank, the Bank has not formulated any plans or proposals which relate to or would result in any of the transactions described in paragraphs (a) through (j) of Item 4. ITEM 7. MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS. Exhibit A. Letter from the Bank to the Fund Page 4 of 5 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: February 21, 2003 BANKGESELLSCHAFT BERLIN AG By: /s/ Dirk Kipp -------------------------------- Name: Dirk Kipp Title: Managing Director By: /s/ Moritz Sell -------------------------------- Name: Moritz Sell Title: Director Page 5 of 5 Pages ANNEX A 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 Hans-Joerg Vetter Chairman of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Serge Demoliere Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Dr. Johannes Evers Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Norbert Pawlowski Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Hubert Piel Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Dr. Thomas Veit Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Executive Officers NAME AND ADDRESS PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION Dariush Ghassemi-Moghadam Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Konzernentwicklung/Zentralsekretariat/ Unternehmenskommunikation Klaus Spicker Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Recht Jochen W. Sawahn Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Personal Ralf Wehner (provisional by March 31, 2003) Dr. Uwe-Jens Siegert (from April 1, 2003) Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Revision Hardenbergstrasse 32 D-10623 Berlin Martin Mueller Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Treasury Dirk Kipp Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Eigenhandel Uwe Papesch Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Equities Bartho Schroeder Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Business Management Ludwig Reinhardt Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Zins-/Kreditprodukte Zoe Shaw Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG and General Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Manager of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Debt Finance London Branch London Branch 1 Crown Court Cheapside GB-London EC2V 6JP Frank-Michael Boenke General Manager of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG London Branch London Branch 1 Crown Court Cheapside GB-London EC2V 6JP Gerhard Roller Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Internationales Geschaft Hardenbergstra(beta)e 20 D-10623 Berlin Dr. Christian Engell Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Firmenkunden Prinzregentenstrasse 25 D-10715 Berlin Beate Brummel Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Kreditbereich Kapitalmarktgeschaft Ronald Berentin Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Kredit Firmenkunden und Privatkunden Hardenbergstrasse 21 D-10623 Berlin Dr. Georg Reutter Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Kredit Immobilien BG Corneliusstr, 7 D-10787 Berlin Axel Lange Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Kreditbereich IBAG/IBG Corneliusstr, 7 D-10787 Berlin Helmut Ramthun Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Compliance Brunnenstrasse 111 D-13355 Berlin Dr. Karl-Friedrich Hirschhaeuser Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Risikocontrolling Willi Boehmer Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Konzern-Finanzen Brunnenstrasse 111 D-13355 Berlin Dr. Christian Burmester Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Kreditsekretariat Brunnenstrasse 111 D-13355 Berlin Siegfried Schoelper Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Controlling Brunnenstrasse 111 D-13355 Berlin Stefan Traegler Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Konzern-Organisation Brunnenstrasse 111 13355 Berlin Michael Wenzel Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Risikobetreuung Firmenkunden u. Privatkunden Hardenbergstrasse 32 D-10623 Berlin Hans-Werner Wilms General Manager of Bankgesellschaft Berlin Invest GmbH Bankgesellschaft Berlin Investment GmbH Kurfurstendamm 201 10719 Berlin Guenter Laubner General Manager of Bankgesellschaft Berlin Invest GmbH Bankgesellschaft Berlin Investment GmbH Kurfurstendamm 201 10719 Berlin
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 Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale NORD/LB, a bank formed under the laws of Germany, whose principal address is Georgplatz 1, D-30159, Hannover, Germany. EX-99.A 3 file002.txt LETTER FROM THE BANK TO THE FUND EXHIBIT A. ---------- [Letterhead of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG] February 21, 2003 The Board of Directors Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. Gateway Center 3 100 Mulberry Street Newark, New Jersey 07102 Gentlemen: We applaud your decision, announced in the Fund's press release of February 19, 2003, to engage in an in-kind tender offer for 40% of the Fund's outstanding shares at a discount to the shares' net asset value of 10%. We believe that such an offer is in the best interests of the Fund's stockholders and intend to participate in it. As you know, in order for such participation to be permissible, we must receive exemptive relief from the Securities and Exchange Commission, pursuant to subsection 17(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, from the prohibitions set forth in subsection 17(a) of the Investment Company Act, and we anticipate initiating the process of obtaining such relief in the near future. We appreciate your stated intention to coordinate the timing of the offer to enable all stockholders to participate in it. In light of your decision to make the offer, we hereby withdraw our notice, delivered to the Fund on December 20, 2002, of the nomination of an opposing slate of directors for election at the Fund's 2003 annual meeting of stockholders and of our intention to submit proposals at that meeting to terminate the Fund's management and investment advisory agreements with subsidiaries of Aberdeen Investment Management, PLC and to delete the word "Aberdeen" from the Fund's name. Very truly yours, BANKGESELLSCHAFT BERLIN Aktiengesellschaft By: /s/ Dirk Kipp -------------------------------- Name: Dirk Kipp ------------------------- Title: Managing Director ------------------------- By: /s/ Moritz Sell -------------------------------- Name: Moritz Sell ------------------------- Title: Director ------------------------- -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----