Reuters Founders Share Company Supports Transaction to Bring Together Thomson and Reuters

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Directors and Trustees of Reuters Founders Share Company, which holds the Founders Share in Reuters and acts as the guardian of the Reuter Trust Principles, have today confirmed their support for the proposed business combination of The Thomson Corporation (“Thomson”) and Reuters Group PLC (“Reuters”)(NASDAQ:RTRSY)(LSE:RTR) announced by Reuters this morning. Reuters Founders Share Company has worked closely with both Thomson and Reuters during the last week to ensure that the Thomson-Reuters combination would uphold and protect the Reuter Trust Principles as vigilantly as Reuters has done in the past.

Pehr Gyllenhammar, Chairman of the Trustees said: “The Trustees are pleased to give their support to the proposed business combination of Thomson and Reuters. We believe that the formation of Thomson-Reuters marks a watershed in the global information business, and will underpin the strength, integrity and sustainability of Reuters as a global leader in news and financial information for many years to come”.

The Chairman went on to say: “It is our duty to ensure the Reuter Trust Principles are protected and upheld. Thomson-Reuters will adopt both the Principles and the Reuters Founders Share Company structure. Woodbridge has committed to suport the Reuters Trust Principles. We are satisfied that the commitments made by Thomson-Reuters and Woodbridge will ensure the endurance and protection of the Reuter Trust Principles in a new and exciting context.”

About the Reuter Trust Principles

Under the constitution of the Reuters Founders Share Company, the directors of Reuters Founders Share Company (the “Reuter Trustees”) are required to act generally in accordance with the Reuter Trust Principles, and to endeavour to ensure, as far as they are able by the proper exercise of the powers vested in them, that the Reuter Trust Principles are complied with.

The constitution of Reuters Group PLC requires Reuters directors, in the performance of their functions, to have due regard to the Reuter Trust Principles in so far as, by the proper exercise of their powers and in accordance with their other duties as directors, those principles are capable of being observed.

The Reuter Trust Principles are:

that Reuters shall at no time pass into the hands of any one interest, group or faction;
that the integrity, independence and freedom from bias of Reuters shall at all times be fully preserved;
that Reuters shall supply unbiased and reliable news services to newspapers, news agencies, broadcasters and other media subscribers and to businesses, governments, institutions, individuals and others with whom Reuters has or may have contracts;
that Reuters shall pay due regard to the many interests which it serves in addition to those of the media; and
that no effort shall be spared to expand, develop and adapt the news and other services and products of Reuters so as to maintain its leading position in the international news and information business.

The Reuter Trustees are:

Pehr Gyllenhammar (Chairman); Len Berkowitz; The Hon Mrs Anson Chan GBM CBE JP; Sir Michael Checkland; Uffe Ellemann-Jensen; Bertrand Collomb; Sir Christopher Mallaby GCMG GCVO; Mammen Mathew; John H McArthur; The Rt Hon The Baroness Noakes, DBE; Sir William Purves CBE DSO; Jaakko Rauramo; Dr Mark Wossner; Dr Frene Ginwala, Mr Joseph Lelyveld; Mr John Fairfax; Jiri Dienstbier and Alejandro Junco.