Phanos NV Acquires Majority Interest in AFS Group

HOUTEN, Amsterdam, November 30 /PRNewswire/ --     Phanos NV ("Phanos") today announced that it has signed an agreement to
acquire a majority interest in the outstanding capital stocks of the AFS
Group BV ("AFS"). This acquisition is an important first step in
strengthening and expanding Phanos' financial activities and ambitions.

This transaction gives Phanos a strong position in the professional
market of mediation in financial products, including derivatives, money
market products, and in meditation and trade on the capital market. It also
provides the basis to further develop objectives regarding capital management
- an ambition of both parties. The plan is that the new entity, formed under
the AFS name, will become a fully-fledged, specialized financial institution.
AFS has offices in Amsterdam and London.

"This transaction represents a significant step in realizing one of our
key goals, strengthening the Phanos Capital Group, our financial subsidiary,"
says Hans Ensing, CEO of Phanos. "With this majority interest, we acquire the
scale size, name recognition, and the access to various financial market
segments, all of which are essential to our future growth." The deal also
meets AFS' needs; according to Michiel Scholten, director of AFS, "We obtain
a shareholder that is able to guarantee our independence, and that has enough
capital to realize our ambitions of growth."

"AFS' decisiveness and its no-nonsense mentality are a perfect fit for
our organization," says Ensing. "We have full confidence in APS and the
spirit of enterprise of its employees, and are pleased to welcome them to
Phanos. We intend to position Phanos Capital Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Phanos, together with AFS as one platform. It is also our intention that
Ensing join the AFS team of directors, in order to further shape
integration."

Meanwhile, the transaction has been submitted to the supervisory
authorities, and is expected to be finalized in late January or early
February.

Note to Editors:

Phanos is not only specialized in financial products, but also in the
development and operation of real estate and resorts, as well as e-business
solutions. Phanos advises and invests in growing markets, such as leisure,
wellness and care, and also offers facilitating services for these target
markets. In doing so, the primary goal is never lost: building well-being.

AFS Group is a supplier of financial services in the fields of money
market products, derivatives and stock markets, and capital market
transactions. These activities focus on professional investors. AFS is one of
the largest independent mediators in The Netherlands in the field.

AFS is also capital manager for wealthy private investors.