Gavin Anderson steers Volkswagen bid for Rolls

The appointment coincides with the expiry this week of BMW’s exclusive

four-week negotiation period with Vickers, the parent company of

Rolls-Royce.

BMW has tabled an offer of pounds 340 million which may yet be signed by

Vickers but Volkswagen has indicated that it is prepared to bid as much

as pounds 400 million and is attempting to stir up shareholder

opposition to any deal signed by Vickers and BMW management.

A Gavin Anderson spokesman said: ’We are acting for Volkswagen on its

bid for Rolls-Royce Motor Company. The issue for shareholders is the

highest value offer and Volkswagen is also offering to keep the

management British and provide a British engine solution.’

Gavin Anderson is working closely with Volkswagen’s financial advisers

Morgan Stanley and Panmure Gordon who are emphasising the firm’s

intentions to Vickers’ institutional shareholders.

Volkswagen’s communications effort for the bid is headed by head of

corporate communications Kurt Rippholz, based at its Wolfsburg

headquarters in Germany.

BMW continues to handle communications for the bid in-house. Vickers is

using the Maitland Consultancy.