Committees

The Supervisory Board has formed three committees. The audit committee (until 17 June: balance-sheet and accounting committee) held four meetings on 25 March, 21 July, 20 October, and 12 November. In 2008, it dealt primarily with the quarterly reports, preliminary audits of the annual and consolidated financial statements, and the review of the risk management system. Moreover, transactions subject to approval, such as acquisitions and long-term contracts as well as corporate governance issues were also addressed at the meetings. In the reporting period, the audit committee also examined and approved the resolution of the Executive Board concerning the share buy-back programme. Apart from resolutions adopted at the meetings, the committee also adopted resolutions via circular procedure.

The personnel committee came together at two meetings on 29 May and 28 November. Its activity focused on the changes in the group management and compensation issues.

The chairmanship of the committees underwent the following changes: Until 17 June, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board presided over the audit committee. Since 17 June, Dr. Jochen Wolf has been the chairman. On the same date, Dr. Jochen Wolf handed over the chairmanship of the personnel committee to the Chairman of the Supervisory Board. In this way, the Supervisory Board followed the recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code. At the plenary sessions, the Supervisory Board was informed in detail about the work of the two committees.

As in previous years, the arbitration committee pursuant to Section 27 (3) of the German Co-Determination Act (MitbestG) did not need to be convened in 2008.

The Corporate Governance Code also recommends the formation of a nomination committee that is staffed exclusively with shareholder representatives and that proposes suitable candidates to the Supervisory Board for its election proposals to the Annual General Meeting. The Supervisory Board of Bechtle AG has not formed a nomination committee, as it does not consider such to be necessary in view of the board's current staffing.