ASCENDIS HEALTH LIMITED - Appointment of Chief Operating Officer of Ascendis

Appointment of Chief Operating Officer of Ascendis

ASCENDIS HEALTH LIMITED
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Registration number 2008/005856/06)
Share code: ASC ISIN: ZAE000185005
(“Ascendis” or “the Company”)

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF ASCENDIS

Ascendis is pleased to announce the appointment of Thomas Thomsen as the Chief Operating Officer
(“COO”) of Ascendis with effect from August 2017.

Thomas is based in the United Kingdom and will be primarily responsible for all European operations
in terms of their performance and implementing the value creation and integration plans for the
international assets of Ascendis. This is particularly important as Ascendis continues to grow its non-
South African earnings which currently account for c.60% of total earnings on a consolidated basis.

Thomas is a Danish citizen with c.15 years of experience in the consumer goods and consumer
healthcare industries where he has held senior leadership positions responsible for multi-billion dollar
revenues. Most recently Thomas was the category head of Novartis Consumer Healthcare based in
Geneva and previously held the positions of senior vice president and global marketing officer of
Renkitt-Benckiser Consumer Healthcare based in London. Thomas was also previously Managing
Director (“MD”) of Central and Eastern Europe and MD and Vice President of Nordic and Turkey at
Johnson & Johnson Consumer based in Prague and Stockholm respectively. Further to the invaluable
experience Thomas brings to the Ascendis stable in the form of industry knowledge and the successful
integration of numerous business units, he has also completed various Executive MBA courses from
the likes of, inter alia, Harvard Business School, London Business School and INSEAD.

The role of COO will incorporate value creation responsibilities, support in acquisitions and focus on
European operations, alongside Cliff Sampson (Managing Director of Ascendis Health South Africa)
who continues to drive growth in the South African businesses. Cliff and Thomas report directly to Dr
Karsten Wellner, Chief Executive Officer of Ascendis.

The board of directors congratulates Thomas on his appointment and looks forward to his contribution
to the Company.


31 August 2017

Johannesburg
Sponsor
Investec Bank Limited

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