Milestones

RIG Investments was founded by its CEO Henk J. Keilman in 1987. The company was originally set up as a holding company, facilitating the activities of Holland Trust, a financial services and trust company. 

In 1990 Henk decided to expand the investment activities of RIG.  Being aware of the EU decision in 1993 to deregulate the telecom industry in Europe during 1997 and 1998, Henk sensed an interesting opportunity and as a result invested in telecommunication venture NetSource Europe in 1994. In April of 1997 NetSource realized a listing on the Oslo stock exchange. The company rapidly saw its market value increase from US$ 10 million to a market value of well over a US$ 150 million by the end of 1997. In November 1998 NetSource was sold to Global Telesystems Group, a US based telecom provider, for more than US$ 400 million.

In 1996 RIG Investments acquired the North American rights to Gloria Vanderbilt, a well-known international fashion trademark.  In April of 2002 Gloria Vanderbilt was sold for US$ 150 million.

In 1999 RIG Investments successfully sold Holland Trust to a large, international Trust Group. 

In November 2003 RIG became a 49% investor in 2waytraffic, an interactive media and television company.  In April 2006 2waytraffic was listed on the AIM market in London. In December 2006 the company acquired the world wide rights to the renowned television format "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?", which instantly transformed 2waytraffic into a global leader in the television business. In June 2008 2waytraffic was sold to Sony Pictures Entertainment.  

In 2006 RIG Investments acquired a 45% stake in Emergya Wind Technologies B.V. (EWT), a Dutch manufacturer of wind turbines, using the advanced "direct drive" technology. EWT is owner of this technology, and presently the company is experiencing massive growth with an order book of over a billion Euros. The renewable energy sector, and specially the wind energy industry, is undergoing major expansion driven by the looming shortages of fossil fuel, the quadrupling of the oil price since 2003, and the feared climate change, caused by the emission of green house gasses. 

In June 2008 Gijrath Media Group (GMG) and RIG Investments agreed on RIG’s participation of 25% in the new company We Are Green 2 BV. De cooperation focuses on the (inter)national exploitation of the GMG developed sustainable lifestyle concept Green.2. This lifestyle concept consists of the world’s first green glossy and an internet portal, which was launched June 24th on Pampus Island.

Also in June 2008, RIG Investments took a substantial share in Algaelink, an international manufacturer of algae growing equipment for generating biofuels. The company, based in Roosendaal, closed a deal with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines earlier this year for the delivery of bio jet fuel.

Today RIG has investments in over 20 companies.

 

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