Mercedes 2009 Annual Report Download - page 252

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In connection with the Group’s 45% equity interest in Toll Collect,
Daimler has provided a number of guarantees for Toll Collect
which are not included in the table above (see Note 28 for further
information).
During the first quarter of 2008, the transaction under which
Daimler, Ford Motor Company (Ford) and Ballard Power Systems,
Inc. (Ballard) reorganized their automotive fuel cell activities was
closed. As a result of this transaction, Ballard repurchased all of
its shares held by Daimler or Ford and the representatives of
Daimler and Ford resigned from Ballard’s board of directors. As
consideration, Daimler received a 50.1% interest in AFCC Auto-
motive Fuel Cell Cooperation Corporation (AFCC), a newly formed
company that comprises Ballard’s automotive fuel cell business.
Furthermore the Group received rights and know-how related to
fuel cell technology and cash of €24 million; Ford and Ballard
hold the remaining interest in AFCC. Daimler realized a gain before
income taxes of €30 million from the sale of its interest in Bal-
lard, which is included in “share of profit (loss) from companies
accounted for using the equity method, net,” in the 2008 con-
solidated statements of income. As Daimler and Ford jointly man-
age the operations of AFCC, Daimler accounts for its investment
in AFCC using the equity method. Balances and transactions with
respect to AFCC are included in the line “Joint ventures” in the
table above.
Board members. Throughout the world, the Group has business
relationships with numerous entities that are customers and/
or suppliers of the Group. Those customers and/or suppliers
include companies that have a connection with some of the
members of the Supervisory Board or of the Board of Manage-
ment of Daimler AG or its subsidiaries.
From time to time, companies of the Daimler Group purchase
goods and services (primarily advertising) from and sell or lease
vehicles or provide financial services to companies of the Lagar-
dère Group in the ordinary course of business. Arnaud Lagardère,
who became a member of the Supervisory Board of Daimler AG
in April 2005, is the general partner and Chief Executive Officer
of Lagardère SCA, a publicly traded company and the ultimate
parent company of the Lagardère Group.
In 2007, Mr. Mark Wössner (a former member of Daimler AG’s
Supervisory Board) received, together with two associates, rental
payments for the rental of premises from Westfalia Van Conver-
sion GmbH (Westfalia). The rental payments received in 2007
amounted to €0.9 million. The Group sold its 100% equity interest
in Westfalia in October 2007. Mark Wössner’s term of office
expired on April 8, 2009.
Daimler incurred expenses of US $0.7 million in 2007 for adver-
tising and marketing actions in a US magazine. Earl G. Graves,
a former member of the Supervisory Board of Daimler AG, was
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and sole proprietor
of that magazine’s ultimate parent company at that time.
For information on the remuneration of board members, see
Note 35.
Shareholders. The Group distributes vehicles in Turkey through
a dealership which also holds a minority interest in one of the
Group’s subsidiaries. In addition, the Group has business relation-
ships with vehicle importers in certain other countries that also
hold minority interest in Group companies. Revenue generated by
these transactions amounted to €0.2 billion in 2009 (2008: €0.2
billion; 2007: €0.2 billion). Related to these transactions, the Group
incurred expenses of €27 million in 2009 (2008: €36 million),
resulting primarily from the depreciation of purchased vehicles.