Olaf Berlien, Chief Executive Officer of Osram Licht AG, has taken the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) as an opportunity to announce the promotion of new technologies and innovations. “We will drive new technologies and innovations by using selective incentives and investments,” Berlien told shareholders on Thursday. “I have dedicated a further EUR 10 million (US $11.17 million) from the Managing Board’s budget to fund projects like Lightify,” he said. Osram's Lightify system was recently launched on the market and enables wireless control of all the features light has to offer.

At this year’s Osram AGM, more than 45 percent of the share capital was represented in the morning. The company’s shareholders will vote on a dividend payment for the first time since the stock market listing in July 2013. The company plans to pay out €0.90 per share, meaning Osram would distribute around half of its net income. At the AGM, Chief Financial Officer Klaus Patzak reiterated the intention to pay a dividend of €0.90 for the current fiscal year as well. “This is a strong sign of trust in the future performance of our company,” said Patzak.

With more than half a million shareholders, Osram's shareholder structure was still broadly based at the end of fiscal 2014. The majority of shares was held by institutional investors that primarily pursue a growth- or value-driven investment strategy. Retail investors held more than 16 percent of shares.