Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 3)
INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT TO
RULE 13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(a)
Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc.
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(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
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(Title of Class of Securities)
318652104
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(CUSIP Number)
Moritz Sell
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Alexanderplatz 2
D-10178 Berlin
Germany
+44.20.7572.6200
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(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)
February 21, 2003
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(Date of Event which Requires
Filing of this Statement)
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box. [ ]
Page 1 of 5 Pages
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CUSIP No.: 465395101 13D Page 2 of 5 Pages
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. ID NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 SOURCE OF FUNDS WC
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5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT [ ]
TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e)
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6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Federal Republic of Germany
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NUMBER OF SOLE VOTING POWER 5,374,949
SHARES
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BENEFICIALLY SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED
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BY EACH SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 5,374,949
REPORTING
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PERSON SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH
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11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 5,374,949
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12 CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ]
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13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 31.4%
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14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON BK
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Page 2 of 5 Pages
This Amendment No. 3 amends and supplements Items 4 and 7 of the
Statement on Schedule 13D of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG (the "Bank") with
respect to the shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common
Stock"), of the Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"). Annex A sets
forth the name, address and principal occupation of each director and executive
officer of the Bank and the name, address, jurisdiction of incorporation and
principal business of each shareholder of the Bank who may be deemed to be in
control of the Bank. All of the individuals listed on Annex A are citizens of
the Federal Republic of Germany, except Zoe Shaw, who is a citizen of Great
Britain. Items not included in this amendment are not amended and remain as
previously reported.
ITEM 4. PURPOSE OF TRANSACTION
In Amendment 2 to the Bank's Statement on Schedule 13D with respect to
the Fund, the Bank reported that it had notified the Fund that the Bank proposed
to nominate four nominees of the Bank for election to the Fund's board of
directors at the Annual Meeting of the Fund in 2003 and, in connection
therewith, had delivered to the Fund written notice of such nominations and of
proposals, to be submitted for a vote at that annual meeting, to terminate the
investment management and advisory agreements of the Fund and to urge the board
of directors of the Fund to change the name of the Fund to omit the name
"Aberdeen."
On February 19, 2003, the Fund issued a press release stating its
intention to make an in-kind tender offer for 40% of its outstanding shares of
Common Stock at a price equal to 90% of the net asset value of such shares.
In a letter dated February 21, 2003, from the Bank to the Fund, the
Bank applauded the decision by the Fund's board of directors to engage in such
tender offer and stated that, in light that decision, the Bank had decided to
withdraw its director nominations and other proposals to be submitted to the
Fund's 2003 annual meeting of stockholders. A copy of the Bank's letter to the
Fund is attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Bank believes that the in-kind tender
offer is in the best interests of the Fund's stockholders and intends to
participate in it. For the Bank's participation to be permissible, the Bank must
receive exemptive relief from the Securities and Exchange Commission, pursuant
to subsection 17(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, from certain
prohibitions set forth in subsection 17(a) of the Investment Company Act. The
Bank intends to initiate the process of obtaining such relief promptly.
The Bank also anticipates that it will support the Fund's director
nominees and the other actions for the which the Fund seeks approval at the 2003
annual meeting, which include authorization of the issuance of preferred stock
and debt within limits established by the Investment Company Act and related
amendments to the Fund's management and investment advisory agreements.
Page 3 of 5 Pages
Except as set forth herein and in the Schedule 13D and amendments
thereto previously filed by the Bank, the Bank has not formulated any plans or
proposals which relate to or would result in any of the transactions described
in paragraphs (a) through (j) of Item 4.
ITEM 7. MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS.
Exhibit A. Letter from the Bank to the Fund
Page 4 of 5 Pages
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of our knowledge and
belief, we certify that the information set forth in this statement is true,
complete and correct.
Date: February 21, 2003
BANKGESELLSCHAFT BERLIN AG
By: /s/ Dirk Kipp
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Name: Dirk Kipp
Title: Managing Director
By: /s/ Moritz Sell
--------------------------------
Name: Moritz Sell
Title: Director
Page 5 of 5 Pages
ANNEX A
ANNEX A
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Unless otherwise indicated, the business address for all individuals listed in
this Annex A is Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG, Alexanderplatz 2, 10178 Berlin,
Federal Republic of Germany.
Members of the Managing Board
NAME AND ADDRESS PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
Hans-Joerg Vetter Chairman of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Serge Demoliere Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Dr. Johannes Evers Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Norbert Pawlowski Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Hubert Piel Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Dr. Thomas Veit Member of the Managing Board of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Executive Officers
NAME AND ADDRESS PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION
Dariush Ghassemi-Moghadam Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Konzernentwicklung/Zentralsekretariat/
Unternehmenskommunikation
Klaus Spicker Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Recht
Jochen W. Sawahn Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Personal
Ralf Wehner
(provisional by March 31, 2003)
Dr. Uwe-Jens Siegert (from April 1, 2003) Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Revision
Hardenbergstrasse 32
D-10623 Berlin
Martin Mueller Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Treasury
Dirk Kipp Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Eigenhandel
Uwe Papesch Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Equities
Bartho Schroeder Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Business Management
Ludwig Reinhardt Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Zins-/Kreditprodukte
Zoe Shaw Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG and General
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Manager of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Debt Finance London Branch
London Branch
1 Crown Court
Cheapside
GB-London EC2V 6JP
Frank-Michael Boenke General Manager of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG London Branch
London Branch
1 Crown Court
Cheapside
GB-London EC2V 6JP
Gerhard Roller Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Internationales Geschaft
Hardenbergstra(beta)e 20
D-10623 Berlin
Dr. Christian Engell Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Firmenkunden
Prinzregentenstrasse 25
D-10715 Berlin
Beate Brummel Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Kreditbereich Kapitalmarktgeschaft
Ronald Berentin Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Kredit Firmenkunden und Privatkunden
Hardenbergstrasse 21
D-10623 Berlin
Dr. Georg Reutter Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Kredit Immobilien BG
Corneliusstr, 7
D-10787 Berlin
Axel Lange Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Kreditbereich IBAG/IBG
Corneliusstr, 7
D-10787 Berlin
Helmut Ramthun Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Compliance
Brunnenstrasse 111
D-13355 Berlin
Dr. Karl-Friedrich Hirschhaeuser Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Risikocontrolling
Willi Boehmer Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Konzern-Finanzen
Brunnenstrasse 111
D-13355 Berlin
Dr. Christian Burmester Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Kreditsekretariat
Brunnenstrasse 111
D-13355 Berlin
Siegfried Schoelper Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Controlling
Brunnenstrasse 111
D-13355 Berlin
Stefan Traegler Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Konzern-Organisation
Brunnenstrasse 111
13355 Berlin
Michael Wenzel Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG
Risikobetreuung
Firmenkunden u. Privatkunden
Hardenbergstrasse 32
D-10623 Berlin
Hans-Werner Wilms General Manager of Bankgesellschaft Berlin Invest GmbH
Bankgesellschaft Berlin Investment GmbH
Kurfurstendamm 201
10719 Berlin
Guenter Laubner General Manager of Bankgesellschaft Berlin Invest GmbH
Bankgesellschaft Berlin Investment GmbH
Kurfurstendamm 201
10719 Berlin
SHAREHOLDERS WHO MAY BE DEEMED TO CONTROL THE BANK
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The following shareholders of the Bank may be deemed to
control the Bank:
The City of Berlin
Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale NORD/LB, a bank formed under the laws of
Germany, whose principal address is Georgplatz 1, D-30159, Hannover, Germany.