John,

We had a successful off-site in Miami this weekend. We reviewed all of the=
=20
EGM businesses and our goals and objectives for 2001. I will send you a co=
py=20
of the presentations for your information and review - good airplane readin=
g.=20

I have had several additional discussions on our Global weather business a=
nd=20
have come to a decision on how we need to run the weather business. I=20
believe that we do need 100% full time dedication from each and any employe=
e=20
that is dedicated to the weather business including in the overall=20
development and execution of our global strategy and positions. I have a=
=20
great deal of confidence and am holding Mark Tawney responsible and=20
accountable for extensive growth and profitability in the business on a=20
global basis.

We need to hire additional people to add to grow the business in Japan and=
=20
Australia. Joe and Paul are on board with this strategy and Mark will work=
=20
with them to accomplish the hiring of people and needed resources. This wi=
ll=20
not just be talk but we will get these people in place by specific=20
deadlines. We will pay all of those people's expenses and of course the=20
business leaders will be on board with the hiring and the weather guys will=
=20
be expected to be a valuable team player and resource to their group.

On the Norway front, we need to implement the same organization structure. =
=20
We have talked a lot about Thor and better communication, but we need to ma=
ke=20
a change. On the communication front, we will have weekly calls with him a=
nd=20
the weather group to make sure that we are all on the same page and he is u=
p=20
to speed with where we are going. If I am in town, I=01,ll make those call=
s as=20
well. Jeff did have a video call with Thor last week to talk about his=20
email and it went well. Upon my return from London, I learned that Thor an=
d=20
the London group put out a press release about putting out pricing on about=
=20
1,000 new products on 15 cities and even changing the index. Neither Mark=
=20
nor Jeff were even aware of this event nor was it even brought up in the ca=
ll=20
as something that was going to happen. Also the hiring of Lars Elmlund as =
a=20
weather originator, without any discussion, also illustrates the lack of=
=20
communication or desire to work together. I am not saying that Mark or Tho=
r=20
are totally to blame, they both deserve credit for not working together, bu=
t =20
we are going to change the future and make sure that it will work better. =
I=20
know that all of Thor's group is very loyal to Thor and the weather guys ma=
y=20
not want to transition into EGM. If that is the case, we can make it work=
=20
via London. I think the key is our approach to Thor and that this isn't=20
meant as a reflection on him but is a change that is consistent with how we=
=20
are running all of our EGM businesses around the world. The specific weath=
er=20
piece of his business is very small and isn't going to effect his P&L=20
significantly (he'll actually be net positive!).

I certainly want to do this with the least impact on the rest of your=20
organization. Please give me a call and we will discuss the issues=20
surrounding this new structure and the best way to communicate it to those=
=20
involved in order to implement this in the most effective manner.

I am unavailable (London time) on Monday and Tuesday but will make myself=
=20
available to your schedule upon my return after that.

Thanks,
mike

PS - This email is going just to you and Jeff and won't be shared with anyo=
ne=20
else.