OfficeMax And Office Depot CEO Selection Committee Hires Korn/Ferry International For CEO Search

NAPERVILLE, Ill. and BOCA RATON, Fla., June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) and Office Depot, Inc. (NYSE: ODP) today announced that the global talent management consultancy Korn/Ferry International (NYSE: KFY) has been selected to assist the CEO Selection Committee in the search for a CEO for the combined company in the pending merger. Korn/Ferry International is a premier global provider of leadership and talent management solutions with reach across all industries and regions of the world. Dennis Carey, Vice Chairman of Korn/Ferry International, is leading the search.

Korn/Ferry International was chosen by the previously announced CEO Selection Committee, which is co-chaired by Office Depot Board Member Nigel Travis, Chairman and CEO of Dunkin' Brands, Inc. and OfficeMax Board Member Jim Marino, former President and CEO of Alberto Culver Company.

The committee and Korn/Ferry expect to undertake a comprehensive search for a proven leader with the strategic insight, operational discipline and inspirational leadership required to transform the business and deliver the synergies that come from combining the companies. The search will consider both incumbent CEOs (Neil Austrian of Office Depot and Ravi Saligram of OfficeMax) and external candidates. Both incumbents will remain in their current positions through the search process, which is anticipated to be completed at or prior to the close of the transaction. 

Transaction Details
On February 20, 2013, OfficeMax and Office Depot announced their entry into an agreement to combine their companies in a merger of equals aimed at building a stronger, more efficient competitor able to meet the growing challenges of a rapidly changing industry. The merger process is ongoing, and the transaction is expected to close by the end of calendar year 2013, subject to stockholder approval from both companies, the receipt of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. 

About OfficeMax
OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) is a leading provider of products, solutions and services for the workplace, whether for business or at home.  The OfficeMax mission is simple: We provide workplace innovation that enables our customers to work better.  The company provides office supplies and paper, print and document services, technology products and solutions, and furniture to businesses and consumers.  OfficeMax consumers and business customers are served by approximately 29,000 associates through OfficeMax.com, OfficeMaxWorkplace.com, and Reliable.com; more than 900 stores in the U.S. and Mexico, and direct sales and catalogs. OfficeMax has been named one of the 2013 World's Most Ethical Companies, and is the only company in the office supply industry to receive Ethics Inside® Certification by the Ethisphere Institute.  To find the nearest OfficeMax, call 1-877-OFFICEMAX.  For more information, visit www.officemax.com.

About Office Depot
Office Depot provides office supplies and services through 1,628 worldwide retail stores, a field sales force, top-rated catalogs and global e-commerce operations. Office Depot has annual sales of approximately $10.7 billion, employs about 38,000 associates and serves customers in 60 countries around the world. 

Office Depot's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP. Additional press information can be found at: http://news.officedepot.com. 

About Korn/Ferry International
Korn/Ferry International (NYSE: KFY), with a presence throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, is a premier global provider of talent management solutions. Based in Los Angeles, the firm delivers an array of solutions that help clients to attract, deploy, develop and reward their talent.  Visit www.kornferry.com for more information on the Korn/Ferry International family of companies, and www.kornferryinstitute.com for thought leadership, intellectual property and research.

All trademarks, service marks and trade names of Office Depot, Inc. and OfficeMax Incorporated used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Office Depot, Inc. and OfficeMax Incorporated, respectively. Any other product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION
This communication is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction in connection with the proposed merger of Office Depot, Inc. ("Office Depot") with OfficeMax Incorporated ("OfficeMax") or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION HAS BEEN AND WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC
Office Depot has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 that includes a definitive Joint Proxy Statement of Office Depot and OfficeMax that also constitutes a definitive prospectus of Office Depot.  The registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on June 7, 2013.  Office Depot and OfficeMax mailed the definitive Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus to their respective shareholders in connection with the transaction on or about June 10, 2013.  INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT OFFICE DEPOT, OFFICEMAX, THE TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and shareholders are able to obtain free copies of the definitive Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC by Office Depot and OfficeMax through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and shareholders are able to obtain free copies of the definitive Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and other documents filed by Office Depot with the SEC by contacting Office Depot Investor Relations at 6600 North Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL 33496 or by calling 561-438-7878, and are able to obtain free copies of the definitive Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and other documents filed by OfficeMax by contacting OfficeMax Investor Relations at 263 Shuman Blvd., Naperville, Illinois 60563  or by calling 630-864-6800.

PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION
Office Depot and OfficeMax and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the respective shareholders of Office Depot and OfficeMax in respect of the transaction described in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of the respective shareholders of Office Depot and OfficeMax in connection with the proposed transaction, including a description of their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the definitive Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus when it is filed with the SEC. Information regarding Office Depot's directors and executive officers is contained in Office Depot's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2012 and Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A, which are filed with the SEC. Information regarding OfficeMax's directors and executive officers is contained in OfficeMax's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2012 and its Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, dated March 19, 2013, which are filed with the SEC.

OFFICE DEPOT SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT
This communication may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 concerning Office Depot, Office Depot's transaction to sell its 50% stake in Office Depot de Mexico to Groupo Gigante, the merger and other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, Office Depot's long-term credit rating and its revenues and operating earnings. These statements or disclosures may discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future trends, plans, events, results of operations or financial condition, or state other information relating to Office Depot, based on current beliefs of management as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Forward-looking statements generally will be accompanied by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "guidance," "intend," "may," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project" or other similar words, phrases or expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of Office Depot's control. Therefore, investors and shareholders should not place undue reliance on such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include adverse regulatory decisions; failure to satisfy other closing conditions with respect to the merger; the risks that the new businesses will not be integrated successfully or that Office Depot will not realize estimated cost savings and synergies; Office Depot's ability to maintain its current long-term credit rating; unanticipated changes in the markets for its business segments; unanticipated downturns in business relationships with customers or their purchases from Office Depot; competitive pressures on Office Depot's sales and pricing; increases in the cost of material, energy and other production costs, or unexpected costs that cannot be recouped in product pricing; the introduction of competing technologies; unexpected technical or marketing difficulties; unexpected claims, charges, litigation or dispute resolutions; new laws and governmental regulations.  The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.  Investors and shareholders should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that affect Office Depot's business described in its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other documents filed from time to time with the SEC. Office Depot does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE OfficeMax Incorporated