Ahlstrom - Company Announcement

Proposals of the Board of Directors of Ahlstrom Corporation to the Annual General Meeting convening on March 25, 2009

Ahlstrom Corporation STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 5.2.2009

The Board of Directors of Ahlstrom Corporation has decided to convene
the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 1:00 p.m.
Notice to the meeting will be published later. The Board of Directors
will submit the following proposals to the Annual General Meeting:

Distribution of profits

The distributable funds in the balance sheet of Ahlstrom Corporation
as per December 31, 2008 amount to EUR 645,356,691.77.

The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that a
dividend of EUR 0.45 per share be paid for the fiscal year that ended
on December 31, 2008 from the retained earnings. As per February 4,
2009, the number of shares of the Company amounts to 46,670,608 based
on which the maximum amount to be distributed as dividend would be
EUR 21,001,773.60.

The dividend will be paid to shareholders registered in the Register
of Shareholders held by Euroclear Finland Ltd (former Finnish Central
Securities Depository Ltd) on the record date, March 30, 2009. The
Board proposes that the dividend be paid on April 6, 2009. In
addition, the Board of Directors proposes that EUR 35,000 be reserved
to be used for the public good at the discretion of the Board of
Directors.

Composition of the Board of Directors and Board remuneration

The Board's Compensation and Nomination Committee proposes that the
number of Board members remains unchanged at seven.

The Committee proposes that Thomas Ahlström, Sebastian Bondestam, Jan
Inborr, Martin Nüchtern, Bertel Paulig and Peter Seligson be
re-elected. The current member Willem F. Zetteler has informed the
Committee that after 8 years on the Board of Directors of Ahlstrom
Corporation he is no longer available for re-election. Therefore, the
Committee proposes that Anders Moberg, born in 1950, be elected as a
new member of the Board.

Summary of Anders Moberg's CV

-          1970-1999 Ikea International (since 1986 President and
CEO)
-          1999-2002 The Home Depot (Group President International)
-          2003-2007 Royal Ahold (President and CEO)
-          2007-2008 Majid Al Futtaim Group (CEO)
-          Board memberships in Lego A/S (1999-2004), Velux A/S
(2002-2008), Ica AB (2003-2007), Clas Ohlson AB (2003-), DFDS A/S
(2004-), Husqvarna AB (2006-), Byggmax (2006-)
-          Adjunct Professor, Copenhagen Business School, 2009-

The Board members are elected for the period ending at the close of
the next Annual General Meeting.

All the nominees are considered independent of the Company and the
significant shareholders of the Company and they have given their
consent to the election. CVs of the proposed Board members are
available on the website of the Company (www.ahlstrom.com).

Additionally, the Compensation and Nomination Committee proposes that
the remuneration of the Board members remains unchanged, i.e. as
follows:

Chairman                         EUR 5,400 per month
Members                          EUR 2,700 per month

In addition, the proposed remuneration for attendance at the meetings
of the permanent Board committees is EUR 1,150 per meeting. Travel
expenses are reimbursed in accordance with the Company's travel
policy.

Auditor and Auditor's remuneration

Upon the recommendation of the Board's Audit Committee, the Board of
Directors proposes that PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy be re-elected as
Ahlstrom's auditor and that the auditor's  remuneration be paid
according to invoicing. PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy has designated
Authorized Public Accountant Eero Suomela as auditor in charge.

Authorization to repurchase the Company's own shares

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting
authorizes the Board of Directors to resolve to repurchase a maximum
of 4,500,000 own shares in the Company taking into account the
limitations set forth in the Companies' Act. The maximum number of
shares to be repurchased corresponds to less than 10% of all issued
Company shares. The authorization is valid for 18 months from the
close of the Annual General Meeting but will, however, expire at the
close of the next Annual General Meeting, at the latest. The shares
may be repurchased only through public trading at the prevailing
market price by using unrestricted shareholders' equity.

Authorization to distribute the Company's own shares

The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting
authorizes the Board of Directors to resolve to distribute a maximum
of 4,500,000 own shares held by the Company. The Board of Directors
will be authorized to decide to whom and in which order the own
shares will be distributed. The Board of Directors may decide on the
distribution of own shares otherwise than in proportion to the
existing pre-emptive right of shareholders to purchase the Company's
own shares.

The shares may be used as consideration in acquisitions and in other
arrangements as well as to implement the Company's share-based
incentive plans in the manner and to the extent decided by the Board
of Directors. The Board of Directors has also the right to decide on
the distribution of the shares in public trading for the purpose of
financing possible acquisitions.

The authorization is valid for 18 months from the close of the Annual
General Meeting but will, however, expire at the close of the next
Annual General Meeting, at the latest.


Further information
Gustav Adlercreutz, Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs, General
Counsel, Ahlstrom Corporation tel. +358 (0)10 888 4727


Distribution:
NASDAQ OMX Helsinki
Main media
www.ahlstrom.com


Ahlstrom in brief

Ahlstrom is a global leader in the development, manufacture and
marketing of high performance fiber-based materials. Nonwovens and
specialty papers, made by Ahlstrom, are used in a large variety of
everyday products, such as filters, wipes, flooring, labels, and
tapes. Based upon its unique fiber expertise and innovative approach,
the company has a strong market position in several business areas in
which it operates. Ahlstrom's 6,400 employees serve customers via
sales offices and production facilities in more than 20 countries on
six continents. In 2008, Ahlstrom's net sales amounted to EUR 1.8
billion. Ahlstrom's share is quoted on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. The
company website is www.ahlstrom.com.