Chicago, Illinois - May 3, 2006 - Signalling its intent to step up efforts on this side of the Atlantic, Navigon, one of Europe's leading authorities in software solutions for navigation products and services, today announced the appointment of Andreas Hecht as Senior Vice President, General Manager, of the Americas. Hecht will lead Navigon operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and South America. An authority in the navigation sector, Hecht is a 10-year veteran of Navteq, creators of the world's most widely-used digital maps, where he served in senior executive roles in technology and business development in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.

Headquartered in Germany, Navigon opened a U.S. office in March 2004 and has been expanding its American presence ever since. The company creates software that drives consumer navigation products worldwide, including that used in PocketPCs and the emerging generation of mobile phones. It also bundles software and hardware for leading OEMs.

"With Navteq, Andreas helped to successfully launch one of the most dominant players in the navigation sector," said Navigon CEO Peter Scheufen. "He has uncommon depth and breadth of experience in the navigation and we are extremely pleased to have him lead the aggressive expansion of our American presence."

"I'm excited to be part of Navigon's strategic commitment to the region," Hecht said. "The American market for navigation solutions is maturing quickly. We intend to make Navigon an instrumental player-helping our OEM customers with faster time to market and ensuring the most innovative product evolution."

Navigon's U.S. headquarters will continue to be based in Chicago, Illinois.