Seven-point programme and management changes at FöreningsSparbanken (Swedbank)

Seven-point programme and management changes at FöreningsSparbanken (Swedbank). FöreningsSparbanken's new President and CEO Birgitta Johansson-Hedberg is launching a seven-point programme for the bank's continued operations, and some changes are being made in FöreningsSparbanken management. Johansson- Hedberg is increasing the bank's focus on the e-business sector, the bank's retail activities and the bank's strategic alliances. The decision regarding the Group's management composition was made today by the FöreningsSparbanken Board of Directors, acting on a proposal by the new CEO. Heading the retail organisation and coordination of the bank's sales channels will be current Executive Vice President Ingrid Persson. Overall responsibility for the Group's bank alliances in Sweden and abroad will fall to current Executive Vice President Annika Wijkström. E-business is the new business sector that, under the bank's CIO Gert Engman, will enhance the bank's growth on the Internet. Altogether new in the bank's executive management is Anders Ek, who, starting on 1 August, will be responsible for the Group's Savings & Investments sector while at the same time serving as new President of Robur AB. Ek will be coming from SPP after serving there as deputy to the CEO and as President of SPP Kapitalförvaltning. He will be succeeding Peter Nilsson, who is leaving Robur and the FöreningsSparbanken Group effective immediately. Mats Lagerqvist, Head of Robur's Capital Management department, will hold the position of President of Robur AB until 1 August. "For some time, things at Robur have been far too turbulent. The most important thing now is to create stability and provide the conditions needed for continued successful capital management. Anders Ek is a highly experienced leader and capital manager and will thus strengthen Robur management. I am convinced that my and the Robur Board's choice of Anders Ek is the best for both Robur's customers and Robur's employees". With today's decision by the Board of Directors, FöreningsSparbanken's executive management is as follows: * Birgitta Johansson-Hedberg, President and CEO * Nils-Fredrik Nyblaeus, Deputy President and CEO, CFO * Anders Ek, Executive Vice President, product area Savings (including Robur AB); as of 1 August 2000 * Gert Engman, Executive Vice President, IT and E-business * Lars-Erik Kvist, Executive Vice President, Credit * Jan Lidén, Executive Vice President, Swedbank Markets * Ingrid Persson, Executive Vice President, Retail Operations (Local Banks and FöreningsSparbanken via Internet and Telephone) * Elisabeth Ström, Executive Vice President, Market Communications and Information * Göran Theodorsson, Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Skills Development * Annika Wijkström, Executive Vice President, Bank Alliances Birgitta Johansson-Hedberg: "My seven-point programme has a clear focus on e-business, while at the same time we are coordinating the bank's sales channels into a powerful retail arm. In practical terms, this means we will be enhancing the services we provide to our nearly five million customers in the Sweden market. We shall therefore also be making room for both our own and others' products via our established channels. We will also expand in Europe by establishing a European Internet presence with both our Internetbank and NetTrade as well as a financial portal in Denmark this autumn". She continues: "Another important focus is on alliances in growth regions in the Nordic Area and in the Baltic States. These should make it possible to launch our product companies Robur and Spintab, together with Swedbank Markets´ NetTrade, in new markets". For further information, please contact: Birgitta Johansson-Hedberg, President and CEO, phone: +46 8 5859 1088 or Elisabeth Ström, Executive Vice President, Market Communications and Information, phone: +46 8 5859 1506 Curriculum Vitae (CV) Anders Ek Age 51 Education 1973 Bachelor of Arts, Stockholm University Positions held 1994 - Försäkringsbolaget SPP Deputy CEO; CFO 1991 - 1994Trygg Hansa SPP Holding AB 1991-1993 Deputy CFO; Portfolio Manager, SPP 1993-1994 Division Head of Capital Management and member of group executive management 1985 - 1991Allmänna Pensionsfonden (a national pension fund) Deputy CEO; CFO 1983 - 1985 Stockholms Fondkommission (securities brokerage) Part-owner 1973 - 1983Sparbankernas Bank (Swedbank) 1973-1981 Employed by, and later head of financial secretariat 1981-1983 Employed by, and later head of, Bond Department. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/04/12/20000412BIT01040/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/04/12/20000412BIT01040/bit0002.pdf