Strengthened management for FöreningsSparbanken's local branch operations

Strengthened management for FöreningsSparbanken's local branch operations and new head in Skåne FöreningsSparbanken (Swedbank) is now focusing on further strengthening its retail operations. As previously announced, Lars Idermark is responsible for local operations in his position as deputy CEO. He becomes responsible for the entire retail operation in Sweden (which also includes the internet and telephone bank - for which Gert Engman is responsible - as well as independent and part-owned savings banks - for which Göran Gunnarsson is responsible). - According to CEO Reinhold Geijer, "Of the utmost strategic importance is to increase support to local operations through greater coordination and stronger management. My choice for this task Lars Idermark is quite natural, given his solid experience at central management, along with his firm position in local operations." - According to Lars Idermark, "It is an extraordinarily stimulating challenge to be assigned responsibility for Sweden's most extensive retail operation. My duty is to help clarify management's role and enable all of our highly- qualified staff to devote more time to our customers and improve the quantity/quality of our business transactions." - In connection with the decision to strengthen retail operations, Lennart Haglund (currently CEO at Färs & Frosta Sparbank) has been appointed vice president of FöreningsSparbanken and head of FöreningsSparbanken's local branches in Skåne and southern Halland. Haglund succeeds Anders Rex, who is leaving the bank for another position. During a transition period, until Färs & Frost Sparbank's changeover to a listed company is completed, Haglund will remain CEO there. Afterwards he will become president of the new listed company. As head of FöreningsSparbanken's local branch operations in Skåne and southern Halland, Haglund will report to Idermark. He will take on his new assignment in Swedbank on July 1. - According to Idermark, "I am very happy that Lennart Haglund is prepared to take on this important responsibility in one of Sweden's key growth areas. In his highly successful efforts as CEO at Färs & Frost Sparbank, he has shown both leadership abilities and a sense of how to expand local operations and local presence in a way that will be of great value for our branch operations." For further information, contact: Reinhold Geijer, CEO, telephone +46-8-585 921 70 Lars Idermark, deputy CEO, telephone +46-8-585 911 75 Elisabeth Ström, director of communications, telephone 08-585 915 06 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/06/21/19990621BIT00210/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/06/21/19990621BIT00210/bit0002.pdf