Swedbank honored

Swedbank honoured for its efforts to promote the development of the Estonian economy Swedbank (FöreningsSparbanken) has been named the foreign company that in 1998 contributed the most to the positive development of the Estonian economy. The award was announced today at a ceremony in Tallinn, "Invest in Estonia 1998," arranged by Estonian Investment Agency, EIA.. In addition to EIA´s top prize, Swedbank received an award as the foreign company that made the biggest investment in Estonia 1998. The awards were based on Swedbank´s commitment as the principal shareholder and partner to Hansapank, the Baltic's leading bank and the largest and most successful bank in Estonia. The Invest in Estonia awards were presented for the third time this year, and to date Swedbank is the only bank to have received one of the annual prizes. Swedbank´s Chairman, Göran Collert, represented the bank at today's ceremony. "Naturally it is very gratifying and quite an honour that our efforts in Estonia and the Baltic Sea region have been awarded in this way," he said. "Perhaps even more importantly, however, is the recognition this means for the excellent work our partner, Hansapank, has done here in Estonia. Not only has it contributed in a very positive way to the Estonian economy, but to our customers in Sweden and the continued development of business relationships between our two countries." For further information, please contact: Einar Frydén, Information Manager at Swedbank, phone +46-8-585 916 30, +46-705-110033. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/04/19/19990419BIT00360/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/04/19/19990419BIT00360/bit0002.pdf