Retail Banks change names to Nordea

Retail Banks change names to Nordea Name changes scheduled for December Nordea takes another important step in its development as the largest financial services Group in the Nordic region. The Retail banks in the four Nordic countries will from early December operate under the Nordea brand. The decision to apply unified Nordea branding for the business area Retail Banking and most subsidiaries of the Group means that Nordbanken in Sweden, Merita in Finland, Unibank in Denmark and K-bank in Norway will change their names to Nordea Bank in the beginning of December. The business areas Asset Management, Corporate and Institutional Banking and several areas within the Group have already adopted the Nordea brand. "We have said that the Nordea brand will be applied when it is commercially sound. In all Nordic markets, among both customers and employees, there is an increasing demand for changing into Nordea name and branding for the retail banks. After careful analysis, we have found now is the right time to move ahead and to send this strong signal to confirm that we are well underway in our integration work", says Thorleif Krarup, CEO of Nordea. "Nordea stands for Nordic Ideas. We share Nordic ideas and exchange Nordic solutions to create value for customers and thereby for our shareholders. Nordea aims at helping customers realise their aspirations and we will be able to do that better under a common strong brand. Unified branding simplifies communication both internally and externally, and signals that we are firmly determined to deliver synergies across borders. We are committed to build the Nordea brand into a valuable asset for the Group" , says Thorleif Krarup. Investment Banking changed names from ArosMaizels to Nordea Securities in April. The Retail Banks in Poland and the Baltic have adopted the Nordea brand. The insurance companies in Poland will follow during the autumn. The Internet and telephone service Solo will retain its original name as a symbol for world leading convenient and secure electronic services. The insurance companies Tryg-Baltica and Vesta will, in Denmark and Norway, continue to use their current names under the Nordea umbrella in integrated branding to keep different product lines in bank and insurance distribution channels without causing confusion. When commercially sound unified branding will be applied. For further information: Thorleif Krarup, Group CEO Nordea, +47 22 48 60 10 Torben Laustsen, Head of Group Identity and Communications, + 46 8 614 79 16 Download the Nordea logo from the press release published on www.nordea.com ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/06/19/20010619BIT00830/bit0002.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/06/19/20010619BIT00830/bit0002.pdf