Latvijas Unibanka part of the SEB Group

Latvijas Unibanka part of the SEB Group At the end of the offer period, preliminary results show that SEB has obtained 98,2 per cent of shares in Latvijas Unibanka. It is thus clear that Unibanka will be a full member of the SEB Group. The full inclusion of Latvijas Unibanka into the SEB Group will give bank customers in Latvia access to the services of an international banking group. Unibanka can, through SEB, better support cross-border business in the Baltic and Nordic countries, Germany and the rest of Europe. "I strongly believe that SEB's presence is of benefit to bank clients, small and large. Unibanka will gain from SEB's long and deep experience in banking but will also contribute with its competence to the Group, such as knowledge of the Baltic markets. ", says Lars Thunell, President and SEB Group Chief Executive. SEB intends to retain the management and local profile of Unibanka in order to utilise the bank's strong standing in a growing market with a lot of growth companies. The final result will be ready on Thursday, 16 November. Settlement for shares tendered during the acceptance period is scheduled to take place on 16 November 2000. SEB is a major shareholder in three Baltic banks; Esti Ühispank with 384,900 customers, 61,200 e-bank customers and 65 branch offices in Estonia, Latvijas Unibanka with 318,600 customers, 19,000 e-bank customers and 70 branch offices in Latvia and Vilniaus Bankas with 244,500 customers, 1,300 e-bank customers and 60 branch offices in Lithuania. SEB is a financial group focused on e-banking, savings and growth companies. The Group has approximately 20,000 employees and is represented in some 20 countries around the world. SEB has today approximately 630 retail and private banking branches, mainly in Sweden, Germany and the Baltic region and 700,000 e-banking customers in seven countries. During the current year SEB will start online brokerage service in Germany and e-banking in England. Read more about SEB: www.seb.net For further information, please contact Mats Kjaer, President SEB Baltic Holding +46 40 667 6101 Gunilla Åkerblom, Head of Communication SEB Baltic Holding +468 639 2607, 4670 547 0735 Lotta Treschow, Head of Investor Relations SEB +46 8 763 9559 ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/11/14/20001114BIT00210/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/11/14/20001114BIT00210/bit0002.pdf