COUTTS & CO APPOINTS NEW FINANCIAL PLANNING SPECIALIST TO LIVERPOOL OFFICE

11 April 2005

Coutts & Co, one of the UK’s leading private banks, has announced the first expansion in its Liverpool office by appointing a new financial planning specialist to the team.

The appointment follows the bank’s high profile move into the city 18 months ago, and marks the ongoing success of the team, which now manages assets exceeding £200 million for clients throughout Merseyside.

Adrian Pattinson has joined as a financial planning specialist and will provide clients with advice on issues such as pensions and taxation. With over 20 years experience as a financial adviser, Adrian joins from PKF Accountants where he specialised in dealing with financial planning matters for wealthy individuals in Liverpool and Manchester.

On a visit to the new team in Liverpool, Coutts Chief Executive, Sarah Deaves, commented: "We are delighted to announce our first addition to the team in what has been a very successful 18 months in the city.

"Our comparative growth in the first two months of 2005 against 2004, was up by almost 30%, demonstrating that despite our high profile launch in November 2003, the team are still continuing to grow the business at a fantastic rate. Adrian’s appointment reflects demand for our wealth management services in Liverpool and we welcome him to the team."

Adrian added: "I am delighted to have joined what is seen as the pinnacle provider of wealth management services by many in the financial services industry and I look forward to helping the team grow the business even further."

Coutts unveiled plans for significant expansion of its regional office network at the end of 2003. As part of its expansion plans, the private bank has, over the last year, been increasing the number of private bankers in its regional offices by as much as 60% in addition to the opening of two new offices, the locations of which are still to be confirmed.

-ends-

For further information please contact:

Claire Symonds, Regional PR Manager, Coutts & Co. Tel: 020 7957 2650, mob: 07970 001149, email: claire.symonds@coutts.com

Notes to editors:

Coutts & Co

• Coutts is the international private banking arm of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is one of the world's largest banking groups.
• Coutts manages the wealth of 90,000 high net worth clients worldwide through a network of 50 offices globally.
• The first Coutts regional office to be opened was Eton in 1961. The most recent new opening was Liverpool, late last year. Today, Coutts has regional offices in Bath, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Eton, Guildford, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Tunbridge Wells & Winchester.
• Coutts offers clients a range of products and services covering sophisticated investment products together with expertise in trust and fiduciary services and UK tax and banking services.
• Coutts has for the third time been awarded ‘Best Use of Long-Only Multi-Manager Structures’ at the Private Asset Management Awards 2005

• Coutts & Co is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered in England No. 36695. Registered office: 440 Strand, London, WC2R 0QS

• Calls may be recorded