SIGNIFICANT PLAYERS JOIN COUTTS LONDON

3rd May 2005

Coutts and Co, one of the UK’s leading private banks, announces the arrival of five key individuals to its London Head Office. Mark Evans, James Buchanan-Michaelson and Duncan MacIntyre from JP Morgan Private Banking and Bill Blakey from Insight Investment have now joined Coutts and Geoffrey Post from Merrill Lynch will arrive next week.

Mark Evans joins as Head of Coutts Family Business and Strategic Philanthropy serving the growing number of clients with family owned businesses and assisting them with the challenges they face in succession planning, family governance, estate planning and philanthropy.

James Buchanan-Michaelson and Duncan MacIntyre have joined as Senior Client Partners focusing on Ultra High Net Worth clients. Bill Blakey joins Coutts’ philanthropy team, a thriving business that builds on Coutts’ long heritage working with the charitable sector.

Geoffrey Post, previously head of product development at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, joins Coutts marketing department next week. He will focus on developing the range of investment products in Coutts’ portfolio and build on the success of the recent launch of Coutts’ $300m global property fund.

In addition to this, Coutts’ rapid regional expansion programme continues in 2005. Delivering a 60% growth in the number of private bankers based in Coutts’ 16 offices outside London, the 18-month programme is substantially completed. The locations for two further new offices will be announced in the next few months. The last regional office opened by Coutts was in Liverpool in November 2003.

Sarah Deaves, Chief Executive of Coutts UK, said: "I am delighted to welcome Mark, James, Duncan, Bill and Geoffrey to Coutts. They are each significant players, bringing extensive experience to us in family business, philanthropy, client advice and investment innovation – all themes we know are important to our clients. They bring to Coutts abilities that will compliment the extensive knowledge pool and skill sets of our existing teams and help us drive forward additional services for our entrepreneur and family business clients, building on our reputation for innovation."

-ends-

For further information please contact:

Nick Gill

0207 957 2427

nick.gill@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, in late 2003. 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