COUTTS & CO APPOINTS NEW REGIONAL CHAIRMAN FOR SURREY & WEST SUSSEX

Coutts & Co, one of the UK’s leading private banks, has today announced the appointment of a new Regional Chairman to its Guildford based Surrey office.

Mark Richardson, formerly a Commercial Director, retired from the Royal Bank of Scotland Group in 2004, after 34 years service, having spent the last eight years of his career in the South East developing the business for RBS’ Commercial Banking arm.

In his role as Regional Chairman, Mark will help Coutts continue to develop strong relationships with clients throughout the South East. Working closely with Alastair Graham, Senior Manager of Coutts’ Guildford office, Mark will help raise awareness of Coutts’ wealth management services within the business communities.

In addition to his work with Coutts, Mark is also a Trustee of the Sedbergh School Foundation and is a Governor of Miltoncross School.

Commenting on the appointment, Alastair Graham said: "We are absolutely delighted that Mark has joined us as Regional Chairman for Surrey & West Sussex, a region in which we are seeing continued demand for our wealth management services. With his strong links to the local business communities and his wealth of experience heading up different areas within RBS Group, he will be a great asset to us."

Mark Richardson added: "I am very much looking forward to working with the Coutts team here in Surrey and throughout the South East. Coutts has an unrivalled reputation for providing clients with expert wealth management services, and the ongoing demand for the services Coutts provides is a great testament to growth of wealth in the region."

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For further media information on Coutts contact:

Claire Symonds, Press Officer, Coutts Group on 0207 957 2650 or mobile 07970 001149 or e-mail claire.symonds@coutts.com

Notes to Editors

• Coutts & Co is the UK private banking arm of the Coutts Group, an international private banking group owned by The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is one of the world's largest banking groups.
• The Coutts Group 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.
• The Coutts Group has for the second year in a row been awarded ‘Best Use of Long-Only Multi-Manager Structures’ at the Private Asset Management Awards 2004

• 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