INTESA SANPAOLO ENTERS THE GULF: DUBAI BRANCH OPERATIONAL ON 1 AUGUST

- Strategic interest in the Region confirmed

- Intesa Sanpaolo privileged reference point for Italian companies investments and international trade

Turin/Milan, 31July 2008 – Intesa Sanpaolo’s first branch in Dubai will become operational on 1 August.

Located in the new financial centre – the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) – and operating with a full licence, it will be active in Corporate and Trade Finance, Structured Finance, Project Finance, Investment Banking, Treasury Services and Forex with a global-services-to-customer approach.

By this new agreement – a natural development of its representative office opened in 2004 – Intesa Sanpaolo intends to strengthen its role as the privileged point of reference both for investments of Italian companies and international payments in the region.

The Dubai branch will also consolidate its strong existing business relationships with the multinational corporations and financial groups located in the area, enabling it to reach a lead role both in financing the main projects and in promoting direct investments into Italy.

Intesa Sanpaolo has already signed a cooperation agreement with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, a leading local bank in the United Arab Emirates, to service the local currency requirements of its Italian customers.

The Branch will be headed by Luigi Landoni, the former manager of Intesa Sanpaolo’s Tokyo and Shanghai branches.

Intesa Sanpaolo directly operates in more than 40 countries over the world, with a corporate network of four banks, 15 branches, 21 representative offices and around 1,900 branches which offer a full range of services in Central-Southern-Eastern Europe and in Egypt.

Contacts:
Media Relations
Corporate and Investment Banking
+39 02 87963531
+39 011 5555922
stampa@intesasanpaolo.com