INTESA SANPAOLO: DUBAI, HUB BRANCH FOR THE MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA AREA (MENA)

• Following London, Hong Kong and New York, the number of HUB Branches of Intesa  Sanpaolo’s Corporate Business Internationalisation Department increases to 4

Milan, 15 April 2011 – Confirming the Group’s growing commitment to supporting Italian businesses which operate or intend to operate on international markets, and according to the guidelines of the Business Plan presented to the markets on 6 April, Intesa Sanpaolo is continuing its project of international development and expansion of the Corporate and Investment Banking Division, headed by Gaetano Micciché, general manager of the Bank.

With the goal of strengthening the Division’s Business Internationalisation Department, a HUB Branch has been established in Dubai, dedicated to the Middle East and North Africa area (MENA), while will coordinate all offices of the Division currently located in the area: Beirut, Casablanca, Cairo, Istanbul and Tunis.

The Dubai Branch thus becomes the fourth HUB of the Business Internationalisation Department - headed by Walter Ambrogi - in addition to the HUB Branches in London (which oversees the offices of Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Madrid, Paris, Athens, Moscow, Stockholm and Warsaw), Hong Kong (Shanghai, Singapore, Beijing, Ho Chi Min City, Mumbai and Seoul) and New York (São Paulo and Santiago).

As a result of the expansion of the Business Internationalisation Department, the Intesa Sanpaolo Group continues in its commitment to support businesses which intend to enter international markets and to create new development opportunities. To this end, the Bank is designing dedicated new products and services which will be added to the solutions already available for customers, presented last year, such as:

• 360-degree Export: a comprehensive solution for the various forms of financing in the several phases of an export trade transaction ranging from advances on future exports on orders/contracts up to the disposal of invoices in various forms;

• International+: medium- and long-term loans granted through Mediocredito Italiano. These loans may also be used for structured financing transactions in case of more complex requirements (M&A, Project Finance, Real Estate), thanks to the support of Banca IMI;

• Tradeway: a range of advanced information services allowing companies to enter their trade profile in the leading B2B development networks, search for and encourage partnerships through promotion in the countries of interest and receive trade and credit information on foreign operators.

“Simplifying mechanisms and finding new solutions to support and aid Italian businesses that intend to export their products and meet the challenges of international markets has always been one of the Bank’s main goals”, stated Gaetano Micciché, general manager of Intesa Sanpaolo. “With the new Business Plan, we have made an even greater commitment to provide the Bank’s international structures with suitable instruments to meet the needs of our customers. Well-organised networks, dedicated, innovative products and services, and professional expertise on international markets are essential requirements to ensure adequate support to our Italian and international customers who are looking for new routes to growth by internationalising their businesses”.

For further information:

INTESA SANPAOLO

Media Relations - Corporate and Investment Banking

+39 0115555922

+39 0287963851

stampa@intesasanpaolo.com