Alessandro Profumo, CEO of UniCredit Group, was elected today President of the European Banking Federation by the Board of the EBF

As of January 2009, he will succeed Michel Pebereau, Chairman of BNP Paribas, whose mandate ends at the end of December.

Profumo has been Chief Executive Officer of UniCredit Group since its creation in 1997. Since 2005, he has also been Chairman of the Supervisory Board of HVB and since 2006, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Bank Austria Creditanstalt.

"I am honoured to have been elected by my peers and to take over from Michel Pebereau, whose leadership has reinforced the presence of the European Banking Federation on the European scene, declared Profumo. I will certainly be making every effort to help our industry face the challenging times ahead of us".

Pebereau said "I enjoyed a most interesting and challenging time at the helm of the EBF, I hope my successor finds the experience as rewarding as I have. I have every confidence in Alessandro Profumo to steer the EBF in the right direction over the next two years and I look forward to cooperating with him and other Board colleagues on a regular basis."

For contacts:

UniCredit Bulbank, Public Relations and Corporate Identity Department

Viktoriya Blajeva,tel: 02/9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Ekaterina Ancheva,tel: 02/9264 963, flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch