ABN AMRO sponsors first EuroFinance Conference for Financial Institutions in Middle East & Africa

ABN AMRO is the official sponsor for the first annual conference on Financial Institutions in the Middle East & North Africa, which will take place from Sunday 27 through until Tuesday 29 May 2001 at the Gulf Hotel, Bahrain.

Dubai, 21 May 2001

ABN AMRO sponsors first EuroFinance Conference for Financial Institutions in Middle East & Africa

ABN AMRO is the official sponsor for the first annual conference on Financial Institutions in the Middle East & North Africa, which will take place from Sunday 27 through until Tuesday 29 May 2001 at the Gulf Hotel, Bahrain.

The conference is the ideal forum for participants to gain a rapid update from prominent figures from the financial institutions industry on the latest developments facing the region.

ABN AMRO will use the event to discuss one of the hottest topics for Financial Institutions in 2001 ¡V Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS„§). Jonathan Butterfield, Managing Director of Financial Institutions and Public Sector, Global Transaction Services (GTS), and Joerg Pinkernell, Head of Global Product Management, Settlement & Liquidity Group, GTS, will explore the practical and operational implications of CLS for local banks in the region.

As an original shareholder and founding member of CLS Services Limited, ABN AMRO has played a leading role in developing and implementing the CLS concept. Its innovative service offering includes a range of flexible liquidity and secure foreign exchange settlement solutions, including the Tri-Party Collateral Service whereby credit can be extended against assets.

A top tier international clearing bank with clearing services in 45 currencies, ABN AMRO has very strong USD and EUR clearing capabilities. It also provides a purpose-built, internet-based, electronic banking portal to assist clients as they migrate from traditional banking methods.

At the EuroFinance Conference, delegates will have the opportunity to visit various exhibition stands and speak with some of the main speakers. For ABN AMRO, this conference, held for the first time in the Middle East, is an ideal opportunity to profile its strengths within the region, with Global Transaction Services¡¦ specialists on hand to discuss the bank¡¦s range of powerful banking solutions in the areas of cash management, trade and custody services.

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For more information please contact:
Tom Zwaan, ABN AMRO, Tel: +971 4 506 2600
Toni Hare, ABN AMRO, Tel: +31 653 985 241

Note to editors:

ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO, based in the Netherlands, is one of the world's largest banks with total assets of more than USD 500 billion. Its activities are grouped into three strategic business units: Wholesale Clients, which provides integrated corporate and investment banking services to corporate, institutional and public sector clients worldwide; Consumer & Commercial Clients, which focuses on retail and SME clients in a number of core markets; and Private Clients & Asset Management, which focuses on private banking and fund management clients.

ABN AMRO Global Transaction Services (GTS)
ABN AMRO, through its Global Transaction Services line of business, offers its financial institutions clients a range of powerful banking solutions in the areas of cash management, trade and custody services. Together with a detailed portfolio of euro, dollar and multi currency clearing services, it also provides a purpose-built, internet-based, electronic banking portal to assist clients as they migrate from traditional banking methods. As a founding member and equity partner of the Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) initiative, ABN AMRO offers its financial institution clients a range of flexible and secure foreign exchange settlement solutions, providing them access to CLS services.