VUB signed contracts to acquire B.O.F. today

Bratislava, July 20, 2007 – Všeobecná úverová banka, a.s. signed transaction documents on purchasing the majority stake in leasing company B.O.F., a.s. with its owner Prvá slovenská investičná skupina, a.s. today. The acquisition will substantially increase VUB´s lease business.

“We are pleased that after we successfully entered the consumer finance market by establishing our subsidiary CFH, we have also managed to considerably strengthen our position in leasing today”, said Tomas Spurny, CEO of VUB for whom this deal closes his 5-year mission in VUB. The transaction is a subject to approval of the Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic and the National Bank of Italy. The parties have not disclosed the value of the takeover.

B.O.F. is the oldest lease company on the Slovak market and the only one that have not been in hands of any bank group yet. The amount of financing exceeding SKK 3 billion ranks B.O.F. sixth on the list of top finance lease companies compiled by the Association of Lease Companies.

VUB is a member of the international banking group Intesa Sanpaolo. The Bank operates 207 retail branches, 32 corporate branches, and 11 mortgage centres across Slovakia. In September 2006, VUB was awarded the “Best Bank in Slovakia” prize at the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Singapore by the British magazine Global Finance for the second year in a row.

Information for media:
Alena Walterová, spokesperson
Corporate and Marketing Communication Department of VUB, Bratislava
Tel.: +421-2-5055 2130, 0904 755 195
E-mail: awalterova@vub.sk

Michal Kopecký, PR specialist
Corporate and Marketing Communication Department of VUB, Bratislava
Tel.: +421-2-5055 2424, 0904 755 190
E-mail: mkopecky@vub.sk