euro adhoc: Valartis Group AG / other / Valartis Group acquires private bank and asset management company in Vienna (E)

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Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible
for the content of this announcement.
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05.09.2008

As part of the expansion of its private banking and asset management activities,
Valartis Group AG has acquired Anglo Irish Bank (Austria) AG. The bank, which
will be renamed Valartis Bank (Austria) AG, is domiciled in Vienna and has
assets of approx. CHF 2 billion under management on behalf of its international
private clients. The acquisition of this private bank will enable Valartis to
strengthen its earnings capacity and open up new growth opportunities.

Broadly-based private banking business
The activities of Anglo Irish Bank (Austria) AG, whose origins go back to the
year 1890, are concentrated on private banking services for its predominantly
international private clients. Through its subsidiary, AIBC Anglo Irish Bank
(Austria) Kapitalanlagegesellschaft mbH, the bank is also engaged in the area of
asset management through its own funds. The bank has a total of around CHF 2
billion under management for its approx. 3,500 customers and employs 100
personnel. In regional terms the bank operates primarily in Western Europe,
Eastern Europe and Russia/CIS as well as North America and over recent years has
been able to significantly expand its market presence particularly in Eastern
Europe and Russia/CIS.

Long-term strengthening of the earnings capacity
The acquisition of Anglo Irish Bank (Austria) will enable Valartis to
substantially expand its wealth management activities and increase the group´s
assets under management to a total of CHF 5.5 billion. The earnings capacity of
Valartis, based on the three pillars of asset management, wealth management and
investment banking, will therefore be put on a broader base and be strengthened
sustainably. This will simultaneously open up new growth oppor-tunities, for
example as a result of the joint market presence in Eastern Europe and
Russia/CIS, the bundling of product know-how in the area of asset management or
the broader utilization of the service offering in the private banking business.
In this context Anglo Irish Bank (Austria) AG, which will be renamed Valartis
Bank (Austria) AG, will essentially operate as an independent subsidiary and
remain under the guidance of the existing management which established the
successful growth strategy of the past years.

Valartis signed a purchase agreement for Anglo Irish Bank (Austria) with the
mother company Anglo Irish Bank Corporation plc, Dublin, Ireland, with effect
from September 4, 2008. The parties agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
The Valartis Group is financing the transaction through existing own resources
as well as borrowings. It is expected that the acquisition of Anglo Irish Bank
(Austria) AG will be finalized in the fourth quarter 2008 subject to approval
from the regulatory authorities.

Further inquiry note:
Gustav Stenbolt, CEO
Tel. +41 43 336 81 11

end of announcement euro adhoc
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emitter: Valartis Group AG
Blegistrasse 11a
CH-6340 Baar
phone: +41 (0)44 215 63 60
FAX: +41 (0)44 215 63 90
mail: [email protected]
WWW: http://www.valartis.ch
sector: Financial & Business Services
ISIN: CH0001840450
indexes: SPI, SPIEX, SSCI
stockmarkets: official market: SWX Swiss Exchange
language: English

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