Close Brothers Group Plc.

Douglas Paterson, aged 63, was formerly a senior partner in the banking and capital markets division of PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is a non-executive director of Goldman Sachs International Bank. He was appointed a director in July 2004 and he is chairman of the Audit and Compliance Committee.

Mike Barley, aged 49, is chief executive of the asset financing division. He joined Close Brothers in June 1999 having previously been chief executive of Wagon Finance and an executive manager at Abbey National. He was appointed to the management board in August 2003.

Mike Hines, aged 57, joined Close Brothers in April 1993 on the acquisition of Winterflood Securities, of which he is chief executive. He was appointed a director of the company in March 2002. He was previously with Bisgood Bishop for many years.

Peter Buckley, aged 64, has spent some 30 years as a director of Caledonia Investments plc. He was appointed its chief executive in 1987 and chairman in 1994. He is a non-executive director of Bristow Group Inc. He was appointed a director in November 1995.

Peter Winkworth, aged 58, was employed by KPMG and Barings, before joining Close Brothers as a director in 1977. He was a partner in the management buy-out of Close Brothers in 1979. He was appointed a director of the company in August 1984 with responsibility for finance. He was also appointed joint managing director in November 2002.

Stephen Hodges, aged 52, joined the banking division of Close Brothers as a director in 1985, following eight years at Hambros. He was appointed a director of the company in August 1995 with responsibility for the banking division. He was also appointed joint managing director in November 2002.

Mr Macpherson is the former executive Deputy Chairman of Misys plc, where he played a key role in the group's strategic acquisitions and development programme. Misys is the UK's largest independent enterprise software group and one of the world's 10 largest independent companies operating in this sector. Its principal activities are the development and licensing of application software products to customers in well-defined vertical markets within the Financial Services and Healthcare sectors, together with transaction processing, professional services and e-commerce activities. Mr Macpherson is also chairman of Tribal Group plc, on the board of AXA UK and Chairman of Fleming Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc.