About Danske Bankas

SAMPO Insurance Company plc and the shareholders of Lietuvos Vystymo Bankas (Lithuanian Development Bank) have signed deeds of sale by which the share capital and voting rights of LDB were transferred to SAMPO. The transactions entered into force today. The purchase price was 40 311 936.00 LTL (approximately 10 8 million EUR).

The government of Lithuania (which held 59.3 %), Nordic Investment Bank (29.6 %) and Deutsche Investitions und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (11.1 %) sold all of their shares in LDB. The Central Bank of Lithuania gave its permission for the execution of the purchase on December 21, 2000.

LDB was established in 1993. The bank's annual reports have shown a profit since 1997. The balance sheet total was 42.3 million EUR in 1999.

The Lithuanian Development Bank specialises in corporate financing. LDB was originally established primarily to provide long-term investment financing for companies, where its market share is also strongest at present. LDB's share of loans with terms of five years or longer and which were granted in Lithuania is 16.5%. However, in accordance with its new strategy, the bank's objective is to become the leading commercial bank in Lithuania, serving both retail customers as well as large, medium-sized, and small companies.

SAMPO also has a non-life insurance company in Lithuania. The Group's life insurance company will begin operating at the beginning of 2001. UAB SAMPO Lietuva was issued a licence to establish a life insurance company on December 19, 2000. The life insurance company, UAB SAMPO Lietuva Gyvybes Draudimas, was registered on December 22, 2000.