Höskuldur Ari Hauksson hired as Managing Director of Capital Markets Division

Höskuldur Ari Hauksson has been hired as the Managing Director of Capital Markets at Straumur-Burdarás Investment Bank hf. He will commence in March 2007. Since 2003, Höskuldur Ari has been working as an Executive Director and a Commodity Strategist at Goldman Sachs. In his work, he has been responsible for developing the commodity linked investor business as well as coordinating a team of seven strategist in London, New York and Singapore. In 2006, Goldman Sachs was voted number one in the World for commodity linked investor products in a survey by RISK Magazine. Höskuldur Ari worked as Head of Research at RWE Trading from 2000-2003. He received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from University of California in 1998 and holds a BS in Mathematics and Physics (double degree) from the University of Iceland (1994). Höskuldur Ari will lead the development of the Bank's Capital Markets in Iceland and abroad. A considerable increase in this field is to be expected this year. A team of foreign strategist has already been hired and they will commence their work for Straumur-Burdarás at the Bank's offices in London in february.