New Chairman proposed in Handelsbanken

Chairman of the Board Lars O Grönstedt has informed the Nomination
Committee of Handelsbanken that he will be declining re-election at
this year's Annual General Meeting, which will be held on April 23,
2008. The background to his decision is that he has a differing
opinion than the others on the board about the design of the boards
work as well as the bank's strategy.

At a meeting on 2 April 2008 (see separate press release), the
Nomination Committee decided to propose to the Annual General Meeting
that Hans Larsson, Vice Chairman of Svenska Handelsbanken, be elected
as Chairman of the Board, and the re-election of all other directors
except for Lars O Grönstedt.

Svenska Handelsbanken

The Board

For further information, please contact:
Anders Nyrén, Vice Chairman, Svenska Handelsbanken, tel: +46-8-666
6400