SAMPO PLC STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 7 October 2008 at 1.55 pm REPURCHASE OF SAMPO PLC'S A SHARES Based on the authorisation granted by the Annual General Meeting on 15 April 2008, Sampo plc's Board of Directors decided today to repurchase 10 million Sampo's A shares with distributable capital and reserves. The amount repurchased corresponds to approximately 1.7 per cent of the total number of shares. Repurchases decrease the distributable capital and reserves. The shares were acquired through accerated book building offering, and thus not in the proportion in which the shareholders' shareholdings are distributed (private repurchase). The price paid was 11.50 euros per share. Shares were purchased from Exista hf. and its subsidiaries, because of the low transaction costs and the price lower than in public trading. The shares purchased on the basis of this decision will be cancelled, and therefore the purchase will benefit all shareholders in proportion to their holding. At the time of this decision the situation in the financial markets is exceptionally uncertain. In the Board's opinion the above purchase is in the interest of all shareholders. The purchase also prevents an overliquidity situation in the markets. On the basis of the above weighty financial reasons for repurchases referred to Companies Act exist. SAMPO PLC Jarmo Salonen Head of Investor Relations and Group Communications phone +358 10 516 0030 Distribution: NASDAQ OMX Helsinki The principal media Financial Supervision Insurance Supervisory Authority www.sampo.com