Press Release

The Bank of New York Mellon Appointed Successor Depositary Bank by Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A.

New York, March 24, 2008 - The Bank of New York Mellon, a global leader in securities servicing, has been selected by Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. (Intesa Sanpaolo) as successor depositary bank for its American depositary receipt (ADR) program. Each Intesa Sanpaolo ADR represents six ordinary shares. The ADRs trade on the over-the-counter (OTC) market under the symbol “ISNPY.” The ordinary shares trade on the Borsa Italiana under the symbol “ISP.”

Intesa Sanpaolo is a new banking group resulting from the merger between Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI. It has leadership in the Italian market with 6,100 branches serving 10.7 million customers and a strong international presence focused on Central-Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean basin.

“We are pleased to be serving as the new depositary for Intesa Sanpaolo, one of Italy's largest DR issuers,” said Christopher Sturdy, executive vice president and head of The Bank of New York Mellon's Depositary Receipt Division. “As the depositary for 72% of all sponsored DR programs in the banking sector, we will leverage our expertise to help Intesa Sanpaolo heighten the visibility of its DR program throughout the global markets.”

The Bank of New York Mellon's Depositary Receipt business is conducted through The Bank of New York subsidiary, which acts as depositary for more than 1,300 American and global depositary receipt programs, acting in partnership with leading companies from 63 countries. With an unrivalled commitment to helping securities issuers succeed in the world's rapidly evolving financial markets, the Company delivers the industry's most comprehensive suite of integrated depositary receipt, corporate trust and stock transfer services. Additional information is available at www.adrbny.com.

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial services company focused on helping clients manage and service their financial assets, operating in 34 countries and serving more than 100 markets. The company is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high net-worth individuals, providing superior asset management and wealth management, asset servicing, issuer services, clearing services and treasury services through a worldwide client-focused team. It has more than $23 trillion in assets under custody and administration, more than $1.1 trillion in assets under management and services $11 trillion in outstanding debt. Additional information is available at bnymellon.com.

This release is for informational purposes only. The Bank of New York Mellon provides no advice nor recommendation or endorsement with respect to any company or securities. Nothing herein shall be deemed to constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Depositary Receipts: Not FDIC, State or Federal Agency Insured; May Lose Value; No Bank, State or Federal Agency Guarantee.

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Contact:

Dori Flanagan

212-815-2291

dori.flanagan@bnymellon.com

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