Appointment

Secure Trust Banking Group PLC
29 June 2004


                    Arbuthnot Securities appoints Mark Brown
                               as Chief Executive

Secure Trust Banking Group PLC ('STBG') announces that Arbuthnot Securities
('Arbuthnot'), the investment banking subsidiary of STBG, has appointed Mark
Brown as its Chief Executive.

Mark Brown (41) was until recently Global Head of Research at ABN Amro, having
previously been Chief Executive of Hoare Govett Securities (UK) and, from 2000 -
2002, Global Head of Research at HSBC Investment Bank. He joins Arbuthnot
following 17 years in the securities business, for the last 10 of which he held
senior positions in equities management. In the early years of his career, Mr.
Brown was a top-rated strategist and economist.

Since acquiring the business of Old Mutual Securities last year, STBG has made a
sustained investment in Arbuthnot, and the appointment of Mark Brown is an
important step in continuing that process. STBG recognises that employee share
participation is a key prerequisite for building a successful investment banking
business, and it intends to make up to 40% of the share capital of Arbuthnot
available over time to build and retain the team which will carry the business
forward.

Since April 2003, Stephen Lockley has led Arbuthnot as its Chief Executive,
adding this responsibility to his role of Group Finance Director at STBG. Having
presided over the successful turnaround of Arbuthnot over the last year and the
integration of the business into the Secure Trust Group, Stephen will now
concentrate on his responsibilities as Group Finance Director.

Henry Angest, Chairman and Chief Executive of STBG, commented as follows:

'We are delighted to have developed Arbuthnot to the point where we are able to
secure somebody of Mark Brown's standing as CEO. He brings to the position
experience and skill in equities management and an outstanding market
reputation. Under Mark's leadership, we are very confident of the prospects for
Arbuthnot.

We thank Stephen Lockley for having put Arbuthnot on a firm footing over the
last fourteen months and are delighted that he will now be able to focus on the
demanding role of Group Finance Director ahead of the introduction of
International Accounting Standards and new capital adequacy rules.'

Press enquiries:

Secure Trust Banking Group PLC
Henry Angest, Chairman and Chief Executive                  Tel: [phone]




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