Stock and press releases

DnB NOR is establishing a new business area in Norway for retail customers and large parts of the corporate market segment in Norwegian regions. Karin Bing Orgland has been appointed group executive vice president and head of the new business area.

Karin Bing Orgland (49) leaves her position as head of Regional Division East in Corporate Banking and Payment Services (CBP) in DnB NOR. She has extensive experience from a number of specialist and managerial positions in product and customer units in the Group.

The new business area will be operative from 1 July 2009. Group chief executive Rune Bjerke emphasises that Karin Bing Orgland has been a central figure in the planning of the new business area.

"Given her long experience and wide range of expertise, she is tailor-made for the task. Karin Bing Orgland is a natural choice now that we are changing our Norwegian organisation so that we can present our customers with a more homogeneous and integrated DnB NOR," says Bjerke.

Karin Bing Orgland has studied at the University of Pittsburgh in the USA and has a business degree from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen. She owns 2 000 shares in DnB NOR.

Group executive vice president Leif Teksum will continue to head DnB NOR's large corporate operations, comprising Shipping, Offshore and Logistics, Nordic Corporate, International Corporate and Institutions and the bank's international operations.

DnB NOR is Norway’s largest financial services group with total combined assets of NOK 2 141 billion. The Group includes strong brands such as DnB NOR, Vital, Nordlandsbanken, Cresco, Postbanken, DnB NORD and Carlson.

Fourth quarter 2008

• Pre-tax operating profits before write-downs were up 53.3 per cent to NOK 5.6 billion (3.6)
• Profit for the period declined by 61.7 per cent to NOK 1.9 billion (5.1)
• Return on equity was 12.3 per cent (28.4)
• Expenses represented 50.2 per cent of income (51.9)
• The core capital ratio was 6.7 per cent (7.2)

Vital Forsikring ASA

Based on recent speculation relating to potential losses in DnB NOR's loan portfolio, DnB NOR would like to make the following clarification: As previously announced, the Group will present results for the fourth quarter and full year 2008 on 12 February 2009. DnB NOR has previously indicated that pre-tax operating profits before write-downs will total approximately NOK 15 billion for 2008. There is reason to believe that profits will be well above this. Income for the fourth quarter has increased considerably, costs are under control, while write-downs on loans have risen. The most pronounced increase in write-downs is taking place in DnB NORD's Danish property portfolio and in parts of the Norwegian SME portfolio. Losses are expected to total approximately NOK 2-2.5 billion in the fourth quarter, which represents 0.70-0.80 per cent on an annual basis. In spite of the write-downs, profits after write-downs and taxes are expected to be just over NOK 2 billion in the fourth quarter. There is some uncertainty associated with the future level of loan losses. DnB NOR's anticipated underlying earnings are sound and are expected, in spite of the high level of losses, to generate net profits and thus an increase in equity. DnB NOR is thus keeping to its plan to strengthen the core capital ratio without raising new equity. Contact persons: Bjørn Erik Næss, CFO Trond Bentestuen, group executive vice president, Corporate Communications Per Sagbakken, executive vice president, IR/Long-term Funding This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

On Thursday, 26 March 2009, the DnB NOR Group will arrange a Capital Markets Day in London. Further information about the agenda and practical details will be presented later. This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.