Bangkok--29 Feb--Total Quality PR Plans to retain existing 42% stake Appoints experienced Senior Advisor and executives to drive operational improvements Aims to make BankThai a top player in Thai banking sector In a show of support for the Thai financial services industry, TPG Capital today reaffirmed its commitment to its investment in BankThai, Thailand’s eighth largest bank. TPG Capital took an initial 33% stake in BankThai in April 2007, and increased this stake to 42% in January 2008 through additional commitments during the bank’s recent recapitalisation exercise. The group’s stake in BankThai is held via its unit TPG Newbridge and its consortium members. Mr Dan Carroll, Managing Partner — Asia, TPG Capital, said: “We first invested in BankThai nearly one year ago because of our belief in the long-term prospects of the Thai economy and financial industry as well as in the attractiveness of BankThai’s existing platform and client relationships. Those fundamentals remain unchanged. The bank has taken steps to work on legacy issues that existed prior to our initial investment, and started this year with its capital base replenished by its major shareholders. Despite these legacy issues, we see significant potential for growth in the bank, based on its strong network and experienced employees.” Mr Carroll continued: “TPG Capital views its 42% stake in BankThai as part of its long-term interest and commitment to Thailand. We are working with the bank’s management to build its core businesses as well as to improve customer service and operational efficiencies. To this end, we have made several senior appointments that bring significant international and regional banking expertise to BankThai.” TPG Capital recently appointed Mr Robert Cohen as Senior Advisor to the Board of Directors of the bank. Mr Cohen was the former CEO of Credit Lyonnais Americas, as well as Vice-Chairman of Republic New York Corp and Republic National Bank of New York. More recently, he was President and CEO of Korea First Bank, one of TPG’s earlier investments in the financial services sector. As President and CEO, Mr Cohen successfully turned around Korea First Bank by launching differentiated products, making significant operational changes and putting the bank onto a solid growth path. Another TPG appointee is Mr YY Chin, the former Head of Group Consumer Financial Services at OCBC Bank in Singapore. Mr Chin has been working at BankThai full-time since November 2007, helping to improve its retail banking franchise. In addition, Mr Ranvir Dewan is a TPG-appointed Board member who has been working with the risk management, financial controls and information sytems divisions of the bank. Mr Dewan was former Chief Financial Officer of Korea First Bank and prior to that, Vice President and Regional Financial Controller of Citibank’s Global Consumer Bank (Asia Pacific). These experienced senior banking executives will work closely with BankThai’s management and with Khun Samart Buranawatanachok, the FIDF’s appointed advisor to the Board of Directors. TPG Capital, which has operated in Asia since 1994, has a strong track record of improving the performance of its portfolio companies, and has extensive experience in the financial services industry across the globe and in Asia. With the help of the recently appointed senior executives and its support, TPG Capital intends to make BankThai a top player in the Thai banking industry. About TPG Capital TPG is a private investment partnership that was founded in 1992 and currently has more than US$35 billion of assets under management. TPG’s Asian business was founded in 1994 as Newbridge Capital, and was one of the first global private equity firms dedicated to Asian investments. With approximately US$4.5 billion of capital dedicated to Asia, the firm is one of the premier private equity investors making large-scale, direct investments in private and public companies operating throughout the region. Since 1994, TPG Capital has made 28 investments in Asia, including significant investments in such companies as Fairmont Raffles Holdings International, Hanaro Telecom, Japan Telecom, Lenovo, Matrix Laboratories, Myer Department Stores and Parkway Holdings. In particular, TPG Capital has been an active and long-term player in the global and regional financial services industry, where its investments have included: Korea First Bank, the eighth largest bank in Korea at the time of the transaction, with assets of US$30 billion Shenzen Development Bank, the 14th largest bank in China with 243 branches nationwide and US$45 billion in total assets Taishin, the ninth largest financial holding company in Taiwan with a leading position in credit cards and automobile loans, 101 branches, three million customers and total assets of approximately US$75 billion Shiram Transport, the largest used commercial vehicle financier in India, with assets under management of US$4.2 billion American Savings Bank, the largest bankrupt Savings & Loan Institution in the US during the Savings & Loan crisis NIS Group, a diversified financial services company in Japan with total assets of US$3 billion and a fast growing China subsidiary in the SME leasing business Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional, a niche bank in Indonesia serving civil servant pensioners (transaction pending) For media queries, please contact: Total Quality PR (Thailand) Co. Ltd. +662 260 5820 Maetavarin Maneekulpan +668 1817 7293 [email protected] Gavin Anderson & Company (Singapore) +65 6339 9110 Terence Foo +65 9878 8787 [email protected]