HELLENIC EXCHANGES HOLDINGS S.A.: European Recognition for the Athens Exchange

HELLENIC EXCHANGES HOLDINGS S.A.: European Recognition for the Athens Exchange Mr. Spyros Capralos, President of the Athens Exchange and Managing Director of Hellenic Exchanges Holding S.A., recently became a member of the Board of Directors of FESE (Federation of European Stock Exchanges). The elections were held in Brussels last Wednesday, November 30 during FESE's general meeting, and appointed five new members of the Board, namely Mr. Spyros Capralos (ATHEX), Mr. Adam Kinsley (LSE), Mr. Olivier Lefebvre (Euronext), Mr. Axel Nawrath (Deutsche Borse), Mr. Attila Szalay-Berzeviczy (Budapest Stock Exchange) and re-elected Mr. Massimo Capuano (Borsa Italiana) as Chairman and Mr. Jukka Ruuska (OMX Exchanges) as Vice Chairman. The Federation of European Securities Exchanges (FESE) represents operators of the European regulated markets and other market segments. Originally set up in 1974 as a small forum of Stock Exchanges in Europe, FESE today numbers 25 Full Members such as Euronext (Euronext Amsterdam, Euronext Brussels, Euronext Lisbon, Euronext Paris, Euronext.life), OMX Exchanges (Stockholm Stock Exchange, Helsinki Stock Exchange, Copenhagen Stock Exchange, Riga Stock Exchange, Tallinn Stock Exchange, Vilnius Stock Exchange) representing close to 40 Securities Exchanges and clearing houses from all the EU countries and Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland, as well as several Corresponding Members from other non-EU countries. FESE cooperates with European settlement and securities depository organisations and works closely with the European Association of Central Counterparty Clearing Houses (EACH). The Federation's goal is to represent and promote the common interests of the European Stock Exchanges, as well as informing all interested parties about decision making at European level and promoting policy in terms of political and legislative issues to assure goal attainment as defined by EU treaties. In the last two years the Athens Exchange is re-emerging as a marketplace that promises not only investment opportunities but undertakes a drive to establish itself as a hub for the Capital Markets of the South Eastern Europe. The Exchange's President, Mr. Capralos, is determined to "shape up the market", joining forces with qualified parties such as the Hellenic Capital Market Commission etc. Mr. Capralos participation in the Federation confirms the acknowledgment - at European level - of the effort towards the upgrading and efficiency of the Greek stock market. It should be noted that this is the initiation of the Greek presence at the command of FESE. Referring to his election, Mr. Capralos noted that: "it is truly an honor for me, but also for the Athens Exchange, given that the endeavor for the Stock Exhanges' advancement as well as its role in the development of the SE European capital market is recognized. This honor reflects the efforts of the total of the Exchanges' executives, that are going to become even more intense in 2006". by Capital Link