AS SAMPO PANK	             STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE                  19.12.2005



Härmo Värk takes up new tasks within Sampo Baltic Banking



Härmo Värk, Managing Director of AS Sampo Pank will take a new position at the

beginning of 2006. He will work within Sampo's Baltic Management and he will be

responsible for pan-Baltic projects and large customer relations. At the same

time, Mr. Värk will become a member of Supervisory Board of AS Sampo Pank and

resign from the bank's Management Board.



Härmo Värk has been working as Managing Director of AS Sampo Pank since year

2000. Before that he was Managing Director of Optiva Bank and of the Estonian

Investment Bank.



"Under Mr. Värk's management, AS Sampo Pank has made strong development and

has become a well-established universal bank in Estonia. Over the last 5

years the AS Sampo Pank has demonstrated year-by-year strong growth figures,

reaching over 50% growth in loan-book and deposit base during 2005.  In

addition, profitability has improved remarkably, reaching 27 % ROE in

Q3/2005," says Georg Schubiger, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of AS Sampo

Pank and Head of Baltic Banking in Sampo Bank Plc.



The process of appointing a new Managing Director has already started.



Sampo Pankki Oy that belongs to the leading Finnish banking and insurance concern

has a subsidiary bank in each Baltic country. Sampo Group has life insurance and

asset management companies in the Baltics. Sampo Group also comprises the largest

P&C insurance companies that are operating under the brand name of If.





Anneli Rõuk

Communication Manager

tel +372 630 2103