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RHJ International To Participate In Investor Group To Acquire Stake In Leading Commercial Bank In Egypt For Egp 53.50 Per Share In Cash


WEBWIRE

Brussels, February 8, 2006 - RHJ International (EURONEXT: RHJI) announced today that it is part of an investor group led by Ripplewood Holdings LLC, a leading U.S.-based private equity firm, and including Eton Park Capital Management as well as other investors, that has acquired from the National Bank of Egypt a 18.7% stake in Commercial International Bank (Egypt) S.A.E. (“CIB”) in cash for EGP 53.50 per share. The investor group’s total investment is valued at EGP 1.3 billion ($227.6 million at an exchange rate of EGP 5.7225 per USD)

Headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, CIB is the number one private sector bank in the country, with total assets of EGP 30 billion ($5.2 billion). CIB is the most profitable bank in Egypt, achieving net income of EGP 610 million ($106.6 million) in its last fiscal year. CIB was incorporated in 1975 as a joint venture between the NBE and Chase Manhattan Bank, and has traditionally been one of Egypt’s leading commercial banking institutions. CIB is publicly traded in Cairo (Ticker: CMIB), Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi, and through its GDR shares in London, with total market value at approximately EGP 8 billion ($1.4 billion)

RHJ International invested EGP 263.4 million ($46 million), not including fees and expenses, as part of the acquisition, representing approximately a 3.8% stake in CIB. The other members of the investor group will provide the remaining equity financing. Timothy C. Collins, who serves as Chief Executive Officer of RHJI and CEO of Ripplewood Holdings LLC, will join the Board of Directors of CIB on behalf of the investor group together with Robert Willumstad, former President and Chief Operating Officer of Citigroup, and Lucio Noto, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mobil Corporation.

“We at RHJI are excited about this transaction because CIB represents a unique opportunity to invest in Egypt’s premier financial institution with significant upside potential for our shareholders,” Mr. Collins said.

About RHJ International:

RHJ International (EURONEXT: RHJI) is a limited liability company organized under the laws of Belgium, having its registered office at Avenue Louise 326, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. It is a diversified holding company focused on creating long-term value for its shareholders by acquiring interests in businesses in attractive industries in Japan and elsewhere.

DISCLAIMER
This press announcement does not constitute an offer or invitation to purchase any securities or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This document may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect RHJ International’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. RHJ International does not undertake any duty to update forward-looking statements.



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