Barclays Announces Board Changes

Barclays PLC ("Barclays") and Barclays Bank PLC (“Barclays”) announce the following changes to its Board.

Frederik (Frits) Seegers is appointed to the new position of Chief Executive of Global Retail and Commercial Banking and to the Boards of both Barclays PLC and Barclays Bank PLC with effect from 10th July 2006. He also joins the Barclays Group Executive Committee. In this role he will assume responsibility for all the Barclays retail and commercial banking operations globally. This includes UK Banking (Retail and Business), International Retail and Commercial Banking, and Barclaycard. He will report to John Varley, Group Chief Executive. There will be no change to the financial reporting structure of the Group.

Frits joins from Citigroup where he held senior positions over 17 years spanning four continents. He was a member of the Citigroup Operating Committee. Most recently he was CEO Europe, Middle East and Africa, Global Consumer Group. Prior to this he was Executive Vice President for International Retail and International Cards, with responsibility for all retail banking and credit cards outside the USA.

Between 2001 and 2004, Frits was CEO of Consumer Banking for Asia Pacific covering 11 consumer markets. Under his leadership, this region was the fastest growing part of Citigroup. Prior to this he developed internet banking for Citibank and held various posts including Division Executive for Japan, President of Citibank California, Marketing Director for Citibank Direct and Marketing Director Citibank Belgium. He joined Citigroup in Germany in 1989 as an Associate. Frits was born and educated in the Netherlands and holds Masters Degrees in engineering from Delft University of Technology and in finance from the University of Chicago.

Gary Hoffman, currently Chairman of UK Banking and Chairman of Barclaycard, is appointed to the position of Group Vice Chairman with effect from 10th July 2006, reporting to John Varley and accountable on the Board for a range of responsibilities including Corporate Responsibility, Public Policy, Equality and Diversity, leading the Group’s response to the FSA’s Treating Customers Fairly initiative, chairing the Group’s Governance and Control Committee and franchise health with customers, employees and communities.

David Roberts, Chief Executive of International Retail and Commercial Banking (IRCB), will leave Barclays later this year. Until then David will remain on the Boards of Barclays and Absa managing the announced sale of FCIB to CIBC and the proposed sale of Barclays Africa to Absa until he leaves Barclays. His responsibilities for IRCB will pass to Frits Seegers on 10th July 2006. The Board thanks Mr Roberts for his significant contribution to the Group’s business over many years and wishes him well for the future.

John Varley, Group Chief Executive of Barclays PLC, says:

"The scale of both our retail and commercial banking interests, and card businesses within the UK and internationally, requires a single point of strategic control and direction as we accelerate our drive for growth and profit diversification. This structure will help us bring the best of Barclays to all points of contact with our customers. I am delighted to appoint Frits Seegers to this role. He is one of the industry's most successful, talented, and proven leaders in the global field of retail and commercial banking. I want also to thank David Roberts for his great contribution to Barclays.”

Frits Seegers says:

“I am greatly looking forward to joining Barclays. The opportunities for the portfolio of businesses are significant and compelling and I am very excited at the prospect of leading the retail and commercial operations to its next level of growth.”