Roland Berger Strategy Consultants supports initiative to establish European Rating Agency

Munich/Frankfurt, Germany (ots) - In response to the European
Parliament's recent call for a European rating agency, Roland Berger
Strategy Consultants confirms it is in preliminary talks with the
federal state of Hesse, the association Frankfurt Main Finance and
the Frankfurt Stock Exchange Deutsche Börse in order to promote,
establish and develop a European rating agency in Frankfurt am Main.

Hesse's Minister-President Volker Bouffier says: "I am delighted
that the initiative to establish a European rating agency has been
started in the financial center of Frankfurt, and that concrete steps
toward realization are about to be taken." Lutz Raettig, Chairman of
the Presidential Committee of Frankfurt Main Finance and Chairman of
the Council of Frankfurt Stock Exchange, adds: "The complete and true
independence of the agency will be crucial and Frankfurt is the place
to get started, as it provides the natural proximity to and intensive
exchange with the European Central Bank and the European Systemic
Risk Board."

Wolf Klinz, Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of the
Special Committee on the Financial, Economic and Social Crisis
(CRIS), underlines the key role played by conflicts of interest among
rating agencies' existing business models in the financial crisis.
Furthermore, he calls for the introduction of models "other than
issuer pays". According to Markus Krall, Senior Partner and Global
Head of Risk Management at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, "this
problem can be solved in close cooperation with market infrastructure
providers such as exchanges" He agrees this is "a critical element to
reduce conflicts of interest and restore credibility of and
confidence in ratings". Roland Berger invites companies and
institutions Europe-wide to participate in the discussions and the
setup of the initiative."

Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, founded in 1967, is one of the
world's leading strategy consultancies. With roughly 2,000 employees
working in 42 offices in 30 countries worldwide, we have successful
operations in all major international markets. The strategy
consultancy is an independent partnership exclusively owned by about
200 Partners.

For further information, please contact:

Claudia Russo
Roland Berger Strategy Consultants
Tel.: +49 89 9230-8190
Fax: +49 89 9230-8599
E-mail: Claudia_Russo@de.rolandberger.com
http://www.rolandberger.com