Two veteran London business leaders have agreed to serve on The PBN Company's Board of Directors, providing guidance and direction to the firm as it strives to maintain its position as a preeminent international strategic communications firm in the U.S., Europe, Russia, Ukraine, CIS and Baltic States.

The two new Board members are Richard Sermon, one of London's leading public affairs and communications practitioners, and David Herbert, managing director of ING Investment Banking in London and an expert in investments in the CIS.

Richard has more than 25 years experience advising major corporate clients, institutions and governments in the communications field. In addition to his role as Chairman of The PBN Company Limited, the firm's U.K. subsidiary, he is also Chairman of Gryphon Corporate Counsel, a U.K.-based strategic communications counseling concern.

Previously, Richard was co-founder and managing director of Shandwick Consultants, Limited, where he was responsible for the development of one of the most successful financial, corporate and political affairs consultancies in the U.K. He subsequently ran the UK, European and international interests of Shandwick International plc, where he served as CEO until 1996.

As Managing Director at ING Investment Banking in London, David has served in lead roles in many major privatization and M/A transactions, including those involving Russian and other regional companies. His principal field of commercial operation is in Central and Eastern Europe. He has been on the frontline of commercial developments in a range of sectors - from telecommunications and airlines to energy and the food & drink industries - in Europe and elsewhere around the world.

He was formerly a senior executive at BP, having served in management positions both in London and Tokyo. He began his career in merchant banking with Baring Brothers in 1989. After earning his first degree in economics from the University of Dublin, he went on to complete his doctorate at Brunel University, where he taught for eight years.

"Both Richard and David will provide unique insight and wisdom to The PBN Company's Board of Directors," says Hal Mesirow, who will serve as the Board's Chair in 2004. "We expect PBN to continue to grow at an impressive rate and both Richard and David's experience will be of particular importance during this phase of the firm's development."

"The PBN Company is fortunate to have an involved and committed Board of Directors whose business experience and acumen spans decades as well as continents," says PBN Chairman and CEO Peter B. Necarsulmer. "Richard and David will add even greater depth and knowledge to our already impressive Board."

Other PBN Board members include: Peter G. Kelly, a prominent U.S. attorney and government affairs expert; Harold E. Mesirow, an international regulatory lawyer and senior partner in the Washington, DC office of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi; Henry Necarsulmer, former managing partner at Lehman Brothers and 50-year Wall Street veteran; Sir Andrew Wood, current advisor to Prime Minister Tony Blair on Russian Investment Policy and former British Ambassador to the Russian Federation; Peter B. Necarsulmer, The PBN Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; and, Susan A. Thurman, The PBN Company's President and Chief Operating Officer.

Email Richard: richard.sermon@pbnco.com
Email David: david.herbert@pbnco.com