Nomura Creates Leveraged Finance Group

Hires Team of 9 from West LB

London, 29 June, 2006-Nomura International plc today announced that it has appointed a team of nine people in a strategic move to create a Leveraged Finance Group in Europe.

The team will be led by Michael Berry, formerly Head of West LB’s Leveraged Finance & Sponsor Coverage business, and will include Neil Rattenbury (Leveraged Finance), Mark Slater (Sponsor Coverage) and Matthew Previte (Syndication), all of whom join as Managing Directors. They will join Nomura in August and will report in London to Barry Nix (Co-Head of Global Markets) through Seiichiro Miyaoka (Co-COO of Global Markets) and at the global level to Atsuo Sakurai, Global Head of Asset Finance in Tokyo.

The creation of the Leveraged Finance Group is another significant step for Nomura as it continues to broaden its European product base. The Group will further strengthen Nomura’s ability to deliver clients a full range of investment banking services.

Yugo Ishida, CEO of Nomura International, commented “This is further indication of our ongoing commitment to developing our European platform. We are very pleased to have hired such a strong leveraged finance team, with a proven track record. We are introducing this group now as a complementary business to work alongside our asset finance, investment banking and capital markets groups.”

Atsuo Sakurai, Global Head of Asset Finance, said: “I am certain that this new business line will further strengthen Nomura's global asset finance business and we look forward to the team’s arrival in August”.

Ends

For further information please contact:

Name	Company	Telephone
Clare Williams	Head of Corporate Communications Nomura International plc	+ 44 (0) 20 7521 1079
Jessica Shepherd-Smith	Head of Business Communications Nomura International plc	+ 44 (0) 20 7521 2480

Notes to editors:

The Nomura Group