Barclays AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST APPOINTS NEW chief financial Officer

Barclays Bank has announced the appointment of Edwyn O'Neill as the Chief Financial Officer of the Africa and Middle East portfolio, effective 01 May 2006.

O'Neill joins Barclays from KPMG, where he served as a partner responsible for the Bank Audit Division of Financial Services. He has considerable industry experience in financial services, bringing with him a great deal of specialised knowledge in retail banking, treasury, corporate, investment banking, securities trading and stock broking.

Commenting on O'Neills appointment as financial director, Dominic Bruynseels, chief executive of Barclays Africa & Middle East said Edwyn has over 16 years experience in the financial services market. I am sure he will make a significant contribution to making Barclays and Absa the leading bank on the continent