BOARD APPOINTMENT

For Immediate Release

PRESS RELEASE 19 January 2012

 ARBUTHNOT BANKING GROUP PLC

BOARD APPOINTMENT

JAMES FLEMING appointed Chief Executive Officer

of ARBUTHNOT LATHAM & CO., LIMITED

Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC ("Arbuthnot") is pleased to announce that James Fleming will be joining the Board as from 1 March 2012 and will take up the role of Chief Executive at Arbuthnot Latham & Co., Limited.

James, aged 49, has over 25 years of private banking experience, initially at SG Hambros and for the past nine years at Coutts & Co where he held the role of Head of International Private Banking and more recently was Managing Director of the UK Entrepreneurs, Landowners and Inpatriates client groups.

Commenting on the appointment, Henry Angest, Chairman & Chief Executive of Arbuthnot Banking Group, said: "We are delighted to announce the appointment of James Fleming as Chief Executive of Arbuthnot Latham. James has many years' experience at a senior level in private banking and this will help us accelerate the growth of Arbuthnot Latham."

Enquiries:

Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC Tel: 020 7012 2400

Henry Angest, Chairman and Chief Executive

Andrew Salmon, Chief Operating Officer

James Cobb, Group Finance Director

David Marshall, Director of Communications

Hawkpoint Partners Limited (Nominated Adviser) Tel: 020 7665 4500

Lawrence Guthrie

Numis Securities Limited Tel: 020 7260 1000

Christopher Wilkinson

Mark Lander

Pelham Bell Pottinger Tel: 020 7861 3232

Ben Woodford

Dan de Belder

Appendix I

James William Fleming - Directorships held in the last five years