Aziz R. D. Syriani has been a member of the Board since 1998 and Chairman of the Compensation Committee since 2004. He further has been a member of the Chairman’s and Governance Committee since 2003 and of the Audit Committee since 2003 (Chairman from 2003 to 2004). His term as a member of the Board expires at the AGM in 2007. The Board has determined him to be independent under the Group’s independence standards. Aziz R.D. Syriani holds a law degree from the University of St. Joseph in Beirut (1965) and a Master of Laws degree from Harvard University, Cambridge (1972). Mr. Syriani has been with the Olayan Group since 1978 and currently serves as President (since 1978) and Chief Executive Officer (since 2002). The Olayan Group is a private multinational enterprise engaged in distribution, manufacturing and global investment. Mr. Syriani serves on the Board of Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Los Angeles (since 1983), where he is currently the Lead Independent Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee, as well as a member of the Executive and the Corporate Governance Committee.