Lazard Expands European Network With Opening Of Swiss Office

For Immediate Release
Media contacts:
Richard Creswell, +44 207 187 2305 Catherine Gros, +331 5370 7451 richard.creswell@lazard.com catherine.gros@image7.fr Judi Frost Mackey, +1 212 632 1428 Lutz Golsch, +49 69 92037 110 judi.mackey@lazard.com l.golsch@abfd.de

LAZARD EXPANDS EUROPEAN NETWORK WITH OPENING OF SWISS OFFICE

– Former McKinsey Partner Rolf Bachmann to Lead Lazard’s Swiss Investment Banking Effort–

PARIS, 12 September 2007 – Lazard Ltd (NYSE: LAZ) announced today that it is opening an office in Zurich as part of the firm’s strategy to expand its global Financial Advisory business. Lazard has hired former McKinsey & Co. Partner Rolf Bachmann as a Managing Director to lead the firm’s Swiss investment banking business.

“The Zurich office will enable us to expand our financial advisory services to the Swiss market, where Lazard already has established corporate relationships,” said Georges Ralli, Chief Executive of Lazard European Investment Banking. “The combination of Rolf Bachmann’s Swiss corporate advisory experience and relationships with Lazard’s network in Europe and worldwide, puts us in an excellent position to do so.

” Mr. Bachmann, 43, joins Lazard after fifteen years with McKinsey in Zurich. A Partner since 1999, he led client service teams for several key McKinsey clients. Mr. Bachmann’s specialty is providing strategic advice to corporations related to mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. He studied economics and earned a PhD in banking at Zurich University.

The opening of the Swiss office is the latest step in Lazard’s commitment to invest in its European Financial Advisory business. In early September, Lazard announced plans to hire Ken Costa, formerly of UBS, to serve as Chairman of Lazard International and to lead investment banking for the UK alongside London CEO William Rucker. The firm recently signed a cooperation agreement with Raiffeisen Investment, the M&A advisory business for Austria’s largest banking group, strengthening Lazard’s footprint across Russia, Central and Eastern Europe.

About Lazard

Lazard, one of the world's preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms, operates from 34 cities across 17 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. With origins dating back to 1848, the firm provides advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and capital raising, as well as asset management services to corporations, partnerships, institutions, governments, and individuals. For more information on Lazard, please visit www.lazard.com.

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