ABN AMRO Furthers Alliance with Ariba by Integrating Comprehensive Financial Services Engine into Ariba B2B Commerce Platform.

Business Editors

AMSTERDAM and CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 16, 2000

Global Bank Goes Live with Internal and External E-procurement

Solutions

Today in an important step toward implementing each firm's strategy related to providing financial services to e-marketplaces, ABN AMRO and Ariba furthered their alliance by agreeing to integrate ABN AMRO's innovative suite of Internet-based financial services with the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform. This latest component complements the other two elements of the relationship already in place -- globally implementing an internal Ariba-powered e-procurement solution at ABN AMRO and offering an ABN AMRO-developed Ariba-powered marketplace to the bank's customers. ABN AMRO will first integrate its financial services "engine" with the Ariba Platform in the U.S. and then roll it out globally over time with solutions tailored to regional markets needs.

Financial Services Engine

Until now, one of the most significant missing elements with B2B e-commerce solutions has been the ability for buyers to initiate payments to complete online purchases by means other than credit cards. Recognizing this need, ABN AMRO has integrated bank-neutral payment alternatives into its U.S. financial services engine, allowing all companies, even those without a direct banking relationship with ABN AMRO, to initiate automated clearing house (ACH) payments with self-defined settlement dates. This solution, when integrated with the Ariba Platform and ABN AMRO's online registration and related security offerings, represents an innovative development unavailable in today's marketplace.

Additional value-added offerings will include credit and risk management solutions to determine the potential risks involved in transacting with various, often newly introduced buyers. The engine will also provide state-of-the-art security capabilities via Indentrus-powered technology, enabling sellers the opportunity to continually expand their customer base and transact business in a safe and secure forum.

By augmenting these solutions with additional services such as electronic invoice presentment, information integration, special financing services, treasury services, credit card services and wire transfers, ABN AMRO's financial services engine will offer an unparalleled breadth of financial solutions to the Ariba Platform.

"As one of the world's premiere global corporate banks, ABN AMRO adds tremendous value to the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform," said Eric Bochner, vice president, Commerce Services, Ariba. "This latest step on our strong, ongoing relationship provides critical financial services to Ariba's global network of buyers, suppliers and marketplaces, helping them to streamline and automate critical business processes."

"Developing such a robust B2B e-commerce financial services engine, offering integrated solutions not yet seen in today's marketplace, positions ABN AMRO to further strengthen relationships with existing commercial customers, develop exciting relationships with new commercial customers and forge partnerships with e-marketplaces and B2B infrastructure providers like Ariba - all elements of our B2B e-commerce strategy," said Gerben Kuyper, senior executive vice president of B2B E-Commerce and Private Equity, ABN AMRO Bank N.V.

E-Procurement Solutions

An early Ariba Marketplace(TM) customer, ABN AMRO has created its own Ariba-powered B2B marketplace aimed at increasing the efficiencies related to customers' procurement activities. By providing access to the bank's preferred suppliers and their goods and services and negotiated rates via this complete, integrated Internet-based solution, ABN AMRO's customers are able to better manage procurement activities. ABN AMRO customers in the U.S. began initiating transactions via this marketplace last month, making the ABN AMRO marketplace one of the first Ariba-powered marketplaces to process live transactions.

The bank is also in the process of implementing the Ariba Buyer(TM) e-procurement solution throughout its worldwide operations to help further streamline its own internal procurement processes by providing a comprehensive B2B system for connecting ABN AMRO employee buyers directly with preferred suppliers. This solution went live in the U.S. in July, with global deployments to follow.

The ABN AMRO and Ariba relationship has developed over time, beginning with ABN AMRO's commitment to deploy Ariba Buyer for its internal procurement needs in the U.S. "It quickly became apparent how we could add value to each other's propositions, and jointly to our customers," said Harrison Tempest, chairman and CEO, ABN AMRO North America, Inc. "We are excited about expanding this partnership globally after first developing it in the U.S."

"Teaming with Ariba is a wonderful opportunity for both of us," added Kuyper. "Offering value-added solutions via our financial services engine through the industry-leading Ariba B2B Commerce Platform affords companies worldwide the ability to leverage innovative technology and begin realizing the advantages of conducting end-to-end B2B e-commerce. Additionally, this relationship helps fuel Ariba's expansion outside the U.S. This is truly a win-win solution for all parties involved."

About ABN AMRO

Netherlands-based ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is one of the world's ten largest banks with total assets of $460 billion and more than 3,500 locations in 76 countries and territories. In North America, ABN AMRO is headquartered in Chicago and has $167 billion in assets and more than 19,000 employees with banking offices in 13 cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Major North American affiliates include ABN AMRO Incorporated, an investment banking, advisory and brokerage firm; ABN AMRO Asset Management (USA) Inc.; LaSalle Bank in Chicago, Standard Federal Bank in Michigan and EAB in New York. ABN AMRO can be contacted in the U.S. at 1-312-904-2171 or at www.abnamrona.com.

About Ariba

Ariba, Inc. is the leading business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce platform and network services provider. Through the Ariba B2B Commerce platform - an open, end-to-end infrastructure of interoperable software solutions and hosted Web-based commerce services - the company enables efficient on-line trade, integration and collaboration between B2B marketplaces, buyers, suppliers and commerce service providers. The global reach and best-of-breed functionality of the Ariba B2B Commerce platform creates Internet-driven economies of scale and process efficiencies for leading companies around the world. Ariba can be contacted in the U.S. at 1-650-930-6200 or at www.ariba.com.