Adecco USA Strengthens Management Team with New COO; Lori Schultz to Oversee Field Operations and Implement Growth Strategies.

Business Editors

MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 2003

Adecco USA today announced the appointment of Lori Schultz as U.S. Chief Operating Officer. Schultz will play an important role in the management team, overseeing field operations and executing new growth strategies for Adecco USA, the nation's largest staffing company.

Schultz, who has more than 18 years of experience in all aspects of the staffing industry, including general, technical and professional staffing, has been with Adecco since 1999, when she was hired as Regional Vice President for Technical Staffing in Northern California. She was promoted in 2000 to Senior Regional Vice President for Technical Staffing. Most recently, she was Adecco's Senior Vice President of Technical Staffing, in which role she managed the operations of more than 100 offices across all 50 states with great success. Before joining Adecco, Schultz was with another global staffing company, where she was hired as a recruiter and moved on to increasingly responsible positions such as branch manager, regional manager and national sales manager.

In the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer, Schultz is responsible for the entire U.S. field organization. When announcing the appointment, Julio Arrieta, CEO of Adecco USA, said, "Lori is a strong, strategic leader who has kept Adecco Technical successful even in a challenging economic environment. Her excellent track record and keen talent for sales growth and service quality will stand Lori in good stead as she helps Adecco accomplish its aggressive growth objectives in the United States."

"I welcome this opportunity to help Adecco continue to build on our leadership position in the U.S. staffing industry," said Schultz. "We intend to increase our already extensive customer base and branch network. We will also continue our focus on customer service and thus our excellence in all aspects of our business."

About Adecco

Adecco S.A. is a Forbes 500 company and the global leader in HR solutions. The Adecco Group network connects 650,000 associates with business clients each day through its network of 28,000 employees and 5,800 offices in 67 countries around the world. Registered in Switzerland, and managed by a multinational team with expertise in markets spanning the globe, the Adecco Group delivers an unparalleled range of flexible staffing and career resources to corporate clients and qualified associates.

The Adecco Group comprises four Divisions: Adecco Staffing, Ajilon Professional, LHH Career Services and jobpilot e-HR Services. In Adecco Staffing, the Adecco staffing network focuses on flexible staffing solutions for global industries in transition, including automotive, banking, electronics, logistics and telecommunications; Ajilon Professional offers an unrivaled range of specialized recruiting and consulting businesses; LHH Career Services encompasses our portfolio of outplacement and coaching; jobpilot e-HR focuses on online recruiting activities for the Adecco Group.

Adecco USA serves more than 70,000 clients a year through a nationwide network of almost 1,300 points of sales and service. With headquarters in Melville, NY, Adecco USA employs about 3,300 full-time employees and places more than 120,000 temporary associates each week. Adecco USA also provides a full spectrum of human resource solutions, including payroll management; HR information systems; training; administration of group insurance, retirement plans and other benefits; risk management; and more.

Adecco S.A. is registered in Switzerland and is listed on the Swiss Exchange (ADEN / trading on Virt-x: 1213860), NYSE (ADO), and Euronext Premier Marche (12819).