Bank of Montreal Awards Harrisdirect Advertising Account to Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer Euro RSCG.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 20, 2002

Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer Euro RSCG (MVBMS) announced today that it will serve as advertising agency of record for Harrisdirect, the newly expanded direct investing affiliate of The Harris and Bank of Montreal.

The agency will provide full marketing communications services and strategic development consultation. MVBMS' win comes without an open review.

Bank of Montreal recently completed the acquisition of CSFBdirect and will integrate the firm with Harris InvestorLine, the bank's existing direct investing firm in the United States, to form Harrisdirect. MVBMS won the CSFBdirect advertising account in 2001.

"We are impressed with the deep business understanding and creative innovation that MVBMS brings, and look forward to launching a new campaign that truly underscores Harrisdirect's unique advantages," said Bruce Schwenger, President and Chief Executive Officer of Harrisdirect and head of Global Direct Investing for Bank of Montreal's Private Client Group.

"As an agency known for its forward-thinking clients, we look forward to helping build the reputation for what promises to be a leading financial services firm in the years to come," said Ron Berger, CEO, MVBMS.

New York-based Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer Euro RSCG is among the top 20 advertising agencies in the United States. Known for its innovative solutions on behalf of the world's most forward-thinking companies, the agency's client roster includes Dish Network, Evian, GlaxoSmithKline, Intel, International Paper, Nestle Prepared Foods Division, New Balance, OppenheimerFunds, Schering-Plough, Sanofi-Synthelabo, Subway, Volvo and WorldCom. The agency also has an office in San Francisco, and oversees Amsterdam-based agency MVBMS Fuel Europe and Fuel North America, the integrated marketing unit of MVBMS.

Euro RSCG Worldwide, the world's fifth-largest advertising agency network, is a global network of 221 agencies located in 75 countries throughout Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. Euro RSCG provides advertising, marketing services, corporate communications, and interactive solutions to global, regional, and local clients. The network's client roster includes Intel Corporation, WorldCom, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Credit Suisse Group, Danone Group, Air France, Yahoo!, and LVMH. Headquartered in New York City, Euro RSCG Worldwide is the largest unit of Havas Advertising, the world's fifth-largest communications group (Nasdaq:HADV) (Euronext Paris SA: HAV.PA).

Bank of Montreal's wealth management businesses in Canada and the United States are part of the bank's Private Client Group, which has total assets under management and administration of US $165 billion. The Private Client Group brings together all of the bank's wealth management services, including retail investment products, full service investing, direct investing, private banking and institutional money management, both in Canada and the U.S.

Harrisdirect is a member of the Private Client Group, which offers wealth management capabilities in the United States under "The Harris" brand name. The Harris organization has locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. Not all services are offered in each location. Harrisdirect is a division of Harris Investor Services LLC which is a registered broker-dealer, member NASD and SIPC. Harrisdirect is not a bank and is separate from any affiliated bank. Products offered through Harrisdirect are: Not FDIC insured, may lose value, are not guaranteed by any bank.