Bear Stearns Hires New Co-Heads of Fixed Income Sales in Japan.

TOKYO -- Bear Stearns today announced the appointment of industry veterans Takashi Hatta and Kotaro Fukudome as senior managing directors and Co-heads of Fixed Income Sales in Japan, further strengthening the management team of the firm's growing Japanese franchise.

Mr. Fukudome was most recently a managing director and head of regional and Yen bond sales at JP Morgan. Mr. Hatta was formerly a managing director in structured product trading and in Non-Yen fixed income sales at Credit Suisse First Boston. Both will report to Ross Antoci and Raymond Wong, the co-heads of Bear Stearns' Fixed Income Division in Japan.

"We are pleased to welcome such distinguished salesmen to our successful team in Japan," said Craig Overlander, a senior managing director and the co-head of Bear Stearns' Global Fixed Income Division. "Bear Stearns is committed to growing our presence in the market by expanding our coverage for clients throughout the country."

Commenting on the hires, John Moore, CEO of Bear Stearns in Asia, said, "We're delighted that both Mr. Fukudome and Mr. Hatta will be leading the development of our fixed income sales force in Japan. As we continue to grow our fixed income business, we are focused on assembling a team of top talent who can utilize the full resource and capabilities of the Firm."

Prior to Mr. Hatta's six-year tenure at CSFB, he was a director in the Yen fixed income derivatives trading department at Nikko Salomon Smith Barney for two years. Prior to this, he held several positions in structured product trading for Salomon Brothers both in New York and Tokyo over a 12-year period. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Law from The University of Tokyo.

Mr. Fukudome was an integral part of the JP Morgan sales team in Tokyo for six years. Previously, he was director of central financials sales for Deutsche Securities in Tokyo and also in central financials sales for Lehman Brothers Japan. He earned a BA in International Law from Kwansei Gakuin University.

About Bear Stearns Japan:

Established in 1989, Bear Stearns (Japan), Ltd., is a general trading participant of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and member of the Japan Securities Dealers Association. Bear Stearns (Japan), Ltd. is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Bear Stearns (Japan), Ltd. provides a broad range of global products and services to a diverse customer base including financial institutions, corporations and public entities.

www.bearstearns.co.jp

About Bear Stearns:

Founded in 1923, The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (NYSE:BSC) is a leading financial services firm serving governments, corporations, institutions and individuals worldwide. The Company's core business lines include institutional equities, fixed income, investment banking, global clearing services, asset management, and private client services. Headquartered in New York City, the company has approximately 15,000 employees worldwide. For additional information about Bear Stearns, please visit the firm's web site at www.bearstearns.com.