Two New Directors Named to Goldman Sachs Board

NEW YORK – The Board of Directors of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS) announced today the appointment of Claes Dahlbäck and Edward M. Liddy as Directors of the Corporation. With the addition of Messrs. Dahlbäck and Liddy, Goldman Sachs' Board now has ten members, of which seven are independent directors.

"The shareholders of Goldman Sachs are well served by the appointment of Claes Dahlbäck and Edward Liddy to the Board as independent directors," said Henry M. Paulson, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. "They are distinguished business leaders as well as thoughtful corporate directors, and we welcome the contributions they will make to the Board."

Claes Dahlbäck

Mr. Dahlbäck is the nonexecutive Chairman of Investor AB, a Swedish-based, publicly quoted investment company. He joined Investor in 1973, in its New York office, as an analyst; in 1976, he returned to Stockholm as a Senior Investment Manager, and Assistant to the President, and, in 1978, was named President and Chief Executive, a role he held for 21 years until his appointment as Executive Vice Chairman in 1999 and Chairman in 2002.

Mr., Dahlbäck is Chairman of the EQT Funds, Gambro AB, Stora Enso Oyj and Vin & Sprit AB and Executive Vice Chairman of W Capital Management.

Edward M. Liddy

Mr. Liddy is Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Allstate Corporation, the parent of the Allstate Insurance Company, a personal lines insurance company. Prior to this, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of The Allstate Corporation from 1994-1998 and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Sears, Roebuck Co., where he held a variety of senior operating and financial positions since 1988. Mr. Liddy is a Director of the 3M Company and The Kroger Co.

Goldman Sachs is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of services worldwide to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high net worth individuals. Founded in 1869, it is one of the oldest and largest investment banking firms. The firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong and other major financial centers around the world.