Financial Times,

Goldman Sachs Launch

Business Book Award

LONDON/4/4/06—The Financial Times and Goldman Sachs have launched the Business Book of the Year Award 2006, following the success of last year’s inaugural Award.

The Award is designed to highlight the business book that provides “the most compelling and enjoyable insight into modern business issues, including management, finance and economics.” Entries are invited from publishers of business books in the English language that are first published between October 31, 2005 and November 1, 2006. The deadline for entries is June 30, 2006 and the entry form is available online at www.ft.com/bookaward.

The 2005 Award was presented at a gala dinner in London, with guest speaker the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, Chancellor of The Exchequer. Over 200 senior executives from the publishing and business communities attended the event, seeing Thomas Friedman crowned 2005 winner, for The World Is Flat (Knopf), which has seen a significant rise in sales following the Award win.

The judging panel will select a shortlist of up to six authors, which will be announced in September 2006. The overall winner will be announced at a gala event in New York in October.

As per last year, the judging panel will consist of:

Lionel Barber, editor, Financial Times Lloyd C. Blankfein, president and chief operating officer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc John Gapper, chief business commentator and associate editor, Financial Times Jeffrey Garten, Juan Trippe Professor of International Trade, Finance and Business, Yale School of Management Rachel Lomax, deputy governor for monetary policy, Bank of England N.R. Narayana Murthy, chairman and chief mentor, Infosys Technologies Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive, WPP

The winner will be awarded £30,000 (approximately $54,000), and each of the remaining shortlisted authors will receive £5,000 (approximately $9,000).

Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times, said: “Last year’s award prompted tremendous interest from the international publishing community and proved to be a big hit with FT readers. The award is now a permanent fixture in the publishing calendar, reflecting the growing appetite for books which capture the excitement of the business world.”

Lloyd C. Blankfein, president and chief operating officer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, said: “We’re looking forward to building on the success of last year’s award.

Given the enthusiasm we’ve already seen, 2006 should set a new benchmark for the number of entries submitted. The judges are looking forward to a book-filled summer and the challenge of deciding which deserves the accolade of Business Book of the Year.”