co-operation agreement signed last week between Coutts Group and Bank Leumi of Israel.

The negotiations were orginated and co-ordinated by Jack Crystal of Star Asset Management, who has had links with both companies for some time.

The agreement will allow Coutts -- the global private banking arm of the Nat West Group -- access to Bank Leumi's network in Israel to provide the bank with effective strategies for managing their customers' wealth. Bank Leumi will be able to provide its client base with an additional dimension to its wealth management advice and asset management expertise.

This is the second agreement with an overseas bank that Coutts has signed in the last 18 months. The alliance with Board of Executors Private Bank in South Africa was announced last October.

Bank Leumi, established for 96 years, is one of the world's major banks in terms of business scope and assets. It has an extensive Israeli and international network -- 315 branches globally -- with assets of over $38 billion. Coutts Group has over 40 offices in 16 jurisdictions across the world.