BME Appoints Mr Manuel Olivencia Ruiz As Lead Independent Director

The Board of Directors of BME has appointed, at its meeting held today, Mr Manuel Olivencia Ruiz as Lead Independent Director.

The Lead Independent Director has the following responsibilities:

• to request the calling of Board of Directors ‘meetings;

• to request the inclusion of new items in the agenda of a Board of Directors meeting already convened;

• to coordinate and gather non-executive Directors; and

• to oversee the regular assessment of the performance of the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

On 4^th December the Boletín Oficial del Estado (the “state’s official daily bulletin”) published the Law 31/2014, which will enter into force on 24^th December, amending the Ley de Sociedades de Capital (the “Companies Act”) for the improvement of corporate governance practices in Spain. This Act introduces significant amendments, particularly in connection with the General Shareholders' Meeting and the Board of Directors of listed companies.

Among the amendments related to the Board of Directors, the new article 529 septies of the Companies Act states that when the Chairman of the Board of Directors has the status of executive Director, the Board of Directors must appoint a Lead Independent Director from among the independent Directors.

The Board of Directors of BME has 6 independent Directors: Mr Alvaro Cuervo García, Ms Rosa María García García, Mr Ignacio Garralda Ruiz de Velasco, Mr Karel Lannoo, Mr Manuel Olivencia Ruiz and Ms Margarita Prat Rodrigo.

The appointment of the Lead Independent Director was approved by the Board of Directors with the abstention of the executive Directors, as required by section 2 of Article 529 septies of Companies Act.