Silicon Valley Bank Launches Corporate Development and Alliances Group, Names Philip Johnson Managing Director

Santa Clara -- May 14, 2001 -- Silicon Valley Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Valley Bancshares, has created the Corporate Development and Alliances Group to serve Global 2000 companies and their portfolio companies. Philip Johnson, who has extensive experience serving and working with leading technology companies, has been named Managing Director of the group.

Under Johnson's direction, the group will identify, develop, negotiate and close strategic alliance agreements with the Global 2000 companies. The group will also facilitate referrals through the Bank's global networks and provide Global 2000 companies with over 50 products and services, from traditional commercial banking products and services to a number of creative financial and business solutions.

In addition, the group will provide Global 2000 companies with a number of value-add benefits including:

• A network of global relationships with the venture community that have been formalized by limited partner investments in venture capital funds around the world
• A window into new technologies and business models
• Partnerships with Angels, VC's and corporate investors that will introduce investment opportunities
• Opportunities to invest in the Bank venture funds and the clients of the Bank
• An understanding by the Bank of the needs of corporate investors and investment opportunities, sharing of intellectual capital and connections through our extensive network

"We believe that the Global 2000 is an underserved community by other banks, but one that our clients have identified as a crucial factor to their success," Johnson said. "We offer first-hand industry experience and connections to a vast network of global industry leaders, from visionary executives to key investors."

"Silicon Valley Bank has a reputation in this market for having an extensive network of contacts - both domestically and overseas," said Harry Kellogg, Vice Chairman of Silicon Valley Bank who will be working closely with Johnson. "We felt we could leverage this asset to provide better service to our clients and the venture capital community."

Johnson joined Silicon Valley Bank in 1998 and helped establish the Bank's Vendor Financial Services Division. Over the past three years, the division has provided over 100 venture-backed companies financing for the purchase of technology provided by many leading technology companies including Cisco, Compaq, Dell, EMC, IBM, Oracle, People Soft and Sun Microsystems.

Prior to joining the Bank, Johnson served as Manager of North America Operations with Sybase Financial Services, the captive financing subsidiary of Sybase. In addition, he has held various financial management and business development roles in the high technology industry. He began his career at Arthur Young where he performed financial audits for large commercial enterprises and provided consulting to emerging technology companies.

Johnson earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Tulane University and a master's degree in accounting from Georgetown University. He is also a certified public accountant.

Silicon Valley Bank serves emerging growth and middle market companies in targeted niches, focusing on technology and life sciences, while also addressing other specific industries in which it can provide a higher level of service and better manage credit through specialization and focus.

The Bank operates throughout the Silicon Valley: Santa Clara, Palo Alto and Sand Hill, the center of the venture capital community in California. Other regional offices within California include: Irvine, Los Angeles, Napa Valley, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Sonoma. Office locations outside of California include: Phoenix, Arizona; Boulder, Colorado; West Palm Beach, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Boston, Massachusetts; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Durham, North Carolina; Portland, Oregon; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Northern Virginia; and Seattle, Washington. More information on the Bank can be found at www.svb.com.

SVB Contact: Andrea McGhee, (408) 654-3078, amcghee@svbank.com.