Moody's Investors Service names Detlef Scholz and Paul Mazataud Group Managing Directors

LONDON, April 3 /PRNewswire/ --

Moody's Investors Service announced today the promotions of Paul Mazataud and Detlef Scholz to Group Managing Director, Moody's Structured Finance group, effective immediately. Structured finance is Moody's largest business, accounting for 41% of Moody's Corporation revenues in 2005, and also one of its highest growth businesses at 29% compound annual growth from 2000 through 2005.

Mr. Scholz will continue as Country Manager for Moody's business in Germany, in addition to his new responsibilities as Group Managing Director for the European Structured Finance Non-Derivatives group. In both roles, he will report to Frederic Drevon, Senior Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Mr. Scholz joined the firm's Frankfurt office in 1993, focusing on research and rating analysis of European corporates. Three years later, he transferred to Moody's Structured Finance department in New York to cover ratings of commercial mortgage-backed securities. In 1997, Mr. Scholz began a five-year stint in London, during which time he was promoted to Managing Director in the Structured Finance group.

In 2002, Mr. Scholz returned to Frankfurt to head Moody's structured finance business in Germany. Recently, his responsibilities have included commercial mortgage-backed transactions and property-related whole-business securitisations in Europe.

"Detlef has made an outstanding contribution to and is closely identified with Moody's business accomplishments in Europe over the past decade," noted Brian Clarkson, Executive Vice President and Co-chief Operating Officer, Moody's Investors Service. "Under his leadership, we are confident we will be able to continue to provide the analytics and service the market needs to make sound business decisions as well as expand into new markets and products as they evolve."

In his new role, Mr. Mazataud is responsible for Moody's derivatives ratings in Europe, Middle East and Africa and for Moody's structured finance ratings in Asia. Mr. Mazataud continues to report to Noel Kirnon, Senior Managing Director, Global Derivatives, Managed Funds and Commercial Mortgage-backed Securities in the Americas.

Mr. Mazataud joined Moody's in 1998 as an Assistant Vice President on the Structured Finance team in Paris and was promoted in 1999 to Vice President-Senior Analyst. In November 2001, he was promoted to Managing Director responsible for Moody's Derivatives team based in Paris and for Moody's Structured Finance ratings team based in Milan. Immediately preceding his promotion, he co-headed Moody's Derivatives Rating group for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

"Throughout his tenure at Moody's, Paul has played a significant role in enhancing Moody's analysis and rating methodologies, particularly in derivatives," noted Mr. Clarkson. "He has been a driving force behind innovation as well as ensuring consistency and transparency in Moody's derivatives ratings globally."

"We are very pleased to add both Detlef and Paul to the senior management ranks for Global Structured Finance," Mr. Clarkson added.

Moody's Investors Service is a leading provider of credit ratings, research, and risk analysis. The firm's ratings and analysis track debt covering more than 100 sovereign nations, 11,000 company issuers, 25,000 public finance issuers, and 70,000 structured finance obligations. Moody's also publishes credit opinions, research and commentary that reach more than 7,300 customer accounts with more than 25,000 users around the globe. Moody's Investors Service is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO), which employs approximately 2,900 employees in 22 countries and had revenue of US$1.7 billion in 2005. Additional information about the company is available at http://www.moodys.com.

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