Russell Website for Financial Intermediaries Ranks in Top 10 Among the Industry's Leading Firms (Russell.com)

New Industry Study:
Russell Website for Financial Intermediaries Ranks in Top 10 Among the Industry's Leading Firms

TACOMA, Wash. — Russell's U.S. website for financial intermediaries, RussellLINK, ranks among the top 10 sites in the industry, according to a new study by kasina, LLC, a New York-based strategic management consulting firm.

"It's gratifying to see our approach to serving our distribution channels and clients earn this level of recognition alongside some of the industry's most well-known firms," said Craig Wainscott, Russell's director of knowledge capital. "Our web team works diligently to provide these financial professionals with useful Russell fund, sales and marketing information. The resulting web product is filled with timely and relevant information; all of which responds to growing expectations among web users for increased control over how they access information and advice."

The kasina study, "Intermediary Web Site Trends & Best Practices," is based on a survey of all web sites targeted to financial intermediaries from U.S. asset management firms with more than $1 billion in assets under management, a universe of 217 firms. For the study, kasina evaluated intermediary sites based on five categories: branding, content, online services, usability and web technology. Much of the report offers an overview of the state of the industry, with a description of each of the top web sites with best practices and key features highlighted.

Some of RussellLINK's key features include structured web site content that is delivered monthly and driven by client needs; a direct email alert service; an easily accessible home page with links to key content as defined by users; and a "Selling Russell" section that offers fast and easy information on how to learn about and sell Russell programs and products.

"Technology is the backbone to our new business," said Wainscott. "We are moving to a truly customer-driven and technology-enabled model that will allow us to optimize our resources in attracting, training, supporting, and retaining clients. RussellLINK is the cornerstone of this model."

Another gauge of RussellLINK's success involves the number of visitors it attracts. The number of users has more than doubled over the past year and the site now handles almost 50,000 visits a month and 2,000 business-related proposals.

A whitepaper on the study is available at http://www.kasina.com/whitepapers/2003intermediary.

Earlier this year, Russell's U.S. institutional investor website, ClientLINK, earned similar recognition when a separate kasina study ranked it as the third best branding web site among global institutional asset management web sites. A news release on this achievement, issued July 30, is available in the press room on Russell.com.

Kasina is a management consulting firm that is focused on helping financial services companies create intelligent relationships with their investors and intermediaries. By combining knowledge of distribution trends, technological innovations, and marketing strategies, kasina aids leading U.S. and European asset management firms with their front-office efforts and publishes a regular schedule of cutting-edge industry research. kasina's client list includes 18 of the 20 largest asset managers in the United States and leading European firms in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

Russell, a global leader in multi-manager investment services, provides investment products and services in more than 35 countries. Russell manages more than $85 billion in assets and advises clients worldwide representing more than $1.6 trillion. Founded in 1936, Russell is a subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual and is headquartered in Tacoma, Wash., with additional offices in New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Singapore, Sydney, Auckland and Tokyo.

Russell Investment Group is a registered trade name of Frank Russell Company, a Washington, USA Corporation, which operates through subsidiaries worldwide. Frank Russell Company is a subsidiary of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.

RC #3445

Date of first use: November 3, 2003