RBC Dexia Investor Services has been ranked the No. 1 global custodian in the world for a third consecutive year in R&M Consultants’ 2007 Global Custody Survey, the firm announced on Wednesday.

“This year, having come top of the R&M Survey, RBC Dexia has once again demonstrated its outstanding commitment to providing the highest level of client service,” says Richard Hogsflesh, managing director of R&M Surveys.

“This has been achieved after merging the two separate investor services divisions of RBC and Dexia and they have set the standard for other custodians of how to pull together complex businesses effectively and without adverse impact on clients.”

In addition to its top overall ranking in the R&M Survey, RBC Dexia was also named:

– No. 1 provider of global custody services in Britain.
– No. 1 provider of global custody services in Canada.
– No. 1 provider of global custody services to asset owners.
– No. 1 provider of global custody services to asset managers.

“It is a tremendous honour to be the named the world’s No. 1 global custodian in this prestigious and very competitive survey for a third consecutive year,” says Rob Wright, chief operating officer of RBC Dexia. “What makes this achievement particularly meaningful for RBC Dexia is that the R&M survey results are voted upon by clients themselves. We appreciate this vote of confidence and remain committed to providing our clients with the best service in the industry.”

The annual R&M Survey is based on responses from investment managers, pension funds, charities and other financial institutions around the world. The Britain-based survey measures clients’ satisfaction with the services performed by global custodians. The top-five ranking of global custodians for 2007 is as follows:

2007 (2006) Service Provider

1 (1) RBC Dexia Investor Services
2 (5) Mellon Group
3 (4) UBS AG
4 (2) Pictet
5 (7) Brown Brothers Harriman