Barclays Asset & Sales Finance sponsors major award at the National Sales Awards 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) January 16, 2007 -- Barclays Asset & Sales Finance is delighted to be sponsoring the �Account Manager of the Year � Products or Services� category in the National Sales Awards 2007. The sponsorship of this category reflects the importance Barclays places on delivering the best service to its customers.

Launched in 1997, the National Sales Awards have become firmly established as the award event in the Sales� industry calendar to recognise the very best sales professionals. The awards are not based solely on targets achieved but also on how the results were achieved. Winners will be announced at the award ceremony which takes place on Thursday 15th February 2007 at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London�s Park Lane.

Winning an Award or even reaching the final bestows prestige not just on the individuals concerned but also upon the companies they represent - illustrating the high standards of management, training and commitment to excellence.

Barclays Asset & Sales Finance is delighted to announce that a number of its own sales professionals have made it through to the finals of the Awards. The Barclays� finalist are Richard Ellison (Sales Newcomer of the Year � Services), Anouska Soobul (Young Sales Professional of the Year � Services), Julie Smith (Sales Manager of the Year), Martin Howliston (Sales Professional of the Year � Financial Services), the External Sales team represented by Keith Sangwin (Direct Sales Team of the Year) and the Asset Line team represented by Colleen Spencer (Telesales Team of the Year). The nominees will make their final presentations to a panel of judges in November 2006. In addition, a number of Barclays� individuals were chosen to submit entries due to their outstanding performances over the last 12 months.

Paul Walsh (Sales Professional of the Year � Financial Services), Steve Scotney (Sales Professional of the Year � Financial Services), External Sales (represented by Keith Sangwin) (Sales Team of the Year), Gina Selfe (Telesales Professional of the Year) and the Asset Finance Sales Management Team (represented by Keith Sangwin) (Sales Management Team of the Year). Gina and Keith both received special recognition for their entries and will be presented with Highly Commended certificates at the award ceremony.

Martin Morrin, Director of Asset Based Lending at Barclays Asset & Sales Finance, comments: �This is an absolutely phenomenal result for us. My thanks and congratulations go to all our nominees and now it�s �fingers crossed� until the award ceremony!�

The National Sales Awards are supported by the Direct Selling Association, the Sales Training Association, The Times, the Institute of Customer Service, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Marketing & Sales Standards Setting Body and Salesforce magazine.

Barclays Asset & Sales Finance is part of the Barclays Bank Group.