*  *  *  Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I was reminded recently that it was only 140 years ago – in 1871 – that Germany created a monetary union replacing the Thaler in Prussia and the Gulden in Bavaria by the Goldmark.
I know that many of you have already met and interacted with Ms Zanele Mavuso Mbatha in her new capacity, but I should also like to use this opportunity to introduce her formally to market participants as the new head of the Financial Markets Department.