[November 28, 2012]

Principal Global Investors Appoints Portfolio Managers For Emerging Markets & Asian Equities

Principal Global Investors, LLC, a leading global asset manager and a member of the Principal Financial Group^® (NYSE:PFG), announces Mohammed Zaidi and Alan Wang, CFA, are returning to the firm as senior members of the emerging markets equity team.

Zaidi will manage global emerging market equities and serve as the head of emerging Asia strategies. Wang will serve as portfolio manager for Hong Kong and China equities, and research team lead for the greater China region.

This is a homecoming of sorts with Principal Global Investors for both fund managers. Zaidi previously served as senior emerging market equities analyst from 2001 to 2006. Wang was with the firm from 2003 to 2008, initially as a member of the global research and development team, and then as an emerging markets analyst and portfolio manager for Hong Kong equities.

"It's with great pleasure we welcome both Mohammed and Alan back to the team," said Mustafa Sagun, chief investment officer - equities, at Principal Global Investors. "Their experience in global emerging markets and Asian equities combined with their familiarity with our team and stock selection philosophy allows them to seamlessly contribute to portfolios, with no alteration to our investment process."

Zaidi will be based in Singapore, while Wang will be based in Hong Kong. Both will report to Mihail Dobrinov, head of emerging market equities.

Zaidi has more than 15 years of global emerging market equities investment experience, with a particular emphasis on Asia throughout his career. Since 2006, he has managed global emerging market equities for Scottish Windows Investment Partnership and, most recently, Martin Currie Investment Management in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, and a bachelor's degree in economcs from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Wang has more than 12 years of investment experience, with a particular emphasis on greater China equities. He most recently served as director, head of equities investment with Ping An of China Asset Management (HK). He has an MBA from the University of Iowa, Tippie School of Management, and a bachelor's degree in economics and international finance from Renmin University of China. He is a CFA charterholder.

Principal Global Investors has been managing emerging market equities since 1987 as part of its Diversified International strategy, and began managing dedicated Emerging Markets portfolios in 1995. Since then, the firm has developed a suite of complementary regional Asian and China focused equity strategies. The Principal^® also has local asset management functions in emerging markets around the globe, including China, India, Malaysia, Brazil, Chile and Mexico.

About Principal Global Investors
Principal Global Investors is a diversified asset management organization and a member of the Principal Financial Group^®, with expertise in equities, fixed income and real estate investments, as well as specialized overlay and advisory services. Principal Global Investors manages $276.2 billion in assets¹ primarily for retirement plans and other institutional clients².

About the Principal Financial Group
The Principal Financial Group^® (The Principal ^®)³ is a global investment management leader offering retirement services, insurance solutions and asset management. The Principal offers businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services through its diverse family of companies. Founded in 1879 and a member of the FORTUNE 500^®, the Principal Financial Group has $392.2 billion in assets under management⁴ and serves some 18.3 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

¹ As of Sept. 30, 2012.
² Principal Global Investors is the asset management arm of the Principal Financial Group ® (The Principal ®)¹ and includes the asset management operations of the following subsidiaries of The Principal: Principal Global Investors, LLC; Principal Real Estate Investors, LLC; Principal Enterprise Capital, LLC; Spectrum (News - Alert) Asset Management, Inc.; Post Advisory Group, LLC; Columbus Circle Investors; Edge Asset Management, Inc.; Morley Financial Services Inc.; Finisterre Capital, LLP; Origin Asset Management, LLP; Principal Global Investors (Europe) Limited; Principal Global Investors (Singapore) Ltd.; Principal Global Investors (Australia) Ltd.; Principal Global Investors (Japan) Ltd.; Principal Global Investors (Hong Kong) Ltd.; CIMB-Principal Islamic Asset Management Sdn. Bhd.; and the majority owned affiliates of Principal International, Inc. Assets under management includes assets managed by investment professionals of Principal Global Investors under dual employee arrangements with other subsidiaries of The Principal.
³ "The Principal Financial Group" and "The Principal" are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.
⁴ As of September 30, 2012.

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