NEW YORK (Map) - RiskMetrics Group Recommendation for Independent Chairman at ExxonMobil Applauded by Members of Rockefeller Family

NEW YORK, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the Rockefeller Family said today that they are "very pleased" that RiskMetrics Group's ISS Governance Service is recommending Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) shareowners support proxy Item #5 calling for an independent chairman of the board at the world's largest oil company. Shareholders of record as of the close of business on April 4, 2008 will be entitled to vote on Item #5 at the ExxonMobil annual meeting on May 28, 2008.

RiskMetrics is a leading independent U.S. proxy advisory firm and its voting analyses and recommendations are relied upon by hundreds of major institutional investment funds, mutual funds and fiduciaries throughout the country.

Item #5 filer Peter O'Neill, a great-great grandson of ExxonMobil founder John D. Rockefeller, Sr., said: "The decision by this advisory service to recommend that investors vote for an independent chairman at ExxonMobil is a most welcome development and adds considerable new momentum to this shareholder resolution. ExxonMobil is the largest company in the world with a market capitalization of close to $500 billion. Running the day-to-day business of the company while guiding its strategy for the future is too big and complex a job for just one person. Separating the CEO and chairman positions will enable CEO Rex Tillerson to focus on delivering positive results to shareholders while empowering the chairman and the board to objectively analyze the long term challenges and opportunities facing the Company. This will strengthen the long-term prospects of ExxonMobil and, in so doing, maximize value for shareowners."

In its review of Item #5, RiskMetrics ISS states: "Specifically, the company has failed to provide a counter-balance structure to the combined position of CEO/chair. The presiding director is merely responsible for chairing the meeting of independent directors and providing feedback from those meetings to the chairman."

ISS also notes: "Further, the company also fails to disclose a rationale for maintaining the combined position of CEO/chair ...ISS believes that the separation of the roles of chairman and CEO would increase the independent oversight of management."

Considerable investor interest in ExxonMobil proxy statement Item #5 has mounted in the wake of the related April 30, 2008 news conference featuring members of the Rockefeller Family and the earlier April 23, 2008 news conference featuring shareholder advocate Robert A.G. Monks. The news conferences also featured strong expressions of support for the independent chairman resolution from California Controller John Chiang, Connecticut Treasurer Denise Nappier, and Maryland Treasurer Nancy Kopp.

The proponents have retained Okapi Partners LLC, specialists in proxy solicitation and strategic investor response campaigns, for advice in communicating with shareholders about the proxy campaign. Shareholders seeking information about voting their shares at the ExxonMobil meeting should contact Okapi Partners toll-free at +1 877 259 6290.

SOURCE Peter O?Neill, New York City