Washington, DC, December 8, 2008 - The Investment Company Institute is pleased to announce that Ianthe Zabel today joined the Institute as Senior Director, Media Relations, responsible for all media and public relations. Zabel comes to ICI from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, where she was Director of External Affairs. She will report to F. Gregory Ahern, ICI Chief Public Communications Officer.

Zabel, who will serve as a principal public spokesperson for the Institute, has extensive public relations experience in Washington. After several years in broadcast journalism, she served as Press Secretary for a U.S. Congressman and then for the National Federation of Independent Business.

Zabel went on to become Press Secretary and then Communications Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, which legislates on matters of national tax policy, Social Security and health care. Subsequently, as Director of External Affairs at the CFTC, she oversaw the agency's media outreach and legislative affairs and was involved in a wide array of issues, including over-the-counter energy products, credit default swaps and risk management. Early in her career, Zabel spent several years working as a reporter for an NBC affiliate in the mid-West.

"We are delighted to have someone with Ianthe's professional experience joining us to continue her accomplished career in Washington," said Ahern. "We are excited about gaining her perspective in our public communications efforts during these challenging times."

Zabel graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism degree.