Costa Mesa, Calif., Feb. 20, 2015 - Experian®, the leading global information services company, today announced that Laura DeSoto, senior vice president of its Business Information Services unit, was installed as Orange County Business Council's (OCBC) 2015 chair. The installation ceremony and annual dinner were held last evening at The Hotel Irvine, in Irvine, Calif.

"Laura has been a dedicated member of Orange County Business Council's board since 2010 and has shown truly commendable leadership skills over the years," said Lucy Dunn, president and CEO of OCBC. "We are thrilled to have her serve as chair throughout 2015 and look forward to a fantastic year with her."

DeSoto has lived in the Orange County, Calif., area for more than 25 years and is an 18-year veteran of Experian. The organization has been a member of the community in Orange County for more than 40 years and has its North American headquarters located in Costa Mesa. Experian is actively involved in community outreach to assist both consumers and businesses in the area and was recently named a top workplace in the county.

"I am honored to serve in this important role with the business council and assist in its charter to advance the economic development and prosperity of Orange County businesses" said DeSoto. "OCBC's theme for 2015 is Securing the Future. At Experian, we share a similar mission. With all of the advantages that technology and Big Data bring, when put in the wrong hands, it can prove challenging. However, when managed responsibly and securely and harnessed for the benefit of business and society, data can be a force for good and change our society for the better."

Working with OCBC is another step in Experian's commitment to assisting small businesses. The company also works with organizations such as the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) to provide access to tools and educational resources that help business owners manage and better understand their credit, enabling them to obtain funding that will increase cash flow and uncover growth opportunities.

About OCBC
Orange County Business Council is the leading voice of business in Orange County, California. OCBC represents and promotes the business community, working with government and academia, to enhance Orange County's economic development and prosperity in order to preserve a high quality of life. OCBC serves member and investor businesses with nearly 250,000 employees and 2,000,000 worldwide. In providing a proactive forum for business and supporting organizations, OCBC helps assure the financial growth of America's sixth largest county. For more information, visit http://www.ocbc.org.

About Experian
We are the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to our clients around the world. We help businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. We also help people to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft. In 2014, we were named by Forbes magazine as one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies."

We employ approximately 16,000 people in 39 countries and our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and São Paulo, Brazil.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2014, was US$4.8 billion.

Experian and the Experian marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

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