Staples, Inc. Names Justin M. King and Robert E. Sulentic to Its Board of Directors

Staples, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLS) announced today the appointments of Justin M. King, chief executive of J Sainsbury plc, and Robert E. Sulentic, a group president at CB Richard Ellis, to its board of directors. "Justin brings a wealth of retail industry knowledge and international experience and Bob brings exceptional business acumen and commercial real estate knowledge, making them great additions to our strong board of directors,” said Ron Sargent, Staples chairman and chief executive officer. King has served as chief executive at leading UK food retailer Sainsbury’s since 2004, and he is also chairman of the company’s operating board. Prior to Sainsbury’s, he served as director of the Food business unit at Marks & Spencer plc. He previously held senior executive positions in Trading, Human Resources and Retail at Asda Stores/Wal-Mart Europe from 1993-2000. Justin served as managing director of Haagen Dazs UK from 1990-1993. Early in his career, he had sales and marketing responsibilities at Pepsi Cola International and Mars Confectionary. Justin is a graduate of Bath University where he received a Bachelor of Science in business administration. Sulentic began his career with Trammell Crow Company in 1984. Over the next 23 years, he served in various positions within the organization, most recently President and CEO. In December 2006, Trammell Crow Company was purchased by CB Richard Ellis. Sulentic currently serves as Group President overseeing Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific and also serves as CEO of Trammell Crow Company, the wholly-owned commercial real estate development subsidiary of CB Richard Ellis. He is a member of the Board of Directors of CB Richard Ellis. Sulentic is involved in various charitable endeavors and serves as a board member of the Greater Dallas Chamber. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, and is a graduate of Iowa State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in computer science. About Staples Staples, Inc. invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today is the world's largest office products company. With 74,000 talented associates, the company is committed to making it easy to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With 2006 sales of $18.2 billion, Staples serves consumers and businesses ranging from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in 22 countries throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples operates more than 1,900 office superstores and also serves its customers through mail order catalog, e-commerce and contract businesses. More information is available at www.staples.com.