Knowles Electronics Announces New President and COO

Itasca, IL,-Knowles Electronics Holdings, Inc., a world class manufacturer of diversified high-technology products, announced today the appointment of John Zei as President and Chief Operations Officer of Knowles Electronics. In June, Doughty Hanson & Co Ltd., one of the largest private equity firms in Europe, acquired Knowles Electronics.

'We are pleased to have someone with the level of John's experience join our management team,' said Reg Garratt, Chairman and CEO of Knowles Electronics. 'His depth of knowledge in this field will help Knowles achieve its goals as we enter the next century.'

Mr. Zei, who will be joining the company on January 3, 2000, will have overall operational responsibility for all of the Knowles Electronics business units. During 2000, it is Knowles intention that Mr. Zei will succeed as CEO. Mr. Garratt will continue as Chairman for the company.

Mr. Zei, who has been with Siemens Hearing Instruments-U.S. as its president and CEO since 1990, has more than 20 years of experience in managing and growing dynamic businesses in competitive environments. Prior to Siemens, Mr. Zei was president of Rexton Inc., a hearing instrument manufacturer based in Minnesota. Before that he was with Beltone Electronics. With his extensive experience in the hearing instrument business, Mr. Zei has served as president and chairman of the Hearing Industries Association and the Better Hearing Institute. He is an attorney and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago.

For more than 50 years Knowles Electronics Holdings, Inc. has been the world's leading manufacturer of transducers and related components used in hearing aids. The company also manufactures acoustic components used in voice recognition, telephony, and Internet applications as well as automotive solenoids and sensors. Knowles, which was acquired in June 1999 by the independent fund management company Doughty Hanson & CO Ltd., was one of Doughty Hanson's largest transactions and the first acquisition of a U.S. company by a European private equity firm.