Banca Intesa Chairman Giovanni Bazoli (2nd L) and Chief Executive Corrado Passera (2nd R) attend a news conference in Milan October 12, 2006.The boards of Italy's Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI on Thursday approved a merger to create one of Europe's top ten banks, overcoming opposition from minority Sanpaolo shareholder, Banco Santander. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo (ITALY)