POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  That the undersigned  Director of The Equitable
Companies   Incorporated,   a  Delaware  corporation  (the  "Company"),   hereby
constitutes and appoints each of Robert E. Garber,  Pauline  Sherman,  Stuart L.
Faust,  Richard V.  Silver,  Henry Q.  Conley and Adam R. Spilka as his true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution,  for him and
in his name,  place and stead, in any and all capacities,  to sign the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K and any or all  amendments  thereto,  and to file the
same,  with all exhibits  thereto and other  documents in connection  therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact
and agent,  full power and  authority  to do and perform  each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises,  as fully to
all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming  all that said  attorney-in-fact  and agent,  or his  substitute  may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



/s/Claude Bebear                       /s/John H. F. Haskell, Jr.
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/s/Francoise Colloc'h                  /s/Michael Hegarty
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/s/ John S. Chalsty                    /s/Mary R. (Nina) Henderson
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/s/Joseph L. Dionne                    /s/W. Edwin Jarmain
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/s/William T. Esrey                    /s/Joseph J. Melone
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/s/Jean-Rene Fourtou                   /s/Edward D. Miller
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/s/Jacques Friedmann                   /s/Didier Pineau-Valencienne
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/s/Donald J. Greene                    /s/George J. Sella, Jr.
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/s/Anthony J. Hamilton                 /s/Dave H. Williams
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/s/John T. Hartley
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