1. R A Lawson, Chairma

Bob Lawson, 60, joined as Group Managing Director in April 1991 and was the Group Chief Executive from April 1992. Mr Lawson was appointed as part-time Chairman in November 2001. He is a qualified engineer with a business degree and has worked in several United Kingdom and continental groups. He was Sales Director of RS Components Limited from 1979 to 1987 and then spent 5 years as Managing Director of Vitec Group plc. He is also part-time Chairman of Hays plc.
(Chairman of the Nomination Committee) (a)

2. I Mason, Group Chief Executive

Ian Mason, 43, joined the Group in February 1995 as Director of Business Development. He was appointed to the Board of Directors in July 2000 as Chief Operating Officer and was appointed Group Chief Executive in July 2001. Previously he worked as a Management Consultant for The Boston Consulting Group.
(Chairman of the Group Executive Directors’ Committee) (b) (c)

3. J L Hewitt MA FCA MBA, Deputy Chairman and Group Finance Director

Jeff Hewitt, 57, joined as Group Finance Director in November 1996 from Unitech plc where he was Finance Director. He joined Unitech in 1991 from Coats Viyella plc where he was Group Strategy Director and a Divisional Chairman. He has worked for The Boston Consulting Group and Arthur Andersen & Co. He is also a Non-Executive Director of The Roxboro Group plc.
(Chairman of the Treasury Committee) (b) (c)

4. R B Butler FCIS, Chief Process Officer

Richard Butler, 45, joined the Group as Company Secretary in August 1987 from Bowthorpe Holdings plc, now Spirent plc. He was appointed to the Board in July 2000 and is responsible for the Group operational processes. (b) (c)

5. F D Lennertz Dr.-Ing, Non-Executive Director

Dieter Lennertz, 68, joined as a Non-Executive Director in August 1995. He is a telecommunications engineer who spent three years in the Netherlands and fourteen in France working for the European Space Agency. He joined Telenorma GmbH (Bosch Group) in 1983 and until 1995 was Chief Executive of this telecom company. He is a lecturer at the European Business School in Germany. (a) (d)

6. K Abbott, Non-Executive Director

Kevin Abbott, 50, joined as a Non-Executive Director in November 2004. He is currently Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Airports Group plc. Prior to joining Alpha Airports Group plc he held various senior positions with Bowater plc (now Rexam plc) and Redland plc. (a) (d) (e)

7. K Hamill BA FCA, Non-Executive Director

Keith Hamill, 52, joined as a Non-Executive Director in July 1999. He is Chairman of Travelodge Limited, Luminar plc and Collins Stewart Tullett PLC. He has held several senior finance positions, including Finance Director of WH Smith, Forte, and United Distillers. He was also a partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers and is Pro-Chancellor of Nottingham University. (a) (d) (e)

8. N J Temple, Non-Executive Director

Nick Temple, 57, joined as a Non-Executive Director in September 1996. He is a Non-Executive Director of Datatec Inc, Datacash Group plc and 4imprint plc and is Chairman of Fox IT Ltd, Tax Computer Systems Ltd and Retail Business Solutions Ltd. He was Chairman of Blick plc, Chairman and CEO of IBM UK Ltd and Vice-President of Sales and Marketing in IBM Europe, Middle East and Africa. (Mr Temple was appointed Senior Non-Executive Director on the retirement of David Winterbottom on 16 July 2004) (a) (d) (e)

9. L Atkinson MA D.Phil, Non-Executive Director

Dr Leslie Atkinson, 61, joined as a Non-Executive Director in July 2000, having spent most of his career with BP where he became Chairman of BP Asia Pacific. He has also been a member of the UK Government’s Central Policy Review Staff, Vice President of the Chamber of Shipping and served on the Board of the Securities and Futures Authority. His other Non-Executive Directorships include AEA Technology plc and Witan Pacific Investment Trust plc. (Chairman of the Remuneration Committee) (a) (d)

10. T G Barker MA, Non-Executive Director

Timothy Barker, 65, joined as a Non-Executive Director in July 2000. From 1998 until his retirement in 2000, he was a Vice-Chairman of Dresdner Kleinwort Benson and from 1993 of Kleinwort Benson Group plc. In the mid-1980s he was Director General of the City Panel on Takeovers and Mergers. Currently he is Chairman of Robert Walters plc, and a Non-Executive Director of Drax Group Limited. (Chairman of the Audit Committee) (a)

11. C Carfora FCIS, Company Secretary

Carmelina Carfora, 41, joined the Company in 1989 from BTR plc. She was appointed Company Secretary in September 1996. (b)

a – member of the Nomination Committee
b – member of the Treasury Committee
c – member of the Group Executive Directors’ Committee
d – member of the Remuneration Committee
e – member of the Audit Committee