Directorate Change

Centrica PLC
                  

CENTRICA APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Centrica plc announces that Sam Laidlaw is to succeed Sir Roy Gardner as
Executive Director of the Company and its new Chief Executive. The appointment
will be effective 1st July 2006.

Mr Laidlaw is currently Executive Vice President of the Chevron Corporation,
where he is responsible for large-scale business development worldwide.
Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer at Enterprise Oil and President and
Chief Operating Officer at Amerada Hess.

Roger Carr, Chairman of Centrica said: 'The Board is very pleased to have
appointed Sam, who will bring to the organisation an invaluable combination of
upstream expertise, a very considerable reputation for managing a large-scale
global energy business and a proven record of creating shareholder value.

Mr Laidlaw said: 'I'm delighted to be appointed Chief Executive of such a
highly- regarded company and look forward to working with the Board and the
management team to deliver our strategic priorities in this challenging phase of
energy liberalisation.'

Mr Carr also paid tribute to Sir Roy Gardner, Centrica CEO since its formation
in 1997. 'Under Sir Roy's leadership Centrica has become a major energy company
delivering significant returns to our shareholders. On behalf of the Board I
would like to thank him for his unwavering dedication and commitment to the
successful development of this company.'

Mr Laidlaw will chair the Centrica Executive Committee and become a member of
the Company's Nomination Committee.

Note: Other than in respect of Mr Laidlaw's current non-executive directorship
of Hanson plc and his former directorship of Enterprise Oil plc, there are no
disclosures under paragraph 9.6.13R(1)-(6) of the Listing Rules.

Enquiries: 
Centrica Investor Relations 01753 494900 
Centrica Media Relations 01753 494085

Notes to Editors:

Sam is 50 years old, married with 4 children and lives in the UK. He was
educated at Cambridge University and subsequently qualified as a solicitor. He
graduated with an MBA from INSEAD in 1981, prior to taking up a position with
the Amerada Hess Corporation, an NYSE listed Fortune 250 company in the energy
sector in New York.

In a 20 year career with Amerada Hess, he held a number of senior roles in
exploration, production and strategic planning, and ran their North Sea business
before becoming the President and Chief Operating Officer, a position he held
from 1995 to 2001. During this period, based initially in New York and latterly
in London, he had direct responsibility for the company's worldwide exploration,
production, shipping and oil and gas sales. Under his leadership the
organisation was re-structured and business systems redeveloped.

In 2001, he joined Enterprise Oil as Chief Executive Officer and commenced the
task of implementing a major cost reduction programme in parallel with expanding
the company's interests through acquisition in Brazil, Russia and the United
Kingdom. Later that year, after the company rejected an unsolicited offer to
purchase the company, Sam was instrumental in negotiating an alternative
all-cash offer from Shell which represented a substantial premium to the pre-bid
price. Following successful completion of the transaction, Sam left the company.

In 2003 Sam became Executive Vice President of the Chevron Corporation with
responsibility for large-scale business development. Sam was involved in
Chevron's acquisition of Unocal in 2005 and has regional responsibility for
Russia, the Middle East and North Africa. Sam is a member of Chevron's Executive
Committee responsible for overall management and stewardship of the corporation
worldwide.

Since 2003, Sam has been a non-executive director of Hanson plc, where he is
also the chairman of the Remuneration Committee.

Mr Laidlaw's base salary will be £850,000 per annum. His initial notice period
will be 24 months, reducing to 12 months after that initial period.