Appointment of Chief Executive

24 September 2002

               HAYS plc - APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER               

Hays plc announces that Colin Matthews (46) will be joining the Board as Chief
Executive Officer with effect from 1st November 2002.

Colin Matthews joins from Lattice Group plc where he was the Executive Director
responsible for managing Transco, the owner and operator of Britain's gas
pipeline network with turnover of £3bn p.a. Prior to joining Lattice Group plc
he held senior management positions with British Airways and General Electric
(USA). At British Airways he was responsible latterly for flight operations,
information management and maintenance of British Airways entire aircraft
fleet. Colin graduated from Cambridge and is a Chartered Engineer. He has an
MBA from INSEAD.

Bob Lawson, Chairman of Hays, commented:

'We are absolutely delighted that Colin will be joining Hays in November as
Chief Executive. He brings with him a vast international and service industry
experience, having worked extensively in Europe and North America in senior
positions. '

Colin Matthews today said:

'Hays is a first class company and I am very much looking forward to leading
their management team.'

Enquiries:

Bob Lawson              Chairman                 [phone]          
                                                                             
                        Hays plc                                             
                                                                             
Jon Coles               Brunswick                [phone]         

Notes For Editors

Having obtained a first class degree in engineering from Cambridge University,
the early part of Colin Matthew's career included a 2 year period working as a
resident engineer in Tokyo. Then, after taking an MBA at INSEAD in France where
he graduated with distinction, Colin worked for 3 years as a consultant for
Bain & Co where he was responsible for the planning and execution of strategy,
acquisition, marketing and cost reduction studies.

In 1988 Colin joined GE International as Manager, Business Development,
beginning a 9 year period with this American company. At that time of opening
Eastern European markets and integrating Western European markets, he worked to
establish US based GE businesses across the continent, and especially in
France, Germany, Spain and Italy.

In 1990, he moved to Paris with GE Medical Systems, then in 1994 was offered
promotion to run GE's Can$200 million Montreal based hydro turbine and
generator business which successfully competed in markets around the globe.

In 1997, following an approach on behalf of British Airways, he joined as
Managing Director, BA Engineering which employed some 10,000 people and was
responsible for the maintenance of BA's entire fleet of aircraft. In 1999, he
was promoted to Director, Technical Operations, where he also became
responsible for Flight Operations, Procurement and Information Management.

Colin left British Airways in November last year to join the Main Board of
Lattice Group plc as Managing Director of Transco. With turnover of just over £
3 billion Transco is one of the successor companies to British Gas involved in
the national transmission and distribution of gas. The holding company, Lattice
Group plc, is in the process of merging with the National Grid Company.