ROLLS-ROYCE CHAIRMAN

17 December 2003

                             ROLLS-ROYCE CHAIRMAN                              

Rolls-Royce today (17 December 2003) announced with regret that its Chairman,
Euan Baird, has suffered a stroke and is currently in hospital. He is expected
to be unable to return to his professional duties for a period of three months.

The Group wishes the Chairman a speedy recovery.

During this period, the Deputy Chairman, Lord Moore of Lower Marsh, will assume
the Chairman's responsibilities.

For further information contact:

Colin Duncan

Director - Corporate Communications

Tel: [phone]

Website: www.rolls-royce.com

Biography of Euan Baird is attached



                                  Euan Baird                                   
                           Chairman, Rolls-Royce plc                           

Euan Baird was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Rolls-Royce on 1
November 2002 and took up office as Chairman on 1 February 2003.

He has also been Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of
Schlumberger Limited since October 1986. Previously he was Executive Vice
President of Worldwide Wireline Operations, based in New York and Personnel
Manager and Vice President of Operations based in Paris. During his forty years
in the company he held various oilfield services operations assignments in
Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Mr Baird attended the University of Aberdeen and
Trinity College, Cambridge University. He received an M.A. degree in Geophysics
from Cambridge in 1960. He received an LLD from the University of Aberdeen in
1995; an LLD from Dundee University in 1998; and a DSc. from Heriot-Watt
University in the UK in 1999.

Mr. Baird has been a Trustee of the Carnegie Institution of Washington since
1998, a member of the Prime Minister's Comité National de la Science in France
from 1998 - 2002 and a Member of the Prime Minister's Council of Science and
Technology in the United Kingdom since 2000. He has also been a Member of the
Board of ScottishPower since December 2000, a Member of the Board of Société
Générale Group since May 2001, a Member of the Board of Areva since June 2001,
a Member of the Advisory Committee of Banque de France since November 2001 and
most recently a Member of the Board of the New York Stock Exchange since
December 2003.

Mr. Baird is married to Angelica and has two daughters. He is 66.

December 2003