Retirement

AstraZeneca PLC
24 May 2002



                 ASTRAZENECA APPOINTS NEW R&D LEADERSHIP TEAM

                            R&D Director to Retire


AstraZeneca today announced the appointment of Dr. Martin Nicklasson as
Executive Vice President, Development, with responsibility for global drug
development and Dr. Jan Lundberg, Executive Vice President, Discovery Research,
responsible for all global discovery programmes.  Both Dr. Nicklasson and Dr.
Lundberg will join the company's Senior Executive Team and report to the Chief
Executive, Tom McKillop.  The appointments will take effect immediately
following the planned retirement of Dr. Claes Wilhelmsson as a Director of
AstraZeneca PLC on 30th June 2002.



24 May 2002



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