Directorate Change

Balfour Beatty PLC
27 May 2002

                               BALFOUR BEATTY PLC

                                 BOARD APPOINTMENT


Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction and services group,
announces today that Sir David Wright is to join the main board as a
non-executive Director with effect from 1 January 2003.

Sir David Wright is currently Group Chief Executive of British Trade
International (BTI), from which he will retire later this year.  BTI has lead
responsibility within government for overseas trade and investment promotion.
It brings together the work of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the
Department of Trade and Industry in support of British business overseas.

Prior to this appointment in 1999, Sir David was Ambassador in Tokyo for three
years, the culmination of a long, distinguished and varied diplomatic career,
including as Ambassador to South Korea and First Secretary in the British
Embassy in Paris.

Commenting on the appointment today, Balfour Beatty Chairman, Lord Weir, said:
'Sir David brings a wealth of expertise in international business and trade to
the Balfour Beatty board.  With about £1 billion of Balfour Beatty's business
transacted outside the UK, his experience will be of great value to the Group.'

Sir David, who is 57, is a graduate of Peterhouse, Cambridge.



Enquiries to:-
Tim Sharp
Tel: [phone]
www.balfourbeatty.com





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