Appointment

Brancote Holdings PLC
29 November 2001

For immediate release

BRANCOTE HOLDINGS Plc

Appointment of Director

Brancote Holdings PLC are pleased to announce the appointment of David
Whitehead as a non-executive Director.  David brings over 35 years of
experience in exploration, mine development and operational management to the
group.  He is currently V.P Integration, Exploration & Innovation at BHP
Billiton and until recently was CEO Exploration & Development of Billiton PLC.
He earlier held senior management appointments in Gencor Limited and in the
Metals Sector of the Royal Dutch/Shell group.

The following information falls to be disclosed in relation to David Whitehead
(aged 59) in accordance with paragraph F of Schedule 2 of the AIM Rules.

Present Directorships

Billiton International Development Limited

Past Directorships (within the last 5 Years)

Billiton Chile SA

Billiton Development BV

Billiton Indonesia BV

Billiton Development (Zambia) Limited

Billiton Development Far east BV

Billiton Exploration & Mining Indonesia BV

Billiton Exploration & Mining Peru BV

Billiton Company BV

Sundry Holdings BV

Billiton Exploration & Mining Bolivia BV

Billiton Metals BV

Barberton Mines Limited

Billiton Ghana Exploration BV

Fairview Consolidated Mines Limited

Orogen Investments SA

Montagu BV.

David Whitehead has no unspent convictions for any indictable offence and has
not been declared bankrupt nor has made any voluntary arrangement with his
creditors.  He has not been a director of a company at the time of or within
the twelve month preceding any receivership, compulsory liquidation,
creditors' voluntary liquidation, administration or voluntary arrangement of
that company or any composition or arrangement with its creditors generally or
any class of its creditors nor has he been a partner in a partnership at the
time of or within the twelve months preceding any compulsory liquidation,
administration or voluntary arrangement of that partners.

He has not had any asset which has been subject to a receivership or has been
in a partnership at the time of or within the twelve months preceding an asset
of the partnership being subject to a receivership.  He has not been publicly
criticised by any statutory or regulatory authority (including any recognised
professional body) or has been disqualified by a Court from acting as a
director of, or in the management or conduct of the affairs of any company.

29 November 2001

Contact  Richard Prickett, Chairman

Bill Humphries, Managing Director

Brancote Holdings PLC 020 7493 1002



END