Director Shareholding

British American Tobacco PLC
20 March 2002

DIRECTORS' INTERESTS

The independent trustee of the British American Tobacco Group Employee Trust
notified the Company on 20 March 2002 that it had on 20 March 2002 released
728,904 British American Tobacco p.l.c. 25p ordinary shares (the "Shares") to
participants in the British American Tobacco Long Term Incentive Plan.  Of these
Shares, 123,456 Shares were released to Mr M F Broughton, a Director of British
American Tobacco p.l.c.

Of the 123,456 Shares released to Mr Broughton, 49,482 Shares were sold on
behalf of Mr Broughton at a price of 653.89p to meet his tax liability.

Following this transaction, Mr Broughton has a beneficial interest in 469,433
Shares (including 162,184 Shares under the Deferred Share Bonus Scheme) and a
non-beneficial interest in 47,956 Shares. This is an increase of 73,974 Shares
in Mr Broughton's total holding in British American Tobacco p.l.c.

The independent trustee of the British American Tobacco Group Employee Trust
also notified the Company on 20 March 2002 that it had on 20 March 2002 disposed
of 10,983 Shares to satisfy the exercise of options under the Company's share
option scheme, and released 15,400 Shares to a participant in the British
American Tobacco Deferred Share Bonus Scheme. The participants to whom shares
were released or in respect of whom the disposal of shares were made are not
directors of British American Tobacco p.l.c.

Following these transactions, the independent trustee of the British American
Tobacco Group Employee Trust holds a total of 27,823,642 Shares.  The following
executive directors, together with other employees, are potential beneficiaries
and are therefore treated as having an interest: Mr P N Adams, Mr M F Broughton,
Mr A Monteiro de Castro and Mr P A Rayner.

ENQUIRIES:

Investor Relations:
Ralph Edmondson    020 7845 1180

Press Office:
David Betteridge/Scott Hailstone/Anne Tradigo    020 7845 2888


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