Director Shareholding

British American Tobacco PLC
19 March 2003

DIRECTORS' INTERESTS





The independent trustee of the British American Tobacco Group Employee Trust
notified the Company on 19 March 2003 that it had purchased 2,500,000 British
American Tobacco p.l.c. 25p ordinary shares (the 'Shares') on 19 March 2003 at a
price of 595.8183p per Share to satisfy the future exercise of options under the
Company's share option scheme and the future release of awards under the
Company's long term incentive plan and deferred share bonus scheme.



Following this transaction, the independent trustee of the British American
Tobacco Group Employee Trust holds a total of 35,384,809 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.










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