Director Shareholding

British American Tobacco PLC
12 December 2003

DIRECTORS' INTERESTS

The independent trustee of the British American Tobacco Group Employee Trust
notified the Company on 12 December 2003 that it had between 10 and 11 December
2003:

a)     released 8,462 British American Tobacco p.l.c. 25p ordinary shares
(the "Shares") to a participant in the British American Tobacco Long Term
Incentive Plan.  The participant to whom shares was released is not a director
of British American Tobacco p.l.c.

b)     disposed of 90,465 British American Tobacco p.l.c. 25p ordinary
shares (the "Shares") to satisfy the exercise of options under the Company's
share option scheme. The participants 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 31,663,462 Shares.  The following
executive directors, together with other employees, are potential beneficiaries
and are therefore treated as having an interest: Mr M F Broughton, Mr P N Adams,
Mr P A Rayner and Mr A Monteiro de Castro.



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