Director Shareholding

British American Tobacco PLC
09 May 2005


DIRECTORS' INTERESTS


The independent trustee of the British American Tobacco Group Employee Trust
notified the Company on 6 May 2005 that it had between 4 May 2005 and 5 May 2005
released:
     
a)   88,499 British American Tobacco p.l.c. 25p ordinary shares (the "Shares") 
     to participants in the British American Tobacco Long Term Incentive Plan;
     
b)   32,565 British American Tobacco p.l.c. 25p ordinary shares (the "Shares") 
     to participants in the British American Tobacco Deferred Share Bonus 
     Scheme; and

c)   76,701 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 to whom shares were released 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 22,444,600 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 P A Rayner and
Mr A Monteiro de Castro.


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