Directorate Change

British American Tobacco PLC
28 February 2008





For immediate release: Thursday, 28 February 2008



                     Directorate Change - Finance Director



British American Tobacco p.l.c. announces that Paul Rayner will be retiring as
Finance Director and from the Board of the Company at the Annual General Meeting
on 30 April 2008 as he needs to return to Australia for family reasons.



Ben Stevens, currently Regional Director, Europe, will be joining the Board on 3
March 2008, and will succeed Paul Rayner as Finance Director when he steps down.
Ben first joined the Group in 1990 and has held financial and general
management roles in several countries around the world.  He was promoted to the
Management Board in 2001, with responsibility, amongst others, for M&A and
corporate strategy, prior to taking on his current role as Regional Director,
Europe in 2004.



Jan du Plessis, Chairman of British American Tobacco said: "Our thoughts are
very much with Paul and his family at this difficult time.  We are not only
losing a brilliant Finance Director, but somebody who is widely respected and
much liked by his colleagues worldwide.  Since joining Rothmans Holdings in
Australia in 1991, he has made a significant contribution to the Group's
development, in particular in his role as Finance Director over the last six
years.



"It is nevertheless testimony to the quality of the Group's management that we
have an immediately available successor of Ben's calibre.  With his tremendous
experience and in-depth knowledge of our business, I have no doubt that our
Group's finances will be in good hands."



Enquiries



British American Tobacco Press Office
David Betteridge / Kate Matrunola / Cat Armstrong
+ (44) 0 20 7845 2888 (24 hours)


Investor Relations
Ralph Edmondson / Sharon Woodcock
[phone] / 1519






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