Purchase of Own Securities

Guinness Peat Group PLC 14 April 2003 NOT FOR RELEASE IN OR DISTRIBUTION INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND OR JAPAN. ANNOUNCEMENT BY GUINNESS PEAT GROUP PLC Buyback offer for approximately 62.5 million ordinary shares to be satisfied by the issue by GPG (UK) Holdings plc of approximately 156.25 million listed 8% Convertible Subordinated Unsecured Loan Notes of 20 pence each due 2005 As announced by the Chairman on 14 March 2003 in his statement accompanying the preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2002, Guinness Peat Group plc ("GPG") intends to make an off market tender offer to repurchase up to 10 per cent. of each shareholder's ordinary shares on the basis of five 8% convertible subordinated unsecured loan notes of 20 pence each to be issued by GPG (UK) Holdings plc ("GPGUK"), (the "Further CLNs") for every two ordinary shares bought back (the "Buyback Offer"). The Further CLNs will rank pari passu, and will be fully fungible, with the existing CLNs of GPGUK with their principal repayable in two equal annual instalments with the option to convert back to ordinary shares in the capital of GPG on 30 June 2004 and 2005. Approval will be sought from shareholders at the Annual General Meeting of GPG for the repurchase of ordinary shares from those shareholders who have submitted and have had accepted valid tenders under the Buyback Offer. A contract will then be entered into between GPG and the Company Secretary on behalf of all such tendering shareholders. The record dates for entitlements in respect of the proposed Buyback Offer are as follows: For holders of ordinary shares on the New Zealand branch register 2 May 2003 For holders of ordinary shares on the UK register or the Australian branch 6 May 2003 register Further details in respect of the Buyback Offer will be announced in due course. 14 April 2003 Enquiries: Richard Russell (Company Secretary) 020 7484 3370 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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