Board Change

RNS Number : 2408S

Genus PLC

07 September 2010

 



For immediate release                                                                     7 September 2010

Genus plc

("Genus" or "the Company")

Board Change

Genus, a leading global animal genetics company, is pleased to announce that Bob Lawson will become non-executive Chairman following the Company's Annual General Meeting on 11 November 2010 when John Hawkins, the present Chairman, will retire from the Board having served ten years as a non-executive director of the Company and six years as Chairman.

Bob Lawson, 65, is non-executive Chairman of Barratt Developments plc and is shortly to retire as Chairman of Hays plc. He is also a director of The Federation of Groundwork Trusts. His career has spanned several United Kingdom and continental groups including 10 years as Chief Executive of Electrocomponents plc leading its successful expansion into new international markets and three years as Managing Director of Vitec Group plc.

Bob Lawson said:

"I am excited at the potential of Genus' opportunities for growth, its world leading technology and the way this technology will be able to help increase food production for an increasing global population."

John Hawkins, Chairman, commented:

"I joined the Genus Board ten years ago.  In that time, Genus has achieved tremendous growth with profits up tenfold.  As I approach the end of my second three year term as Chairman, I have decided that the time is right for me to hand over leadership of the Board as Genus enters its next exciting phase of growth.  Following an external search, I am pleased that Bob Lawson has accepted the Board's invitation to succeed me as Chairman from the conclusion of this year's Annual General Meeting. Bob has excellent experience in international markets and in chairing major companies and I wish him and Genus every success in the future.

I look back with pride on what Genus has achieved over the last ten years and I am certain the business will go from strength to strength in the years ahead."

Richard Wood, Chief Executive, said:

"On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank John for his considerable contribution over his ten years with Genus. John has overseen a transformation of the Company from its original flotation on AIM to becoming a truly global FTSE250 company and he has been instrumental in the expansion of Genus worldwide."

"I am delighted to welcome Bob Lawson to Genus. He will bring substantial experience to the Board, particularly in international markets. I look forward to working with him as we continue our strategic focus on growth in both developed and the developing markets."

Bob Lawson will chair the Company's Nomination Committee and be a member of the Company's Remuneration Committee. No further information is required to be disclosed in relation to Bob Lawson pursuant to LR 9.6.13 R.

For further information please contact:

Genus plc		Tel: [phone]
John Hawkins, Chairman
Richard Wood, Chief Executive
Buchanan Communications		Tel: [phone]
Charles Ryland, Suzanne Brocks

About Genus

Genus creates advances to animal breeding through biotechnology and sells added value products for livestock farming and food producers.  Its non-genetically modified organism technology is applicable across all livestock species but is only commercialised by Genus in the bovine and porcine farming sectors.

Genus' worldwide sales are made in seventy countries under the trademarks "ABS" (dairy and beef cattle) and "PIC" (pigs) and comprise semen and breeding animals with superior genetics to those animals currently in production.  Customers' animals produce offspring with greater production efficiency, milk and meat output and quality, and use these to supply the global dairy and meat supply chain.

The Group's competitive edge has been created from the ownership and control of proprietary lines of breeding animals, the biotechnology used to improve them and its global production and distribution network.

Headquartered in Basingstoke, England, Genus companies operate in thirty countries on six continents, with research laboratories located in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

 

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