Change to Board of Directors

Reed International PLC
Elsevier NV
7 July 2000


        Issued on behalf of Reed International P.L.C. and Elsevier NV         

13/00                                                              7 July 2000

Reed Elsevier Appoints Chief Executive Officer for its Global Legal Business 

Reed Elsevier plc today announced that it has appointed Andrew Prozes to the
new role of chief executive officer of its global Legal publishing and
information division.  Mr Prozes will join the company in late July and will
be based at Reed Elsevier's US corporate headquarters in New York.  He will be
a main board director reporting to Crispin Davis, Reed Elsevier's chief
executive officer. 

Mr Prozes joins Reed Elsevier from the West Group, part of the Thomson
Corporation.  He joined the West Group in 1997 as executive vice president and
chief operating officer of Westlaw.  During his tenure there, Mr Prozes'
principal responsibility was the West Online business.  Prior to joining
Thomson Corporation, Mr Prozes held senior management roles at Southam,
Canada's leading newspaper publisher and Canada System Group, a leading
computer service provider company. 

In making the announcement, Crispin Davis said: 'I am delighted to welcome
Andrew to Reed Elsevier.  He is a high quality manager, with an impressive and
consistent track record of success.  His leadership and experience will have a
major impact on developing our global legal business.'

For further information contact:

Susanna Smart
[phone]
[e-mail]