Re Directorate

Ricardo PLC
5 January 2001




                 RICARDO ANNOUNCES TWO NEW BOARD APPOINTMENTS


Ricardo  plc,  the UK's leading independent automotive consultancy,  announces
that  both  Chris Bates and Jeremy Holt have been appointed to  the  Board  as
executive directors on 1 January 2001.

Chris Bates, who is 37 years old, holds an Honours BSc degree in  engineering
and is a Chartered Accountant.  He has held senior positions both in the  UK
and overseas  with  divisions  of  TI  Group  plc,  Swan  plc  and   Babcock
International plc.  He joined Ricardo in 1997 as Finance Director  of  Ricardo
Consulting Engineers  Ltd (RCE) and took on the responsibility  of  Group  IT
Director.  He became Managing Director of RCE on 1 January 2001.

Jeremy  Holt is 40 years old and holds an Honours BEng degree and an MBA.   He
joined  Ricardo in 1998 as President of Ricardo inc.  Prior to that,  he  held
various  positions in AE Group, initially in the UK and later in the US  where
he  assisted in the start up of the US manufacturing and technical operations.
Following  the  acquisition of AE Group by Federal Mogul, he  latterly  became
Vice-President product engineering and marketing, a position  he  held  for  5
years.

Neither Chris Bates nor Jeremy Holt have any details that are required  to  be
disclosed under section 6 F2(b) to (g).


Enquiries:

Ricardo plc                                  Tel: [phone]
Rodney Westhead, Chief Executive

Gavin Anderson & Co                          Tel: [phone]
Marc Popiolek / Charlotte Stone

Ricardo website:  www.ricardo.com