Directorate Change

RM PLC
23 January 2002

23 January 2002

RM announces appointment of new Chief Executive

RM plc, the leading supplier of software, services and computer systems to UK
schools, announces today that Richard Girling, Chief Executive, is stepping
down from his role.  He will be succeeded by Tim Pearson, currently an
Executive Director, with effect from 2 April 2002.  Tim will be taking over
operational responsibilities for all of the Group's activities with immediate
effect.

Tim Pearson (41) was appointed to RM's Board in 1997 and over the past four
years has been responsible for the Group's Internet and content strategy.
Most recently he has been Managing Director of RM Learning, establishing the
Group's software and content activities as a separate business division.
During this time, RM Learning has established a position as the leading
provider of educational software in the UK, and introduced highly innovative
products such as MathsAlive.  Tim has worked for the Group since he graduated
in 1981.

Richard Girling, (50), has been Chief Executive of RM since 1997.  He joined
the Group Board in 1996 and, prior to this, had been a Director since 1985.
Richard will remain in place as Chief Executive until the beginning of April
in order to ensure an orderly transfer of responsibilities to Tim Pearson.  He
will remain on the Board until the Group's interim results are announced in May
2002.

Richard Girling indicated to the Board last Summer his desire to relinquish
the role of Chief Executive once an appropriate successor had been appointed.
Since then the Group's Nomination Committee, which comprises only
non-Executive directors, has worked with external consultants to put in place
a rigorous and wide-ranging selection process.  This process, which identified
and assessed a strong short-list of external and internal candidates, resulted
in the appointment of Tim Pearson.



John Leighfield, Chairman of RM said,

'Richard has led RM through a rapid period of growth as a public company.  He
has contributed enormously to our business success and commands immense
respect from his peers in the industry.  Equally importantly, he has shaped a
company with a strong commitment to improving educational standards through
innovative ICT.  I will be very sad to see him leave and wish him well.

'With the advent of Curriculum Online, and other changes in our market place,
it is clear that Tim is taking over at a time when the challenges and
opportunities are greater than ever before.  Nonetheless, I am confident that,
under Tim's leadership, we are well equipped for whatever lies ahead.  Tim is
a key member of the management team and already has responsibility for most of
the Group's operational activities.  Since he joined the Board in 1997, he has
played a lead role in establishing our Internet businesses, worked extensively
on our successful PFI bid in Dudley and has made a major contribution to the
overall success of the Group.'

Richard Girling, retiring Chief Executive said,

'I have been committed to RM for 20 years, and have led the company through a
period of exciting growth and technological innovation.  RM is in a strong
market position and ICT is firmly established as a part of the educational
landscape.  With a major new product set announced at BETT, this is a good
time for me to hand over to someone new to face the next set of challenges.

'I am particularly pleased that my successor is someone who has come out of
RM's culture and shares the value and visions that Mike Fischer founded the
business with, and which I have continued.  I know that, with Tim taking the
lead, RM is well placed for future success.

'It had always been my intention to relinquish the Chief Executive role at
around this time.  Whilst I've no specific plans for the future, I do know I'm
ready to do something different.  At the age of 50 there's still plenty of
time for new challenges.'

Tim Pearson, newly appointed Chief Executive said,

'I am very excited by the opportunity provided by my new role as Chief
Executive of RM.  Under Richard, the Group made significant progress and,
uniquely in this marketplace, has developed products and services such as
MathsAlive that make a real difference in the classroom.  The potential of
such developments to make a contribution to all of our stakeholders is great.
However, as this dynamic marketplace grows, new challenges and competition
emerges and my priority is to develop RM to keep it at the forefront.'


                             - Ends -


For further information, please contact:

Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc,                                01235 826 000
Andrew Fenwick/Fiona Fong, Brunswick                             020 7404 5959

Notes to editors:

  1. Tim Pearson is a graduate of the Harvard University Business School
     Advanced Management Program and was Chairman of The Internet Service
     Providers Association from 1998 to 2000.  In the early 1990s he was
     responsible for RM's software and network engineering activities.  He then
     headed the team that was responsible for establishing RM's professional
     service activities as a profit centre within the business.  In 1994 he set
     up the Group's Internet service provision and online content activities
     and in 1995 took full technical responsibility for all of the Group's
     software and Internet activities.  In 1997 he was appointed to the Group
     Board.  For the last 18 months Tim has been responsible for the RM
     Learning division.  Tim is married with three children and lives in
     Oxfordshire.





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