Directorate Change

Aortech International PLC
22 January 2002

                           AorTech International plc



                               Board Appointment



AorTech International plc, the Scottish-based manufacturer of cardio-vascular
devices, announces the appointment of John Ranieri as Vice President/Managing
Director of the Company's Biomaterials and Cardiovascular Division and as a
member of the plc Board.  John has an outstanding track record in the medical
device industry.



During the last six years John, aged 42, has held senior positions with Sulzer
Medica, the world's leading heart valve company, and was latterly Vice President
of Sulzer Medica's Biologics Division.  John has a BS in Chemical Engineering,
an MS in Material Science and Engineering and a PhD in Medical Science from
Brown University.  He has been the recipient of a number of Awards from Industry
and Academia over the last fifteen years and has 25 journal publications to his
name.



He joined Sulzer Medica in 1995 as Corporate Director becoming Vice President -
Biologics in 1998.  In 1998 he also became Visiting Fellow - Snider
Entrepreneurial Center, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.  Prior
to joining Sulzer Medica he was Assistant Doctorant - Research Fellow, Division
of Surgical Research and Gene Therapy, Lausanne University Medical School,
Switzerland.



John Ranieri said:



 'I am excited at the outstanding potential of AorTech's platform technologies,
especially in my specialist areas of Biomaterials and Heart Valves, and look
forward to assisting AorTech in realising the value in these technologies within
the medical device market. It is my intention to assist the Biomaterials and
Cardiovascular Divisions to create market leading products and to open new
market opportunities'.



Eddie McDaid, AorTech's Chief Executive said:



'I am delighted that AorTech has secured the services of John Ranieri who has a
wealth of experience with major medical device companies in the field of
Biomaterials and Cardiovascular.  In addition to his industry experience John
has been involved with the Advisory Boards of Academic Institutions and Industry
in the areas of Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering and Cardiovascular Therapies.
John will have the overall responsibility for the performance of the
Biomaterials and Cardiovascular Divisions and I am confident that he will
provide the added experience necessary to ensure that significant values are
obtained from our platform technologies in these areas'.



No further details require to be disclosed pursuant to paragraph 16.4 of the
Listing Rules

22 January 2002

ENQUIRIES:

AorTech International plc                                    Tel: [phone]
Eddie McDaid, Chief Executive

College Hill                                                 Tel: [phone]
Michael Padley
Clare Warren





                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange