Appointment

Sopheon PLC
8 January 2001




                                                               8th January 2001




                                   SOPHEON PLC



     Information Services Executive Bernard Al Joins Sopheon Board

     Former Wolters Kluwer Netherlands CEO Becomes Non-executive Director

              
Sopheon plc ('Sopheon') announces today that Bernard Al has been appointed to
its board as a non-executive director.  Dr. Al is former chairman of the board
and chief executive officer of Wolters Kluwer Netherlands BV.


Dr. Al, aged 55, has been associated with Wolters Kluwer, the international
information services group, for nine years, serving as president and CEO of
Wolters Kluwer Netherlands BV from 1997 until 2000, and prior to that as CEO
of Wolters Kluwer Professional Training SA in Switzerland, and Managing
Director of Wolters Kluwer Educational Publishing in the Netherlands.  Before
beginning his career in business, he was a professor of linguistics and dean
of the Faculty of Arts at the Free University of Amsterdam.  He is currently a
member of the supervisory board of the University of Amsterdam.


Barry Mence, Chairman of Sopheon, commented:


'We are extremely pleased to add a director with Bernard Al's track record of
creating and driving highly effective strategies for business expansion across
Europe. Bernard has exceptional knowledge of the dramatic transformation that
the supply chain in information services is going through, and a strong vision
of where it's headed.  Moreover, his work in publishing has encompassed
scientific and healthcare markets which are central to Sopheon's business
focus.'



Dr. Al is also a non-executive director of Jongbloed Printers & Publishers BV,
Boekhandelsgroep Nederland BV, Veen Uitgevers Groep BV, Krauthammer
Investments Holding BV, IDC Publishers BV and Amsterdam University Press BV,
and was also managing director of Krauthammer International SA, based in
Switzerland, until 1997. He is an executive board member of Stichting Gouden
Ganzenveer and a supervisory board member of the Museum Meermanno, and has
received honours from French national institutions for his contributions to
French linguistics.



Sopheon can confirm that no further disclosures are required in respect of Dr.
Al, whose full name is Bernardus Petrus Franciscus Al, under paragraph 16.8(e)
of the AIM rules.



Sopheon further announces that Michael J. Brooke, a non-executive director, is
leaving the board and expresses the company's gratitude for his contributions.



About Sopheon

Sopheon is a leading international provider of information and knowledge
solutions that enable companies to more efficiently access internal and
external information and turn it into the knowledge to compete. Sopheon's
experience in integrating information process and content is the foundation
for a powerful combination of pre-loaded, industry-specific software
applications, expert services and specialized content. Its comprehensive
solutions can enhance business processes ranging from product development and
customer relationship management to R&D and quality management. Sopheon has
operating bases in the United Kingdom, Netherlands and the United States. Its
clients are companies in the life sciences, high-tech and healthcare industry
sectors, and include nearly half of the technology-driven companies on the
Fortune 500.  For more information, please visit http://www.sopheon.com.





For further information, please contact:


Sopheon plc, www.sopheon.com
Barry Mence, Chairman         ([e-mail])     + 44 (0)1483-883000
Arif Karimjee, CFO            ([e-mail])   + 44 (0)1483-883000




Buchanan Communications
Steve Liebmann/Ed Cowdery  ([e-mail])        + 44 (0)20 7466 5000