Directorate Change

Whitbread PLC
16 December 2003


                         Whitbread - re  Directorate


Whitbread PLC, the leisure business, today announces the appointment of Alan
Parker as chief executive designate.  Mr Parker is currently managing director
of the Whitbread Hotel Company and will succeed David Thomas following the AGM
in June next year.

Sir John Banham, chairman, said, 'The Nomination Committee met some truly
excellent internal and external candidates before coming to the unanimous view
that Alan's experience and business acumen made him the ideal man for the job.

'Not only has he built the Travel Inn and Marriott brands to make Whitbread the
UK's largest hotelier but in the difficult four-star market of recent years has
led Marriott in its out-performance of its UK peers.

'Under Alan's leadership the Whitbread Hotel Company has grown from a small
division making £2 million annual profit in 1991/92 to the largest hotel company
in the UK with more than 360 hotels, 27,000 rooms and making annual operating
profit of £139 million in 2002/03 - approximately 50% of Whitbread's total.

'Since the restructuring and transformation in 2000/1, Whitbread has achieved
five successive periods of double-digit earnings growth and made significant
improvements in the return on our shareholders' capital.  Alan is well placed to
build on this track record - through a vigorous organic growth programme and by
driving further value from our existing assets.'


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About Alan Parker:

Alan joined Whitbread as managing director of Whitbread Hotel Company in 1992
and was appointed to the Board in May 2000. Prior to joining Whitbread Alan was
senior vice-president of Holiday Inn Europe, Middle East and Africa, based in
Brussels. Before that he was managing director of Crest Hotels Europe, based in
Frankfurt.

He graduated with a BSc from the University of Surrey, he has an Honorary
Doctorate in Business Administration (BDA) from The International Management
Centres and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School's Advanced Management
Programme.

Alan is a board member of VisitBritain and Chairman of the British Hospitality
Association Council, as well a Fellow of the Hotel and Catering International
Management Association and a member of the World Travel and Tourism Council.


Please contact:-
David Reed                    020 7806 5436
Dan Waugh                     020 7806 5442               Mobile: [phone]
Julie Weldon                  020 7806 5443               Mobile: [phone]


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