Appointment

Associated British Foods PLC
23 September 2004



23 September 2004



           GEORGE WESTON TO SUCCEED PETER JACKSON AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE
                   OF ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS IN APRIL 2005



Associated British Foods plc (ABF) is pleased to announce that George Weston
will become its Chief Executive when Peter Jackson retires in April 2005.



Mr Weston has worked at ABF since 1988 and is currently Chief Executive of
George Weston Foods, ABF's Australian subsidiary.



The Board appointed Mr Weston after full consideration of potential candidates.
Spencer Stuart conducted a thorough search and identified a number of high
quality external candidates who were considered together with internal
candidates.  The Nominations Committee and Board concluded that Mr Weston would
be the right appointment.  As a senior member of the management team which has
developed the group's successful business strategy over recent years, he brings
continuity and a deep understanding of ABF's businesses and culture.



Martin Adamson, Chairman, said:

'Under George Weston's leadership I expect continued successful development of
ABF's businesses building on the strategy set in recent years. Peter Jackson is
a tremendously effective Chief Executive and I am delighted that George will
succeed him in April next year to continue to drive the group forward'.



George Weston said:

'This is a hugely exciting opportunity for me to work with some of the most
capable managers in the industry.  ABF already has in place the necessary
values, direction and resources to ensure its future growth both organically and
by acquisition.'



For further enquiries please contact:

Associated British Foods

Martin Adamson, Chairman                              Tel:   [phone]

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Jonathan Clare, Chris Barrie, Sara Batchelor          Tel:   [phone]



Notes to editors



1.      George Weston was appointed Deputy Chairman of Associated British Foods
plc in May 2000 and has been a member of the Board since April 1999. He will
relinquish the role of Deputy Chairman when he becomes Chief Executive in April
2005.



2.      George Weston has worked at ABF for 16 years and is currently Chief
Executive of George Weston Foods in Australia. He joined the group in 1988 in
Australia and ran George Weston Foods' milling operations in Victoria from 1989
to 1990. He was then Managing Director of Westmill Foods from 1992 until 1998,
after which he worked for the group Finance Director until joining Allied
Bakeries where he was Chief Executive from 1999 to 2003.



3.      George Weston is a Philosophy, Politics & Economics graduate from Oxford
University and has an MBA from Harvard Business School (1990 to 1992) where he
graduated with high distinction.



4.      George Weston, 40, is the son of the late Garry Weston and is married
with four children.  He is married to Katharine, a doctor, and his interests
include skiing and gardening.


5.      Associated British Foods plc is an international food, ingredients and
retail group with annual sales of £4.9 billion and over 35,000 employees.



Its shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and form part of the FTSE 100
Index.



The results from the last five years show the achievement of sustained profit
and earnings per share growth:






                                1999    2000       2001     2002    2003


Adjusted operating profit £m    326      340       351      395     450

Adjusted earnings per share p   31.3     33.1      33.8     38.7    42.6






                      This information is provided by RNS
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