Director Shareholding

Guinness Peat Group PLC
26 April 2004



Guinness Peat Group plc ("GPG") announces the grant of options on 23 April 2004
in accordance with its 2002 Executive Share Option Scheme over the ordinary 5p
shares of GPG ("GPG Shares") at an exercise price of 76.9 pence and exercisable
between 23 April 2007 and 23 April 2014 as follows:


Sir Ron Brierley                              400,000 Options

Graeme Cureton                              1,200,000 Options

Tony Gibbs                                  1,200,000 Options

Blake Nixon                                 1,200,000 Options

Gary Weiss                                  1,200,000 Options



Following this grant and in addition to the above these directors will hold
options over GPG Shares as follows:
                           Aggregate No of     Exercise prices between     Exercisable  between dates
                           Options             (pence)

Sir Ron Brierley                     1,161,750        32.78 - 33.47        07/05/2006-6/1/0/2011

Graeme Cureton                       6,937,763        23.95 - 41.30        05/10/2004-16/10/2011

Tony Gibbs                           8,588,434        23.95 - 41.30        05/10/2004-16/10/2011

Blake Nixon                          4,657,265        32.78 - 41.30        07/10/2006-16/10/2011

Gary Weiss                           5,626,499        32.78 - 41.30        07/10/2006-16/10/2011



These directors currently hold the following interests in the securities of GPG:


                                                      GPG Shares      Convertible Loan Notes

Sir Ron Brierley                                      30,919,923                   1,966,789

Graeme Cureton                                           151,408                       -

Tony Gibbs                                               816,682                     913,433

Blake Nixon                                            5,692,228                         675

Gary Weiss                                             8,456,239                         -



Contact:
Richard Russell
Guinness Peat Group plc
Tel: [phone]


26 April 2004



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