Directorate Change

Halma PLC
28 August 2002


                                 HALMA p.l.c.
                        PROPOSED RETIREMENT OF CHAIRMAN
                       AND APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN ELECT


Halma p.l.c., the leading safety and environmental technology Group, announces
that David Barber intends to retire from the Chairmanship and from the Board
immediately following the next Annual General Meeting in July 2003, after 31
distinguished years with the Group. He will then be succeeded by Geoff Unwin,
who has today been appointed Deputy Chairman (Chairman Elect) of Halma p.l.c.
with effect from 2 September 2002.

David Barber, 70, has been non-executive Chairman of Halma since 1996. He joined
the group as Chief Executive in 1972 when it was a shell investment company with
a market capitalisation of less than £1m. Under David Barber's stewardship,
Halma has grown to become a world leader in the development, manufacture and
marketing of a broad range of products that enhance public safety and minimise
hazards.

Geoff Unwin, 60, was Chief Executive Officer of Cap Gemini Ernst & Young until
the end of last year, and remains a non-voting Board Director of that
organisation. Geoff led the successful acquisition of the consulting activities
of Ernst & Young in 2000, transforming the business into Cap Gemini Ernst &
Young and thereby creating the fifth largest consulting and IT services company
in the world. In November 2002, Geoff Unwin will take up the Chairmanship of
United Business Media plc, a leading market information group, where he has
served as a non-executive Director since 1996. There are no other details
regarding Geoff Unwin that require disclosure under paragraph 16.4 of the
Listing Rules.

Halma today is capitalised at approximately £500 million, and the Group is
widely recognised for its ability to create wealth for its shareholders and for
its consistently high returns on capital employed.


For further information, please contact:
Stephen O'Shea                                               [phone]
Chief Executive, Halma p.l.c.
Rachel Hirst/Andrew Jaques                                   [phone]
Hogarth Partnership Limited

A copy of this announcement, together with other information about Halma, may be
viewed on its website: www.halma.com

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