Directorate Change

Johnson,Matthey PLC
16 July 2003



                                For release at 12.30 pm Wednesday 16th July 2003


            Board Appointments and Succession at Johnson Matthey





The Board of Johnson Matthey Plc announces a number of changes to its Board and
succession planning for the position of Group Chief Executive.



From 1st August 2003, Pelham Hawker, Division Director Environmental Catalysts
and Technologies, and Larry Pentz, Division Director Process Catalysts and
Technologies will join the Board as executive directors.



The Board has also been considering succession planning at the most senior
level.  Chris Clark continues as Chief Executive until the completion of the
Company's Annual General Meeting in July 2004.  He will then be succeeded by
Neil Carson, currently Executive Director, Catalysts and Precious Metals.



Commenting on these changes, Michael Miles, Chairman of Johnson Matthey said:



'Chris Clark has made and continues to make an outstanding contribution to
Johnson Matthey.  With 41 years' service, including five as Chief Executive,
Chris has overseen the evolution of the business into a world-leading speciality
chemicals group.  We are delighted that he will continue in his role until July
2004 when he will hand over to Neil Carson.  Neil has 23 years of experience of
working at Johnson Matthey and will make an excellent successor to Chris.



'We also welcome Pelham Hawker and Larry Pentz to the Board.  Both have made
important contributions to recent developments at Johnson Matthey.  Pelham has
overseen a period of strong growth and technological change in our autocatalyst
business.  Larry has undertaken a leading role in the successful integration of
Synetix since its acquisition from ICI.  Both will make valuable additions to
the Board.



'We are particularly pleased that all three of the appointments we are
announcing today have been made internally'


Enquiries:
Ian Godwin     Group Corporate Communications Manager       020 7269 8410
Howard Lee     Gavin Anderson & Co                          020 7554 1400



Notes to Editors



Chris Clark joined Johnson Matthey in 1962 and was appointed to the Board in
March 1990 before becoming Chief Executive in June 1998.  During his extensive
career with the Company, Chris has been responsible at a senior management level
for developments across all of the Company's businesses.  Now aged 61, he began
his tenure as Chief Executive by undertaking a major strategic review of the
Group and has subsequently overseen the transformation of Johnson Matthey into
the highly successful speciality chemicals company it is today.  He is a
non-executive director of Rexam plc and FKI PLC.



Neil Carson, aged 46, has a BSc in Engineering and joined Johnson Matthey in
1980.  He was appointed Division Director, Catalytic Systems in 1997 after
having held senior management positions in the Precious Metals Division as well
as Catalytic Systems in both the UK and US. Neil was appointed Managing
Director, Catalysts & Chemicals in August 1999 and additionally assumed board
level responsibility for Precious Metals Division in August 2002. He is a
non-executive director of Avon Rubber plc.



Pelham Hawker, aged 50, has a PhD in inorganic chemistry and joined Johnson
Matthey as an R&D Manager in 1985.  He subsequently went on to be Managing
Director of Autocatalyst Europe before being made Division Director,
Environmental Catalysts and Technologies in January 2001.



Larry Pentz, aged 48, is a US citizen and has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical
Engineering.  He has been with Johnson Matthey for 19 years and has held senior
management positions in several parts of the Catalysts Division.  He was
appointed Division Director, Process Catalysts and Technologies in January 2001.




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