Directorate Change

Reed Elsevier PLC
18 June 2003




           Issued on behalf of Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV


                      Reed Elsevier Announces Board Change


Reed Elsevier Group plc today announced that Mr Derk Haank is to resign from
Reed Elsevier with immediate effect.  Mr Haank has been a director of Reed
Elsevier and chief executive of the group's science and medical division.


Mr Haank plans, in early 2004, to take up the post of chief executive of
Springer, the science and business publishing business acquired (subject to
regulatory approval) by Cinven and Candover, the European buyout specialists.


Mr Crispin Davis, Chief Executive Officer of Reed Elsevier, commented:  'We are
of course sorry to see Derk Haank leave the company.  He has made a major
contribution to the development of the science and medical business over the
last five years, most recently in the successful integration of the Harcourt
acquisition.'   He added: 'The business is in very good shape, has a strong
management team, and should see another year of significant outperformance of
its markets.  We will be taking steps to appoint a new chief executive of the
division.'



-ends-

For further information please contact:

Catherine May, Reed Elsevier, tel [phone]


Notes to editors


Reed Elsevier Group plc


Reed Elsevier Group plc is a world leading publisher and information provider.
It is owned equally by its two parent companies, Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed
Elsevier NV.  The parent companies are listed on the London, Amsterdam and New
York Stock Exchanges, under the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam
: REN; New York: RUK and ENL.  In 2002, Reed Elsevier made adjusted profit
before taxation of £927 million (€1,474 million) on turnover of £5,020 million
(€7,982 million).  The group employs 36,000 people, including approximately
22,000 in North America. Operating in the scientific, legal, educational and
business-to-business sectors, Reed Elsevier provides high value and flexible
information solutions to professional end users, with increasing emphasis on
internet delivery.


For further information, please visit the company website www.reedelsevier.com.







                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange