Appointment of Non-Exec Dir

NewMedia SPARK PLC
31 January 2002


31 January 2002



      NewMedia SPARK plc appoints John Maples MP as Non-Executive Director


NewMedia SPARK plc ('SPARK') today announces that it has appointed John Maples,
MP as a non-executive director. John, 58, is currently Member of Parliament for
Stratford-on-Avon. He is also a Member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee
and Council Member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham
House).

John has had a distinguished political career. Previous roles held include
Treasury Minister, Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, Shadow Foreign
Secretary and Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Defence.

John also has extensive commercial experience. Other current directorships held
include non-executive Chairman of Advanced Visual Technology plc and
non-executive director of Value Retail plc and Agatha Christie Ltd. Previous
directorships include non-executive director of SEP Industrial Holdings, a fully
quoted engineering and distribution company. He was also Chairman of Saatchi &
Saatchi Government Communications Worldwide. John has specific smaller company
fund management experience. He was jointly responsible for Newton's Wellington
B.E.S Fund which invested in smaller companies. He is a qualified barrister.

John Maples will be replacing Per Lundberg who has resigned as a non-executive
director. Per Lundberg was previously Chairman of Cell ICD and was appointed to
the Board following SPARK's acquisition of Cell in March 2000.



For further information, please contact:

Fenella Copas

NewMedia SPARK plc [phone]



NewMedia SPARK plc

Listed on London's Alternative Investment Market, NewMedia SPARK plc is a quoted
European venture capital organisation focused on investments in the telecoms,
media, technology and financial services sectors. SPARK has operations in
London, Stockholm and Berlin. For further information see www.newmediaspark.com.



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