New Appointment

Travis Perkins PLC
09 December 2004


9 December 2004



             Geoff Cooper to Succeed Frank McKay as Chief Executive
                                of Travis Perkins

Geoff Cooper, until recently deputy chief executive of Alliance Unichem, is to
be appointed chief executive designate of Travis Perkins plc on 1 February 2005.
Following an appropriate period of handover, he will succeed Frank McKay, who
will retire as group chief executive as planned in 2005.

Geoff, 50, spent 10 years in management consultancy before joining Gateway (now
Somerfield plc) as finance director in 1990. In 1994 he moved to Alliance
Unichem as finance director and was promoted to deputy chief executive in 2001.
Alliance Unichem, a £9 billion turnover company and a member of the FTSE 100
index, operates a medicine wholesaling and retail pharmacy business across
Europe. It generates profits before tax of £200m and has 22,000 employees.

Frank McKay joined Travis Perkins at the end of 1999, prior to taking up the
role of chief executive in January 2000. During his five year tenure turnover
has more than doubled to £1.8 billion in response to a sustained period of
strong growth by way of acquisition, brown-field openings and organic
development. This rate of progress has been accompanied by double digit earnings
per share growth year on year, a strong dividend progression and an increase in
the branch network from 450 to over 750.

Commenting, Tim Stevenson, chairman of Travis Perkins, said: 'Frank will be
leaving behind a business that is in excellent shape following a period of
consistent and well-managed growth and ready for its next phase of development.
The board is delighted to welcome Geoff, who joins us with an impressive record
of achievement and relevant experience, to lead the business forward. At the
same time, and on behalf of the board, all our employees and shareholders, I
would like to thank Frank for his outstanding contribution to the success of our
company in recent years.'


Press Enquiries:

Tim Stevenson
Chairman
Travis Perkins plc
Tel: [phone]


Issued on behalf of Travis Perkins plc by Tavistock Communications Limited
(contact Keith Payne, tel: [phone])




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