Directorate Change

Cookson Group PLC
05 May 2004


5 May 2004

DIRECTORATE CHANGE

Cookson Group plc announces that Stephen Howard intends to relinquish the role
as Group Chief Executive, after the identification and appointment of a
successor.  The process of identifying a successor has commenced and the Board
envisages that an appointment will be made during the course of 2004.
Accordingly, it is expected that Mr Howard will leave the Company on or before
31 December 2004.

Stephen Howard has been a Director of Cookson since 1992 and Group Chief
Executive since 1997.  During the seven years of his tenure as Group Chief
Executive, Cookson has been fundamentally reshaped into a highly focused group,
centred around Electronics and Ceramics, with the Precious Metals division the
subject of an ongoing strategic review, as announced on 15 March 2004.

Stephen Howard said:

'My eighteen years at Cookson, including twelve on the Board and seven as Chief
Executive, have been enormously fulfilling, but the time has simply come to do
something else.  The Company is now in excellent competitive shape and the
long-awaited recovery is clearly underway, making this year the appropriate time
to pass the baton on.'

Bob Beeston, Chairman of Cookson, said:

'The Board of Cookson is very grateful for Stephen Howard's contribution to, and
leadership of, the Company over many years.  After three years of very difficult
trading conditions, Cookson is now firmly on the recovery path, is in a sound
financial position and is therefore very well positioned to prosper under his
successor.  The Company will continue to enjoy Stephen's leadership whilst we
identify a suitable candidate to take over from him.'

An announcement concerning a successor will be made at the appropriate time.


 Shareholder/analyst enquiries:
 Robert Beeston, Chairman                                 020 7061 6500
 Stephen Howard, Group Chief Executive                    020 7061 6500

 Media enquiries:
 John Olsen, Hogarth Partnership                          020 7357 9477


Cookson Group plc, 265 Strand, London WC2R 1DB
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
www.cooksongroup.co.uk


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