Directorate Change

Cookson Group PLC
26 May 2005

                               Cookson Group plc
                      Board and Senior Management Changes

Cookson Group plc, the international materials science company, announces the
following Board and senior management changes.

Mike Butterworth

Mike Butterworth is to join the Board as a Director with effect from 15 June
2005, and will assume the role of Group Finance Director on 1 August 2005.

Mike Butterworth, 44, was Group Finance Director of Incepta Group plc, the
international marketing and communications group, from 2001 until May 2005.  He
previously spent five years as Group Financial Controller at BBA Group plc, the
international aviation and materials technology group.  He qualified as a
chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen.

In assuming the role of Group Finance Director, he will succeed Dennis Millard
whose intended departure was announced in March 2005.  Dennis Millard will step
down from the Board and leave the Company on 31 July 2005.

There are no disclosures required in respect of Mr Butterworth under paragraph
6.F.2 (b) to (g) of the Listing Rules.

Jeff Hewitt

Jeff Hewitt is to join the Board as a non-executive Director, and assume the
role of Chairman of the Audit Committee, with effect from 1 June 2005.

Jeff Hewitt, 57, is currently Deputy Chairman and Group Finance Director of
Electrocomponents plc, the international high service distributor of electronic,
electrical, industrial and commercial supplies.  He is also a non-executive
Director and Senior Independent Director of Roxboro Group plc, the international
specialist electronics products group, and is a chartered accountant.

There are no disclosures required in respect of Mr Hewitt under paragraph 6.F.2
(b) to (g) of the Listing Rules.

Gian Carlo Cozzani

Gian Carlo Cozzani, 64, executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the
Ceramics Division, is to step down from the Board on his 65th birthday on 6
October 2005, and will retire from the Company shortly thereafter.

Gian Carlo Cozzani has been with Cookson since 1988, and an executive Director
since 1999.

Francois Wanecq

Francois Wanecq has been appointed as the designated successor to Gian Carlo
Cozzani as Chief Executive Officer of the Ceramics Division.

Francois Wanecq held a series of senior management roles at ArjoWiggins Group,
the global paper group, from 1995 to 2004. He was a Board director of Arjo
Wiggins Appleton plc from 1999 to 2001, and was Chairman of the management board
of ArjoWiggins sas from 2001 to 2004.

From 1985 to 1995, he was Managing Director of the technical ceramics division
of Saint-Gobain SA, the global industrial materials group, and previously spent
seven years with the French Ministry for Industry, as head of the research and
production department at the Oil and Gas Directorate.

Nick Salmon, Chief Executive of Cookson, commented:

'We are delighted to welcome Mike Butterworth to the Board as our new Group
Finance Director.  He has demonstrated exceptional financial and commercial
acumen in his career to date, and his years at BBA Group provide directly
relevant experience in businesses of a similar nature to Cookson's.  He is
therefore very well qualified to carry on the excellent work undertaken by
Dennis Millard.

'We are also very fortunate to have recruited Francois Wanecq as the designated
successor to Gian Carlo Cozzani as head of our Ceramics Division.  He has an
extensive international industrial and management track record, including a
decade of directly relevant experience within the ceramics industry.'

Bob Beeston, Chairman of Cookson, commented:

'I am very pleased that we have been able to secure Jeff Hewitt's services as a
non-executive Director.  He has a wealth of UK plc board experience, in both an
executive and non-executive capacity, and has exactly the right credentials to
assume the important role of Chairman of the Audit Committee.

'I would like to repeat our thanks to Dennis Millard for his outstanding
contribution to Cookson as Group Finance Director over nine years.  He will
leave Cookson on a very sound financial footing, and we wish him well for the
future.

'Gian Carlo Cozzani has been an excellent leader of Cookson's ceramics
businesses for many years, and a valued colleague.  We wish him all the very
best for his retirement.

'I would also like to endorse Nick Salmon's words of welcome to both Mike
Butterworth and Francois Wanecq.'

                                    - Ends -

Shareholder/analyst enquiries:

Nick Salmon, Chief Executive                            020 7061 6500
Dennis Millard, Group Finance Director                  020 7061 6500

Press enquiries:

John Olsen, Hogarth Partnership                         020 7357 9477


Notes to editors:

Mike Butterworth will receive a basic annual salary of £250,000. His other
contractual terms are consistent with those of Nick Salmon, Chief Executive,
which are detailed in the 2004 Annual Report and include a notice period of not
more than 12 months.

About Cookson Group:

Cookson Group is a leading materials science company which provides materials,
processes and services to customers worldwide.

The Group's operations are formed into three divisions - Ceramics, Electronics
and Precious Metals.

The Ceramics division is the world leader in the supply of advanced flow control
and refractory products and systems to the iron and steel industry and is also a
leading supplier of refractory lining materials for iron and steelmaking and
other industrial processes.

The Electronics division is a leading manufacturer and supplier of materials and
services to the electronics industry, primarily serving fabricators and
assemblers of printed circuit boards, assemblers of semiconductor packaging and
the electrical and industrial markets.

The Precious Metals division is a leading supplier to the jewellery industry of
fabricated precious metals products.

Headquartered in London, Cookson employs some 16,000 people in more than 35
countries and sells its products in over 100 countries.


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