Appointment of Chief Executive

EMBARGOED UNTIL 0700 HOURS,                          

                           WEDNESDAY 7 JANUARY 2009                            

                                 Bodycote plc                                  

                        Appointment of Chief Executive                         

Bodycote plc, the specialist thermal processing company, is pleased to announce
that Stephen Harris will become Chief Executive on 12th January 2009.

Stephen, currently Chief Executive Designate, replaces John Hubbard who will
continue to advise Stephen in the coming months. John will be stepping down
from the Board following the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in April.

Stephen, 50, was previously a main board Executive Director at Spectris plc,
responsible for the operational supervision of a number of the group's trading
companies. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Brixton plc. His past roles
include seven years as Divisional CEO and main board director of Powell Duffryn
plc and, before that, was resident in the USA for twelve years where he held
several senior positions within APV plc.

Stephen has an Engineering degree from Cambridge University and an MBA from the
University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business. He is a Chartered Engineer,
a member of the Institute of Measurement and Control, and a member of the
Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Alan Thomson, Chairman of Bodycote plc, said:

"I am very pleased that the handover period has progressed smoothly and that
Stephen Harris is now assuming the role of Chief Executive. He has already
taken personal charge of the group's previously announced restructuring plans.
I am confident that he will accelerate the improvement in the group's
performance and deliver significant value for shareholders."

Enquiries to:

Bodycote plc Tel: [phone]

Alan Thomson, Chairman

Financial Dynamics Tel: [phone]

Jon Simmons

Sophie Moate


PRESS RELEASE