Appointment of Chairman

26 March 2003                                                                  
                                                                               
                          Appointment of New Chairman                          

Reckitt Benckiser plc (RB.L) announced today that Dr HÃ¥kan Mogren, Chairman,
has indicated his wish to retire both as Chairman and a Director of the Company
at the conclusion of the Company's AGM on 7th May 2003. This is for personal
reasons.

The Board has elected Adrian Bellamy as Chairman designate. He will assume the
Chair on the retirement of Dr Mogren at the conclusion of the AGM.

Mr Bellamy (61) was appointed a non-executive director of Benckiser N.V. in
1997, joined the Board of Reckitt Benckiser plc in 1999 and was appointed the
Senior non-executive director in 2001. He is Chairman of Gucci Group N.V. and
The Body Shop International plc, and is a director of The Gap Inc., The Robert
Mondavi Corporation and Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

The Board will designate a new Senior non-executive director in due course.

Dr HÃ¥kan Mogren, retiring Chairman, commented today

'I have decided to step down from the Chair and the Board of Reckitt Benckiser
plc following a reassessment of my personal commitments. I am pleased to leave
the Company in very good shape. I am also pleased that Adrian Bellamy has
agreed to take over the Chair. I am sure he will make a significant
contribution to the future success of the Company.'

For further information                                                        
                                                                               
Tom Corran                                                                     
                                                                               
SVP Investor Relations & Corporate Communications    [phone]       
                                                                               
www.reckittbenckiser.com