Re Directorate

British American Tobacco PLC
8 March 2001


                            BOARD APPOINTMENT

Thys Visser will be appointed to the Board of British American Tobacco
plc as a Non-executive Director from 1st April, 2001.  He is Vice
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Remgro Limited, the South
African diversified investment holding company formerly known as
Rembrandt Group Limited.  Aside from its holding in British American
Tobacco, Remgro's other principal interests are in financial services.

Thys Visser, who is married with two children, is a Chartered Accountant
who qualified with Arthur Young & Company in Cape Town before joining
the Rembrandt Group where he held a number of positions, becoming
Financial Director in 1991 and Managing Director in 1992.