Retirement of Director

Guinness Peat Group PLC
01 October 2004


                            GUINNESS PEAT GROUP PLC
                                       &
                             GPG (UK) HOLDINGS PLC


Further to the announcement at its Annual General Meeting in May 2004, Guinness
Peat Group plc ("GPG" or "the Company") confirms the retirement of Trevor Beyer
as a Director on 30 September 2004.


Trevor also retires from the Board of GPG (UK) Holdings plc.  He is succeeded on
that Board by Laurie Todd, who remains Chief Executive of Staveley Industries
plc, another wholly owned subsidiary of GPG in the UK.


Trevor joined the Board of GPG in March 1990 when the Company came under the
control of the then Brierley Investments Limited.  The Board wishes to express
its gratitude to Trevor for his contribution over the 14 years that he has been
a director, during which time the Group's shareholders' funds have risen from
£28 million to the £481 million declared at 30 June 2004.

On a personal level the Chairman, Sir Ron Brierley, said "having worked with
Trevor for very many years with GPG and previously, I take this opportunity to
wish him a happy and well earned retirement."

Richard Russell

Company Secretary

1 October 2004

                      This information is provided by RNS
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