Non Exec appointment

Compass Group PLC
07 July 2004



7th July 2004

                               COMPASS GROUP PLC

         Compass Group appoints Steve Lucas as a Non-Executive Director

Compass Group PLC announces today that Steve Lucas has been appointed a
non-executive director of Compass Group with immediate effect.

Steve Lucas (50) is Group Finance Director of National Grid Transco plc having
been previously Executive Director, Finance of Lattice Group plc. He is a
Chartered Accountant and since leaving private practice in 1983 has held a
number of senior finance positions with Shell International Petroleum Company
and British Gas. More recently he was Treasurer at BG Group plc.

Sir Francis Mackay, Chairman of Compass Group, commented:

'I am delighted to welcome Steve to the Board of Compass Group. He is a highly
successful and respected businessman and I am sure that with his wealth of
experience he will make a significant contribution to the development of Compass
Group.'

Compass Group confirms that there are no details to report under paragraph 6.F.2
(b) to (g) of the UK Listing Authority Listing Rules in respect of Steve Lucas.


Enquiries:

Compass Group                                 [phone]
Sarah Ellis, Director Investor Relations
Paul Kelly, Director Corporate Affairs


Brunswick                                     [phone]
Simon Sporborg
Pamela Small


Note to Editors

Compass Group is the world's largest foodservice company with annual revenues in
excess of £11 billion. Compass Group has over 400,000 employees working in more
than 90 countries around the world.

For more information, visit www.compass-group.com



END




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