Appointment of CEO

Fisher (James) & Sons PLC
23 January 2002

23 January 2002



        Angus Buchanan Appointed Chief Executive Officer of James Fisher



Angus Buchanan, 37, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of James Fisher
and Sons Public Limited Company, the shipping group based in Barrow.  Angus
joined James Fisher in 1997 from Yarrow Shipbuilding where he was Project
Director responsible for the construction of type 23 frigates.  He was appointed
Managing Director of James Fisher Tankships in January 1998.



Ian Serjent, an executive director of James Fisher, has been appointed Marine
and Technical Services Director.  A qualified engineer, Ian has a wealth of
experience covering 30 years in operational management, the offshore industry
and ship construction and conversion.  Before joining James Fisher in 1984, he
was employed by Alfred Holt and Company and Coe Metcalf Shipping Limited.



Commenting, Tim Harris, Chairman of James Fisher, said:  'These two appointments
reflect the considerable operational and technical strength of James Fisher in
marine services which form a sound base for the future commercial success of the
Company.'



At the same time Anthony Cooke, 60, has joined the board as a non-executive
Director.  Anthony has wide experience in commercial shipping, having been
responsible for the management buy-out of Ellerman Lines Plc in 1985 and its
subsequent sale to Trafalgar House in 1987.  Recently he was Chairman of Andrew
Weir Shipping Limited and was President of The Chamber of Shipping in 1997.  He
is currently a director of The Baltic Exchange and Vice President of the
Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.



Meanwhile Sir Julian Oswald and Jeremy Hodgson have retired from the Board as
non-executive Directors.



Press Enquiries:



Tim Harris

Chairman

James Fisher and Sons Public Limited Company

Tel:  [phone]



Issued on behalf of James Fisher and Sons Public Limited Company by Tavistock
Communications Limited (Contact:  Keith Payne, tel: [phone]).



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