UK Editorial Team for Business 2.0

Future Network PLC 3 April 2000 FUTURE ANNOUNCES UK EDITORIAL TEAM FOR BUSINESS 2.0 UK's leading Internet pioneers join magazine's Advisory Board The Future Network plc (LSE: FNET), the international specialist consumer magazine and online media company, today announces the senior editorial team for the UK version of Business 2.0, Future's highly successful US business publication. In addition, Future also announces the formation and first members of an Advisory Board for the UK magazine - including John Pluthero, founder and CEO of Freeserve plc and Tim Jackson, founder of QXL.com plc. Business 2.0 will launch in the UK on 25 May 2000. UK editorial team in place: The UK editorial team for Business 2.0 is headed up by Mark Halper, Editor in Chief. Mark has over 20 years experience as a business and technology journalist and has spent the past five years as a freelancer in Silicon Valley. He was a regular contributor to Future's Business 2.0 in the US and his articles have appeared in leading US business and technology titles, including the New York Times, Forbes, Business Week, Fortune and Wired, among others. The Editor of Business 2.0 in the UK is Marcus Austin, who was formerly editor of Future's Internet Works, the most successful e- business magazine in the UK to date. Group Art Director Paul McIntyre completes the team on the creative side. Paul has over 10 years experience designing consumer magazines, newspapers and contract publications and has been responsible for the creative remit of three of Future's start-up magazines: Internet Works, Internet Investor and Linux Answers. Internet leaders join Advisory Board: In addition to the editorial team and contributors, Future is assembling an Advisory Board for Business 2.0 that will consist of business leaders who have pioneered the development of new Internet business models in the UK. This Board will meet with Business 2.0 on a regular basis to provide insight into the latest business developments on the web. To date, the Advisory Board consists of John Pluthero, CEO and founder of Internet service provider, Freeserve; Tim Jackson, founder of online auction site, QXL.com and now a venture capitalist with The Carlyle Group; Marcus de Ferranti, co-founder of online telecoms network trader, Band-X; Mark Suster, CEO of business-to-business construction marketplace, Build-Online; and David Furniss, formerly sales and marketing director of Demon and now general manager of eBusiness at BT plc. Future anticipates adding to this advisory board over time. Greg Ingham, Future's Chief Executive, comments: 'This is a very exciting time for Business 2.0 as the US magazine continues its extraordinary growth and as we approach the UK launch. The Advisory Board concept was pioneered in the US by Business 2.0, where the panel includes Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com and the man who came up with the name Business 2.0. I'm very excited about the people who have agreed to be part of our panel in the UK. Their insights will help us produce a magazine that reflects and helps shape the tremendous changes that are taking place in the New Economy.' Mark Halper, Editor in Chief of Business 2.0 in the UK adds: 'We have assembled the core UK editorial team and are now pulling together a high quality list of contributors from the UK national daily and weekly press. These include some leading names in business and technology journalism and I'm confident that their knowledge and access to business leaders will be reflected in the pages of Business 2.0. The UK business community is rapidly realising the enormous potential of the Internet. The timing for Business 2.0 could not be better.' For further information: Greg Ingham, Chief Executive Tel: 01225 442244 Future Network plc Mark Halper, Editor in Chief Tel: 01225 442244 Business 2.0 James Longfield/Harriet Keen Tel: 020 7357 9477 Hogarth Partnership About Business 2.0 Business 2.0 (www.business2.com) is an award-winning, international publication published by Future in the US. Based on the knowledge that the Internet is changing the rules of business, the magazine is aimed at 'Transformers' - people with the power, influence, and insight to re-invent their companies for the New Economy. Through in-depth, analytical reporting, Business 2.0 provides the ideas and information these individuals need to succeed in the Internet Age. Business 2.0 won three 1999 Maggie Awards from the Western Publications Association, including Best Overall and New Consumer Publication, and Best Special Interest Consumer Publication. Business 2.0 was also honoured as the Best Newcomer by the Computer Press Association and won Folio's Editorial Excellence Award and two Silver Ozzies for magazine design. Business 2.0 has also recently been named a National Magazine Awards finalist by the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) in the category of General Excellence. As a result of the dramatic success of Business 2.0 in the US to date, it has expanded its editorial team with 13 new hires announced at the end of March 2000. And from May 2000, the magazine will be published in the US on a fortnightly rather than a monthly basis. Publishing Director Jessica Burley, recently appointed from Pearson will lead Business 2.0 in the UK. The UK May launch will be followed in the autumn by French and German editions. About The Future Network plc Future was founded in the UK in 1985. Today it publishes over 120 magazines worldwide and has extensive online activities generating over 68 million ad impressions and 4.6 million unique visitors per month. It is the world's fastest growing major publisher; the leading publisher of video games and home computing magazines in the UK, France, Italy and the US; and, ranks as the fourth largest magazine publisher in the UK. Future employs over 1,500 people in offices in Bath, London, San Francisco, New York, Paris, Milan, Munich and Rotterdam. Future was floated on the London Stock Exchange in June 1999 and has a current market capitalization of over £1 billion.

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