Chairman's Announcement

Smiths News PLC
18 October 2007



                                Smiths News PLC

           Dennis Millard to succeed Brendan Fitzmaurice as Chairman


Smiths News PLC ('Smiths News') announces the following change to the Board.

Brendan Fitzmaurice (age 64) is to retire as Chairman at the Smiths News Annual
General Meeting on 6 February 2008. He will be succeeded by Dennis Millard (age
58) currently Deputy Chairman and Senior Independent Director.

Dennis Millard joined the Board of Smiths News on the demerger of WH Smith
Retail on 31 August 2006. He is currently a non-executive director and Chairman
of the Audit Committees of Debenhams plc and Xchanging plc and a non-executive
director of EAG Limited and Premier Farnell plc.

Commenting, Brendan Fitzmaurice said:

'I am grateful for the support of everyone I have worked with at Smiths News and
WH Smith during my 47 years with the business. It is now a little over a year
since the demerger of WH Smith Retail and as the business has made such an
excellent transition I have decided it is time to make way for a new Chairman. I
look forward to continuing in my current role until the Annual General Meeting,
at which time my successor will take over.'

Commenting, Mark Cashmore, Chief Executive said:

'I'd like to thank Brendan for his contribution to the business - not just in
his time as Chairman, but also for the 47 years he has worked in the News
business. As Managing Director he was an inspirational leader whose passion for
the business and knowledge of our operation helped us to rebuild from a low base
into the market leader we are today. As Chairman he has been a terrific support
to me during the period of transition.'

Commenting, Dennis Millard said:

'I am very pleased at the prospect of becoming Chairman of Smiths News; it is a
great company with a solid core business and exciting opportunities to build on
its existing skills and competencies to develop new business opportunities.
Brendan has led the Board with great skill over the last year and I wish him a
happy and long retirement.'



                                      End



For further information:

Mark Charlton                  Smiths News                      01793 563516
Kerrie Colford                 Smiths News                      01793 563516


Notes to editors

Dennis Millard

Dennis Millard joined the Board of Smiths News on 31 August 2006. He is
currently a non-executive director and Chairman of the Audit Committees of
Debenhams plc and Xchanging plc and a non-executive director of EAG Limited and
Premier Farnell plc. He was previously Group Finance Director of Cookson Group
plc from 1996 to 2005, Finance Director of Medeva plc from 1994 to 1996, and a
director of the Plate Glass Group, a South African public company, from 1980 to
1993. He was a non-executive director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of
Exel plc from 2003 until 2005 and ARC International plc from 2001 until 2003.

Brendan Fitzmaurice

Brendan Fitzmaurice became the first Chairman of Smiths News on 31 August 2006,
having previously been Managing Director of WH Smith News. He worked for
different parts of the WH Smith Group for 46 years. He joined WH Smith News in
1985 as Sales and Marketing Manager for magazines and was appointed Logistics
Director in 2001. He is a non-executive director of the charity Newstraid.


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