Hays plc – appointment of Chief Executive Officer

24th September 2002

Hays plc announces that Colin Matthews (46) will be joining the Board as Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1st November 2002.

Colin Matthews joins from Lattice Group plc where he was the Executive Director responsible for managing Transco, the owner and operator of Britain’s gas pipeline network with turnover of £3bn p.a. Prior to joining Lattice Group plc he held senior management positions with British Airways and General Electric (USA). At British Airways he was responsible latterly for flight operations, information management and maintenance of British Airways entire aircraft fleet. Colin graduated from Cambridge and is a Chartered Engineer. He has an MBA from INSEAD.

Bob Lawson, Chairman of Hays, commented:

“We are absolutely delighted that Colin will be joining Hays in November as Chief Executive. He brings with him a vast international and service industry experience, having worked extensively in Europe and North America in senior positions. ”

Colin Matthews today said:

“Hays is a first class company and I am very much looking forward to leading their management team.”

Enquiries:

Bob Lawson, Chairman, Hays plc +44 (0)1483 302203

Jon Coles, Brunswick +44 (0)20 7404 5959

Notes For Editors

Having obtained a first class degree in engineering from Cambridge University, the early part of Colin Matthew’s career included a 2 year period working as a resident engineer in Tokyo. Then, after taking an MBA at INSEAD in France where he graduated with distinction, Colin worked for 3 years as a consultant for Bain & Co where he was responsible for the planning and execution of strategy, acquisition, marketing and cost reduction studies.

In 1988 Colin joined GE International as Manager, Business Development, beginning a 9 year period with this American company. At that time of opening Eastern European markets and integrating Western European markets, he worked to establish US based GE businesses across the continent, and especially in France, Germany, Spain and Italy.

In 1990, he moved to Paris with GE Medical Systems, then in 1994 was offered promotion to run GE’s Can$200 million Montreal based hydro turbine and generator business which successfully competed in markets around the globe.

In 1997, following an approach on behalf of British Airways, he joined as Managing Director, BA Engineering which employed some 10,000 people and was responsible for the maintenance of BA’s entire fleet of aircraft. In 1999, he was promoted to Director, Technical Operations, where he also became responsible for Flight Operations, Procurement and Information Management.

Colin left British Airways in November last year to join the Main Board of Lattice Group plc as Managing Director of Transco. With turnover of just over £3 billion Transco is one of the successor companies to British Gas involved in the national transmission and distribution of gas. The holding company, Lattice Group plc, is in the process of merging with the National Grid Company.