Two top posts at Royal Mail

Royal Mail Chairman Allan Leighton today announced two key appointments to the Royal Mail Board.

Elmar Toime, currently Chief Executive of New Zealand Post, will join as Executive Deputy Chairman of Royal Mail Holdings plc and will have Group-wide responsibilities across Royal Mail and Post Office Ltd.

He has been Chief Executive of New Zealand Post for ten years and spearheaded its transformation into one of the top-rated postal services in the world. Elmar is a highly regarded and respected figure in the worldwide postal industry.

Adam Crozier, until recently Chief Executive of the Football Association, becomes Chief Executive of the Royal Mail Group to lead the transformation of the organisation. Adam was responsible for leading the highly successful modernisation of the FA, and before that was Chief Executive of Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising.

Both Elmar and Adam will report directly to Allan Leighton, Chairman of Royal Mail Group, and will take up their new roles in February 2003.

Allan Leighton said, “This combined appointment is the final piece in the new leadership jigsaw. The combination of Elmar Toime’s experience in postal services and Adam Crozier’s modernising touch is a very powerful cocktail that will ensure the delivery of our renewal plan and restore Royal Mail to being ‘the best postal service in the world’.”

Elmar Toime said, “It’s a huge challenge and honour to take on this new role at Royal Mail and I am looking forward to working alongside Allan, Adam and David Mills (Chief Executive of Post Office Ltd) in order to deliver the success the Group and its workforce deserve.”

Adam Crozier said, “To lead the modernisation of Royal Mail, as part of the new team, is a very challenging and exciting proposition. It is probably the single biggest corporate turnaround programme in the UK today but one which we all believe is achievable. Royal Mail is one of the best known brands in the UK with a loyal and committed workforce and this gives us a great base on which to build so we can deliver for our customers everywhere.”

Royal Mail has also confirmed the retirement of John Roberts, who has been with the company for 35 years and who has been Chief Executive for the past seven years. Allan Leighton said, “John has been a dedicated and loyal employee of the company for 35 years. His personal commitment has been immense, and as an individual there are few finer people around.”

Ends

Issued by Royal Mail Group plc: 020 7250 2468 (24 hours)
148 Old Street
LONDON
EC1V 9HQ
www.royalmail.com/group

Notes to editors:

1 Elmar Toime is currently New Zealand Post’s Chief Executive Officer. Prior to his appointment to that position in 1993, he held senior positions in business planning, marketing and retail operations. This year he established Kiwibank Ltd, a new, full service retail bank, as a fully owned subsidiary of New Zealand Post.

He will have Group-wide responsibilities, but with particular focus on Royal Mail’s UK and international businesses and on GLS, the European parcels business. He will join the boards of Royal Mail Group plc and Post Office Ltd.

He is 55 and was born in Italy. He lived and was educated in Australia before moving to New Zealand in 1987. He is married with three children

2 Adam Crozier was until recently Chief Executive of the Football Association, a post he was appointed to in January 2000. Between 1988 and 1999 he held a number of senior roles at Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising, including that of Joint Chief Executive from 1995.

Adam will spearhead the modernisation of the Group Centre, including Finance, IT and Human Resources, as well as marketing across the Group, Parcelforce Worldwide and the logistics arm of Royal Mail.

He was born in 1964 and is married with two children.

www.royalmail.com