London - Reuters, the global information, news and technology group, today announced that Niall FitzGerald (57), Joint Chairman and CEO of Unilever, will join the Reuters Board as a non-executive director on 1 January 2003.

Reuters also announced the resignation, effective today, of Dennis Malamatinas as a non-executive director. He is leaving the Board to help develop Marfin Bank, a private bank in Greece where he will be Co-CEO and a member of the Board.

Sir Christopher Hogg, Reuters Chairman, said: “I am delighted that Niall will be joining the Board which will benefit greatly from his skill and experience in global business. The Board warmly acknowledges the valuable contribution Dennis has made since he joined the Board in January 2000, particularly his wise advice on marketing issues. We are sorry to lose him but we wish him well in his new venture.”

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Contact:

Peter Thomas,
Tel + 44 (0) 20 7542 4890
e-mail: peter.v.thomas@reuters.com

Note to editors:

Niall W A FitzGerald, KBE

There is nothing that is required to be disclosed pursuant to section 6F (2) b-g of the Listing Rules of the UK Listing Authority.

List of present and past directorships:

Present       Past

Unilever PLC       Prudential Corporation PLC
Unilever NV       Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
Merck & Co., Inc     . Bank of Ireland Group

Biography

Niall FitzGerald has been Joint Chairman and CEO of Unilever since 1 September 1996.

Born on 13 September 1945, Niall FitzGerald studied at University College, Dublin, where he graduated with a degree in commerce. Thirty years with Unilever have been spent in a variety of jobs and in several countries. His early career was on the Commercial and Financial side of the business. In the early 1980s he became CEO of Unilever's foods business in South Africa and thereafter returned to London as Unilever Treasurer.

Niall FitzGerald joined the Boards of Unilever PLC and Unilever NV in 1987 and has served respectively as Financial Director, Foods Director and Detergents Director until his appointment as Vice Chairman and subsequently Chairman and CEO in 1996. During his Unilever career he has worked and lived in Ireland, the Netherlands, South Africa, USA and the UK.

Outside Unilever, he is a non-executive director of Merck. His other activities include President of the Advertising Association, Vice Chairman of the Conference Board, Trustee of The Leverhulme Trust, a Governor of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, a Council Member of Co-operation Ireland and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He also serves as a member of the Trilateral Commission, the US Business Council, the EU-China Committee and the Council of the World Economic Forum. He is a member of various advisory bodies, including the President of South Africa's International Investment Advisory Council and the Shanghai Major's International Business Leaders' Council.

His former appointments include: non-executive directorships of Ericsson, Bank of Ireland and the Prudential Corporation, council member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers, member of the Accounting Standards Review Committee, member of the Finance and Industry Committee of the NEDC, and member of the International Policy Council for Agriculture and Trade.

Niall FitzGerald has four children: Tara – a journalist; Colin –events marketing; Aaron – a student; and the most recent arrival, Gabriella (born in April 2001). His active interests include jazz and opera, collecting antique furniture, paintings and Irish stamps. He is a sports enthusiast with a particular passion for Manchester United and Irish rugby. He plays golf poorly and runs slowly.

Niall FitzGerald, an Irish citizen, was awarded an honorary knighthood (KBE) in the 2002 New Year's Honours.

Reuters
Reuters (www.about.reuters.com) is the leading global provider of financial information, news and technology solutions to financial institutions, the media, businesses and individuals. Reuters strength is our unique ability to offer customers a combination of content, technology and connectivity. Our premier position is founded on continuous technological innovation and a reputation for speed, accuracy, integrity and impartiality. We have over 19,000 staff in 97 countries, including some 2,500 editorial staff in 230 bureaux serving approximately 150 countries, making it the world's largest international multimedia news agency. In 2001, Reuters had revenues of £3.9 billion.

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This news release may be deemed to include forward-looking statements relating to Reuters within the meaning of Section 27A of the US Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Certain important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those disclosed in such forward-looking statements are described in Reuters Annual Report and Form 20-F for the year to 31 December 2001 under the heading ‘Risk Factors'. Copies of the Annual Report and Form 20-F are available on request from Reuters Group PLC, 85 Fleet Street, London EC4P 4AJ.