BUZZ-Inchcape: CEO departure takes market by surprise

** Inchcape top faller on Stoxx 600, down4.6 pct as CEO Andrew Lacroix resigns to join Intertek (up 3.7 pct, top riser in Europe).

** Biggest one-day fall for auto retailer Inchcape sinceJanuary.

** Company up 5.1 pct in last year, but has faced headwindsfrom its Russian exposure - H1 profits in the region just £0.6mversus £4.8m in H1 2013.

** "The departure is unexpected which is why the market hasreacted so adversely," said an analyst covering the stock ratedat four-stars by StarMine.

** "Lacroix has been at Inchcape for ten years and giventhey have not named a successor it appears to have surprisedthem as well."

** Intertek ends search to replace retiring CEO WolfhartHauser. (RM: alasdair.pal.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)