ACHL.L Regulatory News (ACHL)

4 Apr 2006 12:00

Asian Citrus Holdings Ltd04 April 2006 Date 4 April 2006 Asian Citrus Holdings Limited ("Asian Citrus" or "the Company") Appointment of Chief Scientist Asian Citrus announces the appointment of Dr. Shaoke Wang, 54, as ChiefScientist of the Company with effect from 1 April 2006. Dr. Wang is a Faculty Affiliate of the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences atthe Colorado State University, United States. He has been a Chief Scientist andActing Director of China Agricultural Development (Hong Kong) Ltd. since 1997,which has developed a large-scale new citrus farm of grapefruits, limes, orangesand many new healthy crops in Southern China. Dr. Wang graduated from Suzhou Agricultural University with Bachelor degree inAgronomy in 1977. He then became the director for the University ExperimentStation with certain undergraduate teaching assignments. In 1979, he wasadmitted as the first group of graduate students after Cultural Revolution tostudy at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing, China where heobtained his MS in Agronomy in 1982. Upon graduation, he worked as ResearchScientist in the Institute of Crop Breeding & Cultivation, Chinese Academy ofAgricultural Sciences, Beijing, China. In 1984, he was awarded a Fellowship fromthe Rockefeller Foundation to United States to study for his doctoral degree. Dr. Wang finished his Ph.D. in Agronomy at the Colorado State Universitymajoring in plant breeding and genetics in 1987. He continued his postdoctoralwork on cytogenetics and molecular genetics in the same university. In 1989, heaccepted a faculty position in the Colorado State University to manage the USnational barley genetic stocks and taught two graduate courses at the same time.He joined Seedex Inc. in 1992 as the General Manager of Research for overallresearch and development of variety development, seed production and new crops.During that time, he served as the member of National Science Committee andGermplasm Committee of the American Association of Sugar Beet Technologists. Hewas the member of American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society ofAmerica. Dr. Wang has been active in the international scientific activities. He wasappointed by the International Barley Genetic Committee as an InternationalCoordinator for the barley Chromosome 2 from 1990 to 1992. He has also publishednumerous papers in the scientific Journals of United States, Germany, Canada,Japan, Italy and China. He is an Honorary Professors of the Inner-MongolianAcademy of Agricultural Sciences and the Xinjiang Academy of AgriculturalSciences in China. He has been invited to China to lecture and give scientificadvices during the past 15 years. Mr. Tony Tong, Chairman and CEO, commented; "Dr. Wang has excellent and provenacademic and professional knowledge in the field of research and development. Hewill be our head of our research and development who will be directing ouroverall strategy in this area. Dr. Wang will help Asian Citrus to develop one ofthe largest nursery centres in Zigui county of Hubei province, China. With Dr.Wang's extensive experience, we believe that he can bring valuable experienceand knowledge to the Company from the perspective of an experienced researchfellow. The Board of Directors is very pleased to have Dr. Wang on board inorder to strengthen the Company's pioneering position further in research anddevelopment within China". Save as set out in this announcement there is no other information required tobe disclosed under Schedule 2 paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules. About Asian Citrus Holdings Limited Asian Citrus Holdings Limited is the largest orange plantation owner andoperator in China and has two plantations in the Hepu county of the GuangxiZhuang Autonomous Region and the Xinfeng county of the Jiangxi province ofChina. Its primary goal is to sell quality oranges at an affordable price and inso doing, strengthen its position as a leading, mechanised and industrialisedorange grower and distributor in China. For Further Information Contact: Terry Garrett/ John Moriarty/Helen ThomasWeber Shandwick Square Mile 0207 067 0700 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange