Kier Regulatory News (KIE)

For release at 0700 hours on Thursday 23 March 2017

Kier Group plc

Appointment of Chairman Designate

Kier Group plc ("Kier") announces that Phil White has advised the board of directors (the "Board") that he will retire as Chairman and step down from the Board with effect from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting on 17 November 2017 (the "AGM"). He will be succeeded by Philip Cox CBE, who is the Chairman of Drax Group plc, the FTSE 250 energy group, and Global Power Generation ("GPG"), a joint venture between Gas Natural Fenosa and the Kuwait Investment Authority. Mr. Cox will retire as the Chairman of GPG by 10 September 2017.

Philip Cox will join the Board as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman Designate on 1 July 2017 and will assume the role of Chairman immediately following the AGM. He will be a member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees with effect from his appointment as a Non-Executive Director.

Phil White was appointed to the Board with effect from July 2006 and has served as Chairman since January 2008.

Since 2001, Mr. Cox has undertaken a number of non-executive roles, including as the Senior Independent Director of Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc and as a member of the boards of Talen Energy Corporation, Meggitt plc and Wincanton plc.

During his executive career, Mr. Cox was the Chief Executive Officer of International Power plc (from 2003 to 2013), where he was previously the Chief Financial Officer. Prior to this, he held a senior operational position at Invensys plc and a number of senior finance positions at Siebe plc, having qualified as a chartered accountant with a predecessor firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

Phil White, commenting on the changes, said: "I am delighted that Philip has agreed to accept the role of Chairman Designate, as his extensive track record demonstrates that he has the range of skills and experience for the role. I would like to welcome Philip to the Board and I am looking forward to working with him over the coming months to ensure a smooth handover of duties."

Philip Cox, commenting on his appointment, said: "I am honoured to be joining the board of Kier. There are clear opportunities for Kier in each of its market sectors and I am excited about the prospect of working with the management team to grow the business in line with its Vision 2020 strategy."

Haydn Mursell, Kier's Chief Executive, said: "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Phil White for his leadership over many years and the significant contribution he has made to Kier. On a personal note, I would like to thank Phil for his support and advice. I look forward to working with Philip to lead Kier through the next stage of its growth." 

No further information is required to be disclosed pursuant to Listing Rule 9.6.13.

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About Kier

Kier is a leading property, residential, construction and services group that invests in, builds, maintains and renews the places where we work, live and play. It operates across a range of sectors including defence, education, health, housing, industrials, power, transport and utilities. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, it is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. Employing approximately 21,000 people, Kier has the financial strength and technical expertise to undertake some of the most significant construction, civil engineering and service contracts in the country. For more information, please visit www.kier.co.uk.

Cautionary statement

This announcement does not constitute an offer of securities by Kier Group plc (the "Company"). Nothing in this announcement is intended to be, or intended to be construed as, a profit forecast or a guide as to the performance, financial or otherwise, of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (together, the "Group") whether in the current or any future financial year. This announcement may include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, ''forward-looking statements''. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future and may be beyond the Company's or the Group's ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. You are advised to read the section headed ''Principal risks and uncertainties'' in the Company's Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2016 for a further discussion of the factors that could affect the Company's or the Group's future performance and the industry in which it operates. Other than in accordance with its legal or regulatory obligations, the Company does not accept any obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.