LVD.L Regulatory News (LVD)

31 May 2011

Lavendon Group plc ("Lavendon" or "the Company")

Board Changes

Lavendon today announces that Kevin Appleton will step down as Chief Executive of the Company on 30 June of this year. The process to appoint Kevin's successor will commence immediately, and a search consultancy has been engaged accordingly. Prior to the appointment of a new Chief Executive, John Standen will become Executive Chairman and Jan Astrand, the Company's senior non-executive director, will become Chief Executive of the Company's continental European operations. Mike Potts and Andy Wright will continue as Chief Executives of the UK and International Operations respectively.

Today's announcement follows the conclusion of detailed business and operational reviews over the last six months. As these business and operational reviews developed, the Board has been discussing with Kevin Appleton the subject of leadership succession to see the Group through to the next level of its development. Given we now have an agreed growth plan for the Group, both parties have decided that this is an appropriate time to implement that leadership succession.

We have continued to make good progress with regard to future strategy and long term growth for the Company, and the Board is increasingly confident that we will deliver the improvements identified in the reviews. Trading during April has been in line with the Board's expectations, despite the disruption caused by the extended public holiday period in the UK, and we look forward to being able to report further progress in the coming weeks.

John Standen, Chairman of Lavendon, commented:

"I would like to offer the sincere thanks of the Board and the wider company to Kevin for all he has achieved in increasing the scale and quality of the business during his nine years with the Group. Kevin has been instrumental in leading a full review of the business, and this confirms our belief that there is a strong future for the Group, building on the foundations that have already been laid. This is reflected in our current trading performance which, as recently announced, is fully in line with the Board's expectations."

Kevin Appleton, Chief Executive, commented:

"I have greatly enjoyed my nine years at Lavendon, during which time we have built a clear market leadership position. Having navigated the profound market challenges of the last two years I believe the business is well set for a successful future and that this is therefore a good point for me to pursue new challenges. I would like to thank all the staff, customers and business partners of Lavendon for their unstinting support over the past years and wish the Board and the company the very best for the future".

The Company will announce a trading update for the six months to 30 June 2011 on 18 July 2011.

For further information, please contact:

Notes to Editors

John Standen

John is a Durham graduate and is a member of the Securities Institute. He spent the majority of his career in corporate finance and was Chief Executive of Corporate Finance for BZW from 1993 to 1995. He retired from Barclays plc in 1998 and has since been a non-executive Chairman or Director of a number of quoted companies. He is currently non-executive Chairman of Biome Technologies plc and, in a voluntary capacity, Chairman of the Council of the University of Hull.

John joined the Board of Lavendon as a Non Executive Director in May 2005 and was appointed Chairman in September 2010.

Jan Astrand

Jan Astrand, a Swedish national, is currently a Non-Executive Director of Northgate Plc. He was previously Chairman of CRC Group plc until January 2007, and prior to this, he was Chairman of Car Park Group AB in Stockholm and also Senior Independent Director of PHS Group Plc. From 1994 to 1999 he was President and Chief Executive of Axus (International) Inc. (previously known as Hertz Leasing International), and from 1989 to 1994 he was Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer of Hertz (Europe) Ltd.

Jan joined the Board of Lavendon as a Non Executive Director in December 2010.