Trading Update & Board Change

12 Jan 2007 07:00

Churchill China PLC12 January 2007 For Immediate Release 12 January 2007 CHURCHILL CHINA PLC TRADING UPDATE and BOARD CHANGES Following a satisfactory sales performance in the key end of year trading periodthe Board of Churchill China plc expects to achieve current market forecasts forpre-tax profit for the year to 31 December 2006. Operating cash generation hasalso been strongly positive in the second half of the year. Stephen Roper (64), Non-Executive Chairman since 2000, is to retire from theBoard at the Annual General Meeting in May this year. Since joining the Group in1960 he has worked in a variety of sales and management roles. Mr Roper willcontinue in a consultative capacity assisting with the further development ofthe Group's US hospitality business. The Board would like to take thisopportunity to thank Stephen for his leadership, energy and commitmentthroughout his time with the Group. Jonathan Sparey (49), who joined Churchill in 2000 as a Non-Executive Directorwill succeed Mr Roper as Chairman. Mr Sparey is currently a senior partner inL.E.K Consulting LLP, a leading international corporate strategy firm, and waspreviously a Director of the merchant bank Samuel Montagu and Co. No furtherdisclosures are required to be made in relation to Jonathan under schedule 2 (g)of the AIM rules. The Group expects to announce its Preliminary Results for the year ended 31December 2006 on 22 March 2007. For further information please contact: CHURCHILL CHINA PLC Tel: 01782 577566Stephen Roper, David Taylor BUCHANAN COMMUNICATIONS Tel: 0207 466 5000Tim Anderson, Rebecca Skye Dietrich This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange