M. P. Evans Group PLC                                                                                                                           31 March 2016

Board changes and appointment of chief financial officer

M.P. Evans Group PLC ("M P Evans" or "the Group"), a producer of Indonesian palm oil and Australian beef cattle, is pleased to announce proposed changes to its board and a senior management appointment.  Subject to shareholders' approval, the board changes will take effect at the conclusion of the annual general meeting on 10 June 2016.

Board changes

Philip Fletcher, currently Group managing director, will step down from this role and will be proposed for re-election as a non-executive director at the annual general meeting with a view to this appointment taking effect from the conclusion of the meeting.   Mr Fletcher has acquired a substantial knowledge of plantation matters in general, and of M P Evans in particular, over the 34 years during which he has been with the Group and it is believed that this will prove invaluable in his continuing role as a non-executive director.

Tristan Price, currently Group finance director, will be appointed as Group managing director at the conclusion of the annual general meeting.  He joined M P Evans nearly 10 years ago and since then has acquired a significant understanding of all facets of the Group's operations.  The board has every confidence in his ability to lead the Group successfully in the future.

The board also proposes that Bruce Tozer joins the board as an independent, non-executive director and a resolution to this effect will be included in the annual general meeting with a view to this appointment taking effect from the conclusion of the meeting.   Mr Tozer has held senior roles with Rabobank International, JP Morgan and Credit Agricole. He specialises in trade and commodity finance, M&A and strategic issues, environmental markets and global product development. He was a founding member of the Sustainable Food Lab and worked at De Novo Agricultura, consulting on agribusiness investment, commodity markets and environmental issues, spanning work in Brazil, Europe, Australia and Africa. Mr Tozer holds an MBA from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, an MSc in Agrifood Marketing from ESSEC in Paris, and a BSc from Newcastle University.

Additional information in respect of Bruce Tozer:-

The following information is disclosed under schedule 2 (g) of the AIM Rules.

Bruce Christian James Tozer, aged 56 is

(i)    Currently a director of the following companies:

Mayford Management Company Limited

H Tozer and Son Limited 

(ii)   Within the last 5 years, he has also served as a director/partner of the following companies/partnerships:

None 

There is no other additional information to be disclosed under schedule 2 (g) of the AIM Rules for Mr Tozer.

Appointment of chief financial officer

Matthew Coulson has been appointed as chief financial officer, with effect from 1 May 2016.  He has worked for Deloitte LLP for 21 years, latterly as an audit director.  He has experience of auditing plantation companies, including M P Evans. 

Enquiries:

M.P. Evans Group PLC                                                                    

Peter Hadsley-Chaplin                                                                     

Philip Fletcher

Tristan Price

Telephone: 01892 516333

Peel Hunt LLP                                                                                    

Dan Webster

Adrian Trimmings

George Sellar

Telephone: 020 7418 8900

Hudson Sandler                                                                                

Charlie Jack

Katie Matthews

Bertie Berger

Telephone: 020 7796 4133