Appointment of new Chief Executive

22 December 2014

Huntsworth plc ("Huntsworth" or the "Company")

Appointment of new Chief Executive

The Board of Huntsworth, the international public relations and healthcare communications group, announces the appointment of Paul Taaffe as Chief Executive, succeeding Lord Chadlington, 72, who announced his retirement earlier this year.Paul Taaffe has wide experience in public relations, communications and marketing - most recently as Director of Communications at e-commerce company Groupon. Previously Mr Taaffe had a twenty year career at Hill and Knowlton, Inc, the WPP-owned global public relations consultancy, where he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for eight years.Derek Mapp, Chairman of Huntsworth, said:

"We are delighted that Paul is joining us as our new Chief Executive Officer. His extensive knowledge of public relations, e-commerce and digital communications will ensure he makes an immediate contribution to our business. Paul will join early in April 2015 but in the intervening months he will meet key Huntsworth executives and familiarise himself with our four divisions."Lord Chadlington will stand down from the Huntsworth Board as soon as Paul Taaffe is in post but will continue in a client facing role as Group Senior Adviser. His continuing new business and marketing role will be supplemented by advising those clients where he has strong personal commitments particularly in the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific.Derek Mapp said:

"For the last fourteen years, Lord Chadlington has made an immense contribution to Huntsworth and I am delighted that his experience and contacts will continue to be available to our existing and potential clients."Sally WitheyAs announced at the Company's 2014 AGM on 24th June and subsequently on 14th July, 2014, Sally Withey, Huntsworth's Chief Operating Officer and Finance Director, has been seriously unwell and on leave from the office. The Company has now agreed with her that her employment with the Company will end on 31st December, 2014 and she will step down from the Board on that date.

Brian Porritt, Huntsworth's interim finance director, will continue in that role while the Board institutes a search for a new Finance Director.

Derek Mapp, Chairman of Huntsworth said:

"I would like to thank Sally for her contribution to the Company over a number of years. I hope that her health will recover further and wish her all the best for the future. I am pleased that Brian will be continuing in his role as interim Finance Director which he has been successfully performing now for a number of months."

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Notes to editors:

1. Since 2012, Paul Taaffe has been Director of Communications at Groupon, a $7 billion e-commerce company with activities in 47 countries. He has led and managed a 100 person team within 12 agencies, and a $12m annual budget across brand, events, issues, government relations, public relations, social media, e-commerce occasions and financial communications.

2. Prior to that, Paul enjoyed a twenty year career with Hill & Knowlton, Inc, the WPP-owned global public relations consultancy, including eight years as its Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. Throughout this time, he advised many Blue Chip and international clients across all geographies and services, ranging from crisis and issues to marketing and globalising brands, to M&A and earnings. Amongst his various responsibilities, he oversaw numerous acquisitions, established new business acquisition protocols and global tracking. He created financial systems for pricing projects and a marketing infrastructure to address new marketplaces, in particular for diversification into digital. He developed global talent engagement, profiling and performance metrics, as well as a senior training course which was adapted by WPP across the wider group. He also developed a strategic planning capability, and client and business planning tools and benchmarks.

3. Paul started his career in 1983 at Unilever as a Corporate Relations Manager. In 1986 Paul joined Reginald Watts Associates as an Account Group Director before moving to Weber Shandwick in 1989 to become a Managing Director, and was involved in advising a wide range of clients throughout.