Board Change

26 April 2012

AVEVA Group plc

Board Change

AVEVA Group plc ('AVEVA' or 'the Company'; stock code: AVV), one of the world's leading providers of engineering data and design IT systems, announces that Nick Prest has notified the Board of his intention to retire as Chairman following the Company's Annual General Meeting on 12 July 2012.

The Board is pleased to announce that Philip Aiken is to be appointed to the Board on 1 May 2012 as Deputy Chairman and, subject to election by shareholders, will succeed Nick Prest as Chairman after the Annual General Meeting.

Philip Aiken has extensive international business experience primarily in the energy sector and has worked in most geographies including Australia, the UK, Asia, the USA and the Middle East. His early career was at BOC Gases which he joined in 1970 after graduating in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sydney. In 1995 he was appointed Chief Executive of BTR Nylex and in 1997 joined BHP Billiton where he was President BHP Petroleum from 1997 to 2003 and Group President Energy from 2004 to 2006. From 2006 to 2009 he was a Senior Advisor at Macquarie Bank Ltd. He is currently a Director of Kazakhmys plc, National Grid plc, Essar Energy Plc and Chairman of Robert Walters Plc.

Nick Prest said: "It has been a pleasure to Chair the AVEVA Board during a period of significant expansion and success for the Company. The Company plans in long cycles and after six years I feel it is time to hand over to a new Chairman who can lead the Board during the next period of development. We have been fortunate to secure the services of Philip Aiken and I am confident that he and Richard Longdon will lead the Company to further success."

Richard Longdon, Chief Executive, said: "On behalf of the Board I would like to thank Nick Prest for his contribution to the development of AVEVA over the past six years. Under his Chairmanship the composition of the Board and management team and the strategy and performance of the business have all evolved favourably. We wish him well for the future." 

There are no further details to be disclosed by Philip Aiken in relation to paragraph 9.6.13 of the Financial Services Authority Listing Rules.