Directorate Change

Embargoed until 0700 03 July 2012

Ultra Electronics Holdings plc

("Ultra" or "the Group")

APPOINTMENT OF NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ultra Electronics announces that Martin Broadhurst OBE has been appointed to the Board of Ultra as a Non-Executive Director. He replaces Ian Griffiths who announced his decision to stand down from the Board at the Group's 2012 AGM, in compliance with the UK Corporate Governance Code having served as a Non-Executive Director for nine years.

Martin Broadhurst OBE was Chief Executive of Marshall Aerospace for 15 years until his retirement in 2011, having joined Marshall in 1975 as a Management Trainee. Under Martin's leadership, Marshall Aerospace grew fourfold as well as expanding its international footprint and capability.

During his time with Marshall Aerospace, Martin was involved in many pioneering programmes and projects, including the development of the Hercules Integrated Operational Support and TriStar Integrated Operational Support contracts, which have been seen as role models for partnership between industry and the Ministry of Defence.

Martin Broadhurst OBE is Non-Executive Chairman of the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence in the UK and is a Council Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He holds a Master's degree from the University of Cambridge.

Douglas Caster, Chairman, commented: 

"I am delighted to welcome Martin onto the Board of Ultra. He brings a wealth of valuable experience in the defence and aerospace sectors, markets which continue to account for a large part of the Group's revenue mix. As a former Chief Executive of an aerospace business, Martin's skill set will be an excellent match with the rest of the Board. I am confident that he will make a substantial contribution to Ultra's continuing success.

On behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank Ian Griffiths for his contribution to Ultra's development since he joined the Group in 2003. Ian has been a highly valued Ultra Board member and we will miss his guidance and wisdom. We wish him well for the future."

Note:

There are no disclosures required in relation to paragraph 9.6.13 of the Listing Rules.

- Ends -

Enquiries:

Douglas Caster, Chairman 020 8813 4307

Rakesh Sharma, Chief Executive

Susan Ellis, Senior Communications Adviser 07836 522722

James White, MHP Communications 020 3128 8756

www.ultra-electronics.com 

Biographical details for Martin Broadhurst OBE:

Born in Manchester in 1953, Martin Broadhurst was educated at William Hulme's School and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

He joined Marshall Aerospace as a Management Trainee in 1975, and following a number of roles with the company including Production Director and Director of Programmes was appointed as Chief Executive in February 1996. During his time as Chief Executive he served on the Group Holdings Board and was Chairman of a number of subsidiary companies.

Following retirement from his role as Chief Executive of Marshall Aerospace, he was appointed, during the early part of 2011, as Chairman of the prestigious Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME) and was elected to the Governing Council of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Martin is a member of the of the European Aerospace and Defence (ADS) Customer Services Commission and a former treasurer of A|D|S. Martin has also served as Chairman of the Cambridgeshire Training and Enterprise Council and as Chairman of Connexions. He became a Chartered Director in 2006 and was awarded the O.B.E. in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to the Aerospace Industry.

Further information about Ultra:

Ultra Electronics is an internationally successful defence, security, transport and energy company with a long, consistent track record of development and growth. Ultra businesses constantly innovate to create solutions to customer requirements that are different from and better than those of the Group's competitors. The Group has about one hundred and eighty distinct market or technology niches within its twenty-nine businesses. The diversity of niches enables Ultra to contribute to a large number of platforms and programmes and provides resilience to the Group's financial performance.

Ultra has world-leading positions in many of its niches and, as an independent, non-threatening partner, is able to support all of the main prime contractors with specialist capabilities and solutions. As a result of such positioning, Ultra's systems, equipment or services are often mission-critical to the successful operation of the platform to which they contribute. In turn, this mission-criticality secures Ultra's positions for the long-term which underpin the superior financial performance of the Group.

Ultra offers support to its customers through the design, delivery and support phases of a programme. The Group's businesses have a high degree of operational autonomy where the local management teams are empowered to devise and implement competitive strategies that reflect their expertise in their specific niches. The Group has a small head office and executive team that provide to the individual businesses the same agile, responsive support that they provide to customers as well as formulating Ultra's overarching, corporate strategy.

Across the Group's three divisions, the major market sectors in which Ultra operates are:

Defence: Ultra supplies advanced electronic and electrical systems and equipment to coalition defence forces around the world. The Group innovates to provide specialist capabilities that are superior to those available to the enemy. By focusing on delivering comparative military advantage, Ultra can gain market share and exploit the headroom for growth that is available in defence budgets worldwide.

Security and cyber: Ultra provides highly differentiated systems and capabilities to the broad security, intelligence and cyber market. Driven by the actions of rogue states, terrorist groups and organised crime, governments worldwide are focusing expenditure preferentially on addressing these threats. Ultra has highly specialised capabilities in secure communications, networks and high-grade cryptographic equipment, key management systems and surveillance and intelligence gathering systems.

Transport: Ultra provides specialist software, systems and equipment for use in mass passenger transport systems. This includes high integrity real-time controls for civil aircraft, advanced IT solutions for modern airports and trackside power equipment for transit rail systems. Demand in these areas, is driven by rising populations in affluent and developing regions of the world.

Energy: Countries around the world are addressing the strategic need to have secure access to increasing amounts of low carbon energy. Ultra has a range of safety critical sensors and controls used in existing and new build nuclear reactors. The Group has innovative portable energy sources powered by readily available propane gas. Ultra also has specialist sensors, derived from defence applications, which are highly effective in the underwater environment at hydrocarbon mapping.