Smiths Group plc announces that Peter Turner is appointed an executive director of the Board, as Finance Director-designate, with effect from 19 April 2010. Mr Turner succeeds John Langston who, after providing an orderly handover, will retire from the Board and step down as Finance Director on 31 May 2010.

Mr Turner, 39, was Finance Director of Venture Production plc, the oil and gas independent, until its acquisition by Centrica last year. Prior to this he held a number of senior financial roles at BOC, the global gases group.

Smiths Chief Executive Philip Bowman said: “I would like to thank John for his valuable contribution over the past 10 years. Since 2006 he has been Finance Director during a time of great change, and his willingness to delay retirement for some months was greatly appreciated. His counsel and knowledge have been particularly helpful to me over the past two years as incoming CEO of a multi-industry company.

“I also welcome Peter Turner as John’s successor and look forward to working with him. Smiths will benefit not only from his strong finance skills, but also from his wide knowledge and experience of multinational operations, including the oil and gas sector.”

Within the past five years Mr Turner has been a director of Venture Production plc, a publicly quoted company. There is no other information which requires disclosure under paragraphs (2) to (6) of Listing Rule 9.6.13.

Peter Turner was appointed Finance Director of Venture Production in 2007, having spent the previous 11 years at BOC where he held a number of senior finance posts including Director of Taxation and Treasury, and Finance Director of the Group’s largest division. He has a degree in Chemistry from Oxford University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant while working for PricewaterhouseCoopers.