Premier Farnell plc Board and Management Changes.

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 6, 1999--

Premier Farnell plc ("The Group"), the leading global catalogue distributor of electronic and industrial components, today announced the following Board and management changes, with effect from July 5, 1999, as part of its continuing program of corporate reorganization implemented since John Hirst joined the Group as Chief Executive in July 1998.

Mr. Chris Emptage, Director of Premier Farnell plc and Managing Director - Operations at Farnell, the Group's principal UK subsidiary, and Mr. Lawrence Jackson, Managing Director - Commercial, also at Farnell, are both leaving the Group with immediate effect. John Hirst will assume responsibility for these functions until a successor is appointed.

Three non-executive directors have been appointed to the Board.

Mr. John Roques (60), a chartered accountant, joined Deloitte & Touche in 1957 and was Senior Partner and Chief Executive from 1990-1999. He was a member of the Board of the UK Partners from 1974-1999 and of the Executive Committee of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu from 1990-98. Mr. Roques has acted for many large UK companies and was senior accounting adviser to the Government on the privatizations of British Gas, The Water Authorities, The Electricity Supply Industry and British Coal. He is Chairman of Portman Building Society and a non-executive director of British Nuclear Fuels PLC and BBA PLC. He has been a Member of the Financial Reporting Council since 1996.

Mr. Cary Nolan (56), an electrical engineer who retired after 10 years as President and CEO of Picker International, Inc., a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of medical technologies and products.

Mr. Patrick Sullivan (36) is appointed a non-executive director in accordance with the terms of the Shareholders Agreement dated January 23, 1996 entered into following the acquisition of Premier Industrial Corporation. Mr. Sullivan, a qualified US lawyer, has worked in both private practice and industry. He was a senior attorney at NCR Corporation and Associate General Counsel with Premier Industrial Corporation. He is now President and Director of Parkwood Trust Company and General Counsel for Parkwood Corporation. Mr. Sullivan succeeds Mr. John Colman (72) whose retirement was announced at the Annual General Meeting on June 16, 1999.

Premier Farnell plc is the world's leading distributor of electronic and industrial components to the maintenance, engineering, design and repair sectors. Premier Farnell operates principally through its core businesses: Newark, the leader in North America, the world's largest market; and Farnell, which has a leading position in Europe and Australia and is growing fast in newer markets such as the Far East and South America. Premier Farnell has storage and distribution facilities in five continents and provides superior service to over 1.25 million customers in close to 100 countries.

Premier Farnell's ordinary shares trade on the London Stock Exchange and its ADRs, each equal to two ordinary shares, trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PFP. Additional information on Premier Farnell can be accessed on the company's home page: http://www.premierfarnell.com.