Connect : Appointment of Senior Independent Director

23 January 2018

Connect Group PLC

('Connect Group' or 'the Company')

Appointment of Senior Independent Director

Connect Group PLC is pleased to announce the proposed appointment of Mark Whiteling as Senior Independent Director in place of Andrew Brent who will, in light of having served on the Board for more than nine years from the date of his first election, step down and retire from the Board at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting on 23 January 2018.

Mark Whiteling joined the Board of Connect Group as an independent non-executive director on 1 September 2017. His experience and expertise will continue to provide strong oversight on the Board together with supporting in the further development of the Group's strategy and the integration of Smiths News, Tuffnells Parcels Express and Pass My Parcel as part of the Group's focus on driving growth opportunities that are expected to arise from leveraging its scale and leadership in Early Morning and Mixed Freight distribution.

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About Connect Group

Connect Group PLC is a UK based specialist distributor and a leading provider of distribution solutions in complex and fragmented markets. The Group's networks are focused on serving high drop density early morning deliveries, and the demands of mixed and irregular sized freight.

The Group's core businesses are each leading players in their markets:

Early Distribution

Smiths News is the UK's largest newspaper and magazine wholesaling business with an approximate 55 per cent. market share. It distributes newspapers and magazines on behalf of the major national and regional publishers, delivering to approximately 27,000 customers across England and Wales on a daily basis. The speed of turnaround and density of Smiths News' coverage is critical to one of the world's fastest physical supply chains.

Pass My Parcel is a wholly owned Click & Collect service which leverages our combined networks to provide efficient solutions for online and high street retailers. Its network of parcelshops provides national consumer reach for deliveries and returns. Bespoke services for larger clients, serving their early morning and in-store requirements are a recent development in this rapidly evolving sector.

Dawson Media Direct supplies newspapers, magazines and inflight entertainment technology and content to over 80 airlines in 50 countries. Delivering to strict time windows with security accreditation, DMD serves the specialist needs of airlines and travel points in the UK and worldwide with printed and digital media.

Mixed Freight

Tuffnells is a leading distributor of mixed and irregular freight, serving approximately 5,000 small and medium sized enterprises across the UK. Its network of 37 depots collects and delivers mixed parcel freight consignments, specialising in items of irregular dimension and weight ('IDW'), examples of which include bulky items, building materials and automotive parts. With a mix of local and national clients, Tuffnells completes up to 70,000 daily deliveries, offering a range of timed services that are responsive to customer demand.