Sirius Minerals : Board Appointment

18 March 2014

Board Appointment

·    Stephen Pycroft, Executive Chairman of Mace, appointed as non-executive director

·    Michael Mainelli steps down

The Directors of Sirius Minerals Plc (AIM: SXX, OTCQX: SRUXY) ("Sirius" or the "Company") are pleased to announce an appointment to the board of directors.

Mr Stephen Gerard Pycroft, 55, has been appointed as a non-executive director with immediate effect.  Stephen is Executive Chairman of Mace, a leading international consultancy and construction company.  Having joined Mace in 1993 and been appointed a Group Board Director in 1995, Stephen was appointed Chief Operating Officer before taking over as CEO at the end of 2004 and Chairman in 2008.

Stephen has led Mace to achieve phenomenal growth with turnover increasing from £90 million in 2001 to £1.1 billion in 2012.  Under Stephen's leadership Mace has evolved into an international consultancy and construction group, with a reputation for quality and delivery, employing over 4,000 people worldwide.  Stephen's experience includes delivering some of the UK's most iconic projects, most notably The Shard, the London Eye and the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic village.  Mace recently secured the contract for preliminary works for Battersea Power Station.

Stephen Pycroft replaces Michael Mainelli, who steps down from the board after over eight years of service to the Company.  Michael said:

"After so many years watching Sirius grow, it is a delight to see such capable people taking things forward.  I remain a great supporter of Sirius and will watch the Company's future success with continuing interest." 

Russell Scrimshaw, Chairman of Sirius said:

"I would like to place on record our very sincere thanks to Michael for his contribution to the Company and wish him every success in the future.  Michael has helped steer Sirius through several phases of its evolution and we are very grateful for his advice and guidance over that period.

"Stephen Pycroft brings a wealth of experience in delivering large-scale construction projects and we are delighted to add another high-calibre industry leader to our board.  Stephen's construction experience and vision will be invaluable in this next phase of the Company's progress towards securing permission for and construction of the York Potash Project."

Directorships currently held or previously held in the last five years by Stephen Pycroft are as follows:

Current

Mace Finance Limited including the following Mace subsidiaries:

·     Mace Cost Consultancy Limited

·     Mace MEP Services Limited

·     Mace Business School Limited

·     Mace MEP Services Limited

·     Mace Estates Limited

·     Mace Real Estate Limited

·     Mace Group Limited

·     Mace People Limited

·     Mace Limited

·     Mace Capital Limited

·     Admore Mace Joint Venture Limited

·     Essential Mace Limited

·     C2C Management

·     CLM Delivery Partner Limited

·     Court Orchard Limited

·     Graduation (Crags) Limited

·     Hadley Mace Limited

·     Msecure Limited

·     Newington Butts Developments Limited

·     New Burlington Developments Limited

·     Observatory Inspiration Limited

·     People Group Property Limited

·     The People Group Limited

Non Mace Group companies

·     Goldark Trustee Company Limited

·     Jestell Limited

·     TLS (Southwark Bridge Road) Ltd

Previous

·     Mace Macro (Asia Pacific) Limited

·     Mace Macro Limited

·     Druid Capital Limited

·     MM3 Limited

·     Sinowest Construction Group (Developments) Limited

·     Tailored Living Solutions Limited

In connection with his appointment Stephen Pycroft will be granted 1,800,000 share options.  The share options are granted under the Company's Share Option Plan with an exercise price of 30 pence per share and vest after three years and expire after ten years.

Stephen joins the board as an existing shareholder and also purchased shares in the recent placement.  His holdings consist of 24,807,870 ordinary shares in the Company and 1,250,000 18p warrants associated with the recent placement.

There is no further information on Stephen Pycroft required to be disclosed under Schedule Two, paragraph (g) (i)-(viii) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

For further information, please contact:

About Sirius Minerals Plc

Sirius Minerals is a globally diversified potash development company. Its primary focus is to bring on stream major potash mining facilities through the acquisition and development of projects overlying recognised potash deposits.  Today it holds properties in the United Kingdom (North Yorkshire) and the United States (North Dakota).  Incorporated in 2003, Sirius Minerals' shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market.  Its shares are also traded in the United States on the OTCQX through a sponsored ADR facility.  Further information on the Company can be found at .