20 August, 2004

Non-executive Director

Ashtead Group plc is pleased to announce that Gary Iceton will be appointed as a non-executive director with effect from 1 September 2004.

From 1984 until July 2000, Gary Iceton was Chairman and Chief Executive of the Books Division of St Ives plc and also a main board director. More recently, he was Chairman of Jarrold Limited for the past eighteen months and, prior to that, CEO of Amertrans.