AstraZeneca PLC appoints new Non-Executive Director

John Varley will become a member of the Remuneration Committee and it is expected that he will become Chairman of that Committee when Sir Peter Bonfield steps down as a Director at the Annual General Meeting in April 2007. It is also intended that Michele Hooper, a Non-Executive Director of AstraZeneca since 2003, will become the Senior Independent Director, in succession to Sir Peter, at that time.

Further enquiries to:

Media Enquiries:
Steve Brown (London) +44 (0) 20 7304 5033
Edel McCaffrey (London) +44 (0) 20 7304 5034

Analyst/Investor Enquiries:
Jonathan Hunt (London) +44 (0) 20 7304 5087
Mina Blair (London) +44 (0) 20 7304 5084
Ed Seage (US) +1 302 886 4065
Jörgen Winroth (US) +1 212 579 0506





Biographical details of John Varley

John Varley, 50, has been the Group Chief Executive of Barclays Bank PLC since 2004, having joined the Corporate Finance Department of Barclays Merchant Bank in 1982. He has held a number of senior positions with the bank during his career including Chairman of the Asset Management Division 1995-1998; Chief Executive, Barclays Retail Financial Services 1998-2000; and Group Finance Director 2000-2003. He was appointed as an Executive Director of Barclays Bank PLC in 1998. John Varley is also Chairman of Business Action on Homelessness, President of the Employers’ Forum on Disability and a member of the International Advisory Panel of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.