Senior Independent Director

Howdens announces that Michael Wemms, who has served as Non-Executive Director since November 2006, is to step down from the Board at the Annual General Meeting on 2 May 2017. Michael is also currently Senior Independent Director and will step down from this role on 20 April 2017.

Effective from 20 April 2017, Tiffany Hall, who was appointed to the Board in May 2010, will assume the role of Senior Independent Director in addition to her role as Chairman of the Remuneration Committee.

Non-Executive Director Appointment

Howdens is pleased to announce the appointment of Debbie White as an independent Non-Executive Director with immediate effect. Upon appointment she will be a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nominations Committees.

Debbie is currently Global Chief Executive Officer of Sodexo Healthcare, Defence and Justice Services. She has held various positions within Sodexo since 2004, including CFO in the UK & Ireland, CFO of Sodexo Inc. (the North American subsidiary of Sodexo), and later CEO for Sodexo UK & Ireland. In 2013, she became a trustee of the charity Wellbeing of Women, and is now Chair of the charity's Audit Committee. Debbie started her career with Arthur Andersen in the UK before joining AstraZeneca where she held a range of financial roles. She later became a director at PwC Consulting where she worked across a number of sectors in a global capacity.

There is no further information which is required to be disclosed in accordance with 9.6.13R of the Listing Rules.