FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

30 April 2003

Scipher plc

Board Changes

Scipher plc ("Scipher" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Phil Stern
and Benjamin duPont have been appointed to the Scipher Board as Executive
Directors, effective 30 April 2003.

Phil Stern, 40, is the Chief Executive Officer of Scipher's Patent Licensing
business, QED Intellectual Property ("QED"), a post he has held since March
2003. In December 2002, Scipher acquired yet2.com Inc., a US-based intellectual
property licensing business, of which he was a founder and Chief Operating
Officer. Following the acquisition, Phil has been responsible for the
integration and management of the combined QED. Prior to founding yet2.com he
held strategic and general management positions at Polaroid Corporation,
McKinsey & Company, and Bain & Company. While at Polaroid he was Division Vice
President managing the $350 million Professional and Technical Business. He
also led the strategic planning of Polaroid's $1.0 billion Commercial Imaging
Division. Phil has substantial breadth of experience developing business
processes for high technology companies and implementing operational
improvements through his consulting experiences at McKinsey and Bain. Phil has
an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Mathematics from Princeton
University.

Ben duPont, 39, brings to Scipher a rich experience in product development,
manufacturing and sales. In addition to his work in QED, Ben is to take on
additional responsibilities for worldwide business development within Scipher.
As Founder and President of yet2.com, Ben initiated and managed partnerships
with over 200 of the world's largest technology companies, including the
strategic investments from Siemens, Bayer, DuPont, Honeywell and Proctor &
Gamble. From 1986 to 1999, Ben held a number of leadership positions in DuPont
in their Automotive, Specialty Chemicals and Fibers businesses, including
Global Business Development Manager for Lycra� where he licensed numerous
technologies to other companies. Ben received a BS in Mechanical Engineering
from Tufts University in 1986.

Ben is a director of Promotech, a Japanese venture capital firm, and Longwood
Gardens, the largest horticultural display in the US. He is also a Trustee of
the American Institute of Public Service that awards the highest accolade for
public service commissioned by the US Government. In 1998 Ben spent a year on
leave from DuPont, campaigning across the USA in his father's Presidential
campaign.

Commenting on today's announcement, Dr Ken Gray, chairman of Scipher, said: "I
am very pleased that Phil and Ben have agreed to join the Scipher Board. They
bring with them substantial experience in managing and marketing technology in
the US, Europe and Japan. Their appointments will give the Board a much greater
international management and marketing depth, vital to the development of our
business."

In addition, after six years as a Non-executive Director, W.H. Neil Pearce, 60,
has indicated his intention to retire from the Scipher Board at the Company's
2003 AGM, in line with his wish to reduce his business commitments. Neil, a
General Partner at Advent Venture Partners, has been on the Board since 1997
and has been instrumental in guiding the Company through its flotation and the
continued progress of the business. We offer him our thanks and sincere good
wishes for the future.

In accordance with the Listing Rules of the Financial Services Authority,
Scipher announces that Mr. Phil Stern and Mr. Ben duPont have no additional
matters to be disclosed pursuant to paragraphs 6.F.2 (b) to (g) and paragraphs
16.4 and 16.5 of the Listing Rules.

Enquiries:

Scipher plc:

Dr Ken Gray, Chairman Tel: 020 8848 6555

Michael Kendon Tel: 020 8848 6444

Financial Dynamics:

James Melville-Ross Tel: 020 7831 3113

Juliet Clarke Tel: 020 7831 3113



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