Reed Elsevier Group plc today announced that it has appointed Pat Tierney to the new role of chief executive officer of its global education publishing division. Mr Tierney will join the company at the start of January 2003 and will be based at Reed Elsevier’s US corporate headquarters in New York. He will be a main board director reporting to Crispin Davis, Reed Elsevier’s chief executive officer.

Mr Tierney joins Reed Elsevier from The Thomson Corporation where he has worked since 1997, most recently as chief executive officer of Thomson Financial. Prior to joining The Thomson Corporation, Mr Tierney held senior management positions at Knight-Ridder Inc., TRW and Caterpillar.

As chief executive officer of Reed Elsevier’s global education division, Mr Tierney will be responsible for the US schools publishing and testing businesses, the UK education business, and the international schools publishing business.

In making the announcement, Mr Davis said: “I am delighted to welcome Pat to Reed Elsevier. He has a very strong track record as a business manager and great experience in the professional publishing sector. He brings us an impressive skill set which will have a major impact on developing our global education business.”

Mr Tierney commented: “This is a great opportunity. Reed Elsevier’s education business is a global leader in the sector with an excellent reputation for producing outstanding products for teachers and students. I am looking forward to the challenge of working with a set of great businesses.”

For further information please contact:

Catherine May , Reed Elsevier,

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7222 8420

Notes to editors

Reed Elsevier Group plc

Reed Elsevier Group plc is a world leading publisher and information provider. It is owned equally by its two parent companies, Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The parent companies are listed on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges, under the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RUK and ENL. In 2001, Reed Elsevier made adjusted profit before taxation of £848 million (€1,365million) on turnover of £4,560 million (€7,342 million). The group employs 37,000 people, including approximately 22,000 in North America. Operating in the scientific, legal, educational and business-to-business sectors, Reed Elsevier provides high value and flexible information solutions to professional end users, with increasing emphasis on internet delivery.