Lattice Group plc announced today that Colin Matthews, Executive Director responsible for managing Transco, the provider of Britain’s gas transportation network, is to leave the company to take up the Chief Executive role at Hays plc with effect from 1 November 2002.
Since joining Lattice, Colin Matthews has played a major role in planning and implementing the restructuring needed to deliver Transco’s new five-year price control settlement. More recently he has made a key contribution to the integration planning to deliver the synergies and other benefits from the proposed merger with National Grid to form National Grid Transco (NGT).

Until Colin Matthew’s successor is appointed, Rob Verrion, Transco’s Chief Operating Officer, will continue to take responsibility for running Transco’s eight network distribution businesses and the ongoing performance drive. Tony Wray, Transco’s Commercial Director and, temporarily, Integration Director for the merger, will take responsibility for the support services in Colin’s portfolio. During this transitional period, they will report to Roger Urwin as NGT Group Chief Executive.

As already announced, after the merger Transco’s National Transmission and Trading business will report to Steve Holliday as the NGT Executive Director responsible for the Group’s gas and electricity transmission operations outside the United States.

Sir John Parker, Lattice Group Chairman and NGT Chairman designate, said: 'Colin Matthews has made a major contribution to the Group since joining us last November. We can well understand the attractions of a FTSE 100 CEO post for him and he leaves with our best wishes. The NGT Board Nominations Committee will in due course review internal and external candidates to succeed Colin. In the meantime we have a strong and experienced management team within Transco committed to the safe and efficient operation of the network and the arrangements we have put in place will ensure that the excellent progress we have made to date will continue.'