UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of July, 2004
SPIRENT plc
_____________________________________________________________________
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
Spirent House, Crawley Business Quarter, Fleming Way, Crawley, West Sussex
RH10 9QL, UK.
_____________________________________________________________________
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F X Form 40-F.....
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes ..... No X
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- ________
832 - 13 July 2004
SPIRENT PLC
ANDERS GUSTAFSSON APPOINTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Spirent plc (LSE: SPT; NYSE: SPM), a leading communications technology company,
today announces that Mr Anders Gustafsson has been appointed as Chief Executive
with effect from 2 August 2004.
Mr Gustafsson (44) has extensive experience in the telecommunications industry
having held executive positions at Tellabs, Inc., a leading US network equipment
manufacturer, most recently as Senior Executive Vice President of Global
Business Operations. Prior to joining Tellabs in 2000, he spent eight years
with Motorola, Inc. in various senior international sales and general management
positions.
John Weston, Chairman of Spirent, commented, "Anders has an excellent background
in the telecoms industry which is an important focus for the Spirent Group going
forward. His substantial experience of international operations, strong
organisational capabilities and customer orientation, and sound strategic
thinking will be invaluable to Spirent. The Board is delighted to welcome
Anders and is looking forward to working with him."
Commenting on his appointment Mr Gustafsson said, "Spirent is a leading-edge
company with well established positions in the various markets it serves. I
look forward to working with Spirent's management to steer the Company through
the next phases of its development and to achieve its full potential for its
stakeholders."
Following the retirement of Mr Nicholas Brookes on 30 June 2004, Eric
Hutchinson, Finance Director, is the Acting Chief Executive for the interim
period until Mr Gustafsson joins the Company.
- ends -
Notes for Editors
1) Mr Gustafsson joined Tellabs, Inc. (market capitalisation approx.
$3.5 billion) in June 2000 as Vice President and General Manager of the Tellabs
EMEA sales region. From December 2000 to August 2002 he served as the President
of Global Sales and was subsequently appointed Executive Vice President and
President of Tellabs International. He was made Senior Executive Vice President
- Global Business Operations in February 2004. Prior to joining Tellabs he
spent eight years at Motorola, Inc. in various senior sales and general
management positions within the company's mobile infrastructure business in
Europe and Asia. Prior to Motorola, Anders worked for two years for Network
Equipment Technologies, Inc.
2) Mr Gustafsson is Swedish by nationality and has an MBA from the
Harvard Graduate School of Business and an MSc in electrical engineering from
Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. He was also awarded a Fulbright
Scholarship and studied at the University of Massachusetts.
Enquiries
John Weston, Chairman Spirent plc +44 (0)1293 767676
Eric Hutchinson, Acting Chief Executive and Finance Director
Investor Relations
Catherine Nash Spirent plc +44 (0)1293 767676
Media
Jon Coles/Rupert Young Brunswick +44 (0)20 7404 5959
About Spirent
Spirent is a leading communications technology company focused on delivering
innovative systems and services to meet the needs of customers worldwide. We
are a global provider of performance analysis and service assurance solutions
that enable the development and deployment of next-generation networking
technologies such as broadband services, Internet telephony, 3G wireless and web
applications and security testing. Our Network Products business is a developer
and manufacturer of innovative solutions for fastening, identification,
protection and connectivity in electrical and communications networks marketed
under the global brand HellermannTyton. The Systems group comprises PG Drives
Technology, which develops power control systems for specialist electrical
vehicles in the mobility and industrial markets, and an aerospace business that
provides ground-based logistics support software systems for the aviation
market. Further information about Spirent plc can be found at www.spirent.com
Spirent Ordinary shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: SPT)
and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker: SPM; CUSIP number: 84856M209) in the
form of American Depositary Shares (ADS), represented by American Depositary
Receipts, with one ADS representing four Ordinary shares.
Spirent and the Spirent logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Spirent
plc. All rights reserved.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on
current expectations or beliefs, as well as assumptions about future events. By
their nature, forward-looking statements are inherently predictive, speculative
and involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on
circumstances that will occur in the future. You should not place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of
future performance and are subject to factors that could cause our actual
results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these
statements. These risks include the risks described from time to time in
Spirent plc's Securities and Exchange Commission periodic reports and filings.
The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements
contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
______LUKE THOMAS______
(Registrant)
Date 13 July 2004 By ____/s/ Luke Thomas____
(Signature)*