(MRW.L) Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets PLC Buy/Sell

By Mark Potter

LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) - British retailer Marks & Spencer's chairman Sir Stuart Rose is to give up his executive duties and take a 25 percent pay cut in July with a view to stepping down by March 2011, the company announced on Thursday.
Under fire since taking on the dual roles of chief executive and chairman two years ago, Rose had said earlier this month he was likely to leave ahead of his previously stated last possible departure date of July 2011, although not this year.
Analysts said the new chairman was likely to be an external candidate after deputy chairman David Michels ruled himself out earlier this month and M&S .
Alan Parker, who is retiring as chief executive of leisure group Whitbread in November, told Sky News earlier this month he was "flattered" to be linked to the post.
One analyst also suggested Phil Wrigley, former chief executive and then chairman of fashion chain New Look, who would be able to offer advice on clothing to new chief executive Marc Bolland, whose background is in marketing and groceries.
The pressure on Rose over his dual roles eased last year when Marks & Spencer (M&S), which is Britain's biggest clothing retailer and also sells food and homewares, announced the recruitment of Bolland from Wm Morrison Supermarkets but some investors felt Rose should take a pay cut after Bolland starts as chief executive on May 1.
M&S said on Thursday Rose would stay as executive chairman until July 31 to ensure a smooth transition and that he would then take a 25 percent cut in salary to 875,000 pounds.
The firm said it had appointed headhunters JCA to find a new chairman, adding that Rose would stand down by March 2011.
At 1500 GMT, M&S shares were up 0.8 percent at 356.6 pence, valuing the business at about 5.7 billion pounds.

(Editing by James Davey, Greg Mahlich) Keywords: M&S/ (mark.r.potter@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542-2943; Reuters Messaging: mark.potter.reuters.com@reuters.net)

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LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) - British retailer Marks & Spencer has started the search for a new chairman to replace Stuart Rose, who will take a 25 percent pay cut on giving up his executive duties and step down by March 2011.
Britain's biggest clothing retailer has been under fire from some shareholders since March 2008 when Rose took on the roles of both chairman and chief executive against corporate governance guidelines that the chairman should be independent.
That pressure eased in November when Marks & Spencer (M&S) poached Marc Bolland from grocer Wm Morrison to become chief executive.
But some investors felt Rose should still take a pay cut after Bolland starts as chief executive on May 1.
M&S said on Thursday Rose would stay as executive chairman until July 31 to ensure a smooth transition and that he would then take a 25 percent cut in salary to 875,000 pounds.
The firm said it had appointed headhunters JCA to find a new chairman, adding that Rose would stand down by March 2011.
Rose told reporters earlier this month he was likely to leave ahead of his previously stated last possible departure date of July 2011, although not this year.
Deputy Chairman David Michels had been seen as a frontrunner to replace Rose, but he ruled himself out of the running earlier this month.
At 1350 GMT, M&S shares were up 0.7 percent at 356.2 pence, valuing the business at about 5.7 billion pounds.
(Reporting by Mark Potter, Editing by James Davey) Keywords: M&S/

(mark.r.potter@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542-2943; Reuters Messaging: mark.potter.reuters.com@reuters.net)

COPYRIGHT

Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.

RNS Number : 7244I Morrison(Wm.)Supermarkets PLC 17 March 2010

Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc

("the Company")

17 March 2010

Notification of Transaction by Directors

The Company announces the following transaction by Directors in the Company's ordinary shares of 10p each ("shares").

On 16 March 2010, the following Directors notified the Company that they each sold the number of shares listed below against their respective names at a price of 295.5p per share to fund income tax and National Insurance contributions arising in respect of awards held under the Wm Morrison Supermarkets Long Term Incentive Plan.

Director Number of
shares sold
Mark Gunter 130,864
Martyn Jones 69,371
Richard Pennycook 125,629

The above notification is intended to satisfy the Company's obligations under the disclosure and Transparency Rule 3.1.4

END

This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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RNS Number : 4962I Morrison(Wm.)Supermarkets PLC 12 March 2010

Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc

12 March 2010

Notification of Transaction by Directors - Mark Gunter, Martyn Jones and Richard Pennycook

The Company announces that Mark Gunter has notified the Company that he exercised options under The 1995 Senior Executive Share Option Scheme over 480,000 ordinary shares of 10p each ("ordinary shares") and subsequently sold such shares for £3.00 per share on 11 March. 260,000 options were at an exercise price of £1.75 per share and 220,000 options were at an exercise price of £2.22 per share.

The Company announces that Martyn Jones has notified the Company that he exercised options under The 1995 Senior Executive Share Option Scheme over 138,000 ordinary shares and subsequently sold such shares for £3.00 per share on 11 March. 50,000 options were at an exercise price of £1.87 per share and 88,000 were at an exercise price of £1.75 per share.

The Company also announces that Richard Pennycook has notified the Company that he transferred 22,750 ordinary shares to his wife, Suzanne Pennycook, by way of gift and that following this transfer she sold the shares and he sold a further 68,299 ordinary shares from his own account on 11 March, in each case at the sale price of £2.98 per share.

End

This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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