Blueprint
 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
 
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
 
February 8, 2019 
 
Commission File Number 001-14978
SMITH & NEPHEW plc
(Registrant's name)
 
15 Adam Street
London, England WC2N 6LA
(Address of registrant's 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 if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1).]
 
Yes                        No X
---                         ---
 
[Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7).]
 
Yes                      No X
---                         ---
[Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained
in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing 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- n/a.
 
 
 
 8 February 2019
 
 
DIRECTORATE CHANGES
 
 
Smith & Nephew plc (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN), the global medical technology business, today  announces, in accordance with Listing Rule 9.6.11(2) R, that Ian Barlow will retire as Senior Independent Director and Non-Executive Director, and Michael Friedman will retire as Chair of the Ethics & Compliance Committee and Non-Executive Director at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 11 April 2019.
 
 
Roberto Quarta, Chair, said
 
 
"Ian Barlow and Michael Friedman have served Smith & Nephew for many years, 15 collectively.We will miss their great wisdom and experience. On behalf of the whole Board I would like to thank them for their dedicated service and wish them well for the future."
 
 
Following the AGM on 11 April 2019, and subject to their re-election as Directors of Smith & Nephew plc at the AGM, Robin Freestone will be appointed as Senior Independent Non-Executive Director, in place of Ian Barlow and Marc Owen will succeed Michael Friedman as Chair of the Ethics & Compliance Committee. Additionally, Robin Freestone and Erik Engstrom will become members of the Nomination & Governance Committee and Virginia Bottomley and Roland Diggelmann will become members of the Ethics & Compliance Committee.
 
 
Enquiries
 
Investors
 
Andrew SwiftSmith & Nephew
+44 (0) 20 7960 2285
 
Media
 
Charles ReynoldsSmith & Nephew
+44 (0) 1923 477314
 
 
Ben Atwell / Andrew WardFTI Consulting
+44 (0) 20 3727 1000
 
 
About Smith & Nephew
 
Smith & Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business with leadership positions in Orthopaedics, Advanced Wound Management and Sports Medicine. Smith & Nephew has more than 16,000 employees and a presence in more than 100 countries. Annual sales in 2018 were $4.9 billion. Smith & Nephew is a member of the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN). For more information about Smith & Nephew, please visit our corporate website www.smith-nephew.com and follow us on TwitterLinkedIn or Facebook.
 
Forward-looking Statements
 
This document may contain forward-looking statements that may or may not prove accurate. For example, statements regarding expected revenue growth and trading margins, market trends and our product pipeline are forward-looking statements. Phrases such as "aim", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "well-placed", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "consider" and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is expressed or implied by the statements. For Smith & Nephew, these factors include: economic and financial conditions in the markets we serve, especially those affecting health care providers, payers and customers; price levels for established and innovative medical devices; developments in medical technology; regulatory approvals, reimbursement decisions or other government actions; product defects or recalls or other problems with quality management systems or failure to comply with related regulations; litigation relating to patent or other claims; legal compliance risks and related investigative, remedial or enforcement actions; disruption to our supply chain or operations or those of our suppliers; competition for qualified personnel; strategic actions, including acquisitions and dispositions, our success in performing due diligence, valuing and integrating acquired businesses; disruption that may result from transactions or other changes we make in our business plans or organisation to adapt to market developments; and numerous other matters that affect us or our markets, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or reputational nature. Please refer to the documents that Smith & Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith & Nephew's most recent annual report on Form 20-F, for a discussion of certain of these factors. Any forward-looking statement is based on information available to Smith & Nephew as of the date of the statement. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith & Nephew are qualified by this caution. Smith & Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in circumstances or in Smith & Nephew's expectations.
 
◊ Trademark of Smith & Nephew. Certain marks registered US Patent and Trademark Office.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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.
 
 
Smith & Nephew Plc
(Registrant)
 
 
Date: February 8, 2019
 
 
By: /s/ Susan Swabey
-----------------
                                                                                                                              Susan Swabey
                                                                                                                      Company Secretary