STRUCTURE AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE their respective boards, in accordance with the provisions of the Articles of Association of those companies. On appointment, directors receive training appropriate to their level of previous experience. This includes the provision of a tailored induction programme, so as to provide newly appointed directors with information about the Reed Elsevier businesses and other information to assist them in performing their duties. Non-executive directors are encouraged to visit the Reed Elsevier businesses to meet directors and senior executives. All directors have access to the services of the respective company secretaries and may take independent professional advice in the furtherance of their duties, at the relevant company’s expense. All Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV directors are subject to retirement at least every three years, and are able then to make themselves available for re-election by shareholders at the respective Annual General Meetings. As a general rule, non-executive directors of Reed Elsevier PLC and members of the Reed Elsevier NV supervisory board serve on the respective board for two, three year terms, although the boards may invite individual directors to serve up to one additional three year term. At the Reed Elsevier PLC Annual General Meeting to be held on 28 April 2004, Messrs Tabaksblat, van de Aast and Stomberg and Lord Sharman will retire by rotation. Being eligible, they offer themselves for re-election. The Reed Elsevier PLC board consists of five executive directors: Crispin Davis – Chief Executive Officer, Mark Armour – Chief Financial Officer, Gerard van de Aast, Andrew Prozes and Patrick Tierney – appointed April 2003, and seven independent non-executive directors: Morris Tabaksblat – Chairman, John Brock, Mark Elliott – appointed April 2003, Cees van Lede – appointed April 2003, David Reid – appointed April 2003, Lord Sharman and Rolf Stomberg – senior independent non-executive director. Roelof Nelissen and Steven Perrick retired as directors in April 2003 and Derk Haank resigned as a director in June 2003. The board met five times during the year. Due to a prior commitment, Mr van Lede was not able to attend one meeting, otherwise there was full attendance. Reed Elsevier PLC Reed Elsevier Group plc Elsevier Reed Finance BV Reed Elsevier NV REED ELSEVIER ANNUAL REPORTS & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2003 23 Reed Elsevier NV has a two-tier board structure comprising a supervisory board of eight members, all of whom are independent non-executives, and an executive board of five members. The executive board is responsible for the management of the company and the supervisory board supervises the executive board. The members of the supervisory board are Morris Tabaksblat – Chairman, Dien de Boer-Kruyt, John Brock, Mark Elliott – appointed April 2003, Cees van Lede – appointed April 2003, David Reid – The management board and the supervisory board of Elsevier Reed Finance BV met three times during the year. All members of these boards attended all board meetings during the year, with the exception of Mrs de Boer-Kruyt who was not able to attend one meeting. The supervisory board comprises Roelof Nelissen – Chairman, Mark Armour and Dien de Boer-Kruyt, with the management board consisting of Willem Boellaard and Jacques Billy. Appointments to the supervisory and management boards are made by the shareholders, in accordance with the company’s Articles of Association. In April 2003 Steven Perrick retired from the supervisory board. Biographical information in respect of the current members of the boards appears on pages 10 and 11 of the Annual Review and Summary Financial Statements. The Reed Elsevier Group plc board consists of five executive directors: Crispin Davis – Chief Executive Officer, Mark Armour – Chief Finance Officer, Gerard van de Aast, Andrew Prozes and Patrick Tierney – appointed April 2003, and seven independent non-executive directors: Morris Tabaksblat – Chairman, John Brock, Mark Elliott – appointed April 2003, Cees van Lede – appointed April 2003, David Reid – appointed April 2003, Lord Sharman and Rolf Stomberg. Roelof Nelissen and Steven Perrick retired as directors in April 2003 and Derk Haank resigned as a director in June 2003. The board met six times during the year. Due to a prior commitment, Messrs Haank, van Lede and Reid were each not able to attend one meeting, otherwise there was full attendance. At the Reed Elsevier NV Annual General Meeting to be held on 29 April 2004, Messrs Tabaksblat and Stomberg and Lord Sharman will retire by rotation as members of the supervisory board, and Mr van de Aast will retire by rotation as a member of the executive board. Being eligible, they offer themselves for re-election. appointed April 2003, Lord Sharman and Rolf Stomberg. The executive board comprises Crispin Davis – Chief Executive Officer, Mark Armour – Chief Financial Officer, Gerard van de Aast, Andrew Prozes and Patrick Tierney – appointed April 2003. Roelof Nelissen and Steven Perrick retired as members of the supervisory board in April 2003 and Derk Haank resigned as a member of the executive board in June 2003. The boards met five times during the year. Due to a prior commitment Mr van Lede was not able to attend one meeting and Mrs de Boer-Kruyt was not able to attend three meetings due to illness, otherwise there was full attendance.