With his extensive experience in multinational, stock-listed companies, the chairman of Vueling and former CEO of Intertek will join the Board of Directors of Applus+ to support its strategy of growth and internationalization.

Barcelona, October 1, 2009.- Applus+, Spanish multinational and leader in the sector of testing, inspection, certification and technological services, is changing the structure of its Board of Directors, From today, October 1, it will include Josep Piqué, chairman of Vueling, and Richard Nelson, former chairman and former CEO of Intertek, one of the three largest companies in the industry worldwide. The new members have solid experience in advising and directing high-level, international, stock-listed companies, and will help Applus+ continue to develop its strategic plan, aimed at boosting the company's expansion to become one of the top five companies in its industry worldwide. Piqué and Nelson will represent Carlyle, the majority stockholder of the company.

Pedro de Esteban, Chairman of Applus+, declares that the addition of these new members hopes to boost the multinational's project for continuing growth. "Josep Piqué and Richard Nelson will help consolidate our growth", explained De Esteban. "We are certain that the extraordinary careers of the new board members and their strategic vision will help the company rise to the challenges of the future".

The Board of Directors of Applus+ has not changed since November 2007, when the company was acquired by The Carlyle Group and a consortium of financial institutions, industries and private individuals led by the Caixa Catalunya. The top governance body of the Spanish multinational is chaired by Pedro de Esteban, managing director and member of the European investment committee of The Carlyle Group, with Narcis Serra, chairman of Caixa Catalunya, and Ernesto Mata, chairman of the Abertis audit and inspection committee, as deputy chairmen.

THE NEW MEMBERS

Richard Nelson was part of the management team at Intertek, the third largest testing, inspection and certification company worldwide, with a presence in more than 100 countries and 23,000 employees, for more than 30 years. He joined the company in 1972, and worked as CEO and chairman between 1996 to 2005. He remained as deputy chairman until his dissociation last September. In 2002, Nelson managed the company's IPO on the London Stock Exchange, doubling its market value in the three following years.

Nelson's experience in heading one of the major companies in the same sector as Applus+ will be a key element for supporting the international expansion of the Spanish multinational and for helping identify strategic business opportunities, particularly in Asia and the United States. Richard Nelson, who has chaired the IFIA, the International Federation grouping together the largest inspection and certification companies in the world, for the last eight years, also has a network of high-level contacts in the industry.

Josep Piqué, chairman of Vueling, has a remarkable background in both the private and institutional sectors. He was chairman of the Círculo de Economía and Director-General of Industry for the Generalitat de Catalunya. From 1996 to 2002, he was responsible for several Spanish ministries, including the Ministries of Industry and Power, Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology. His extensive experience, both in Catalonia and in the rest of Spain, and his role as manager of stock-listed companies make Piqué a key figure in the new Board of Directors of Applus+.