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EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc

("EKF" or the "Company" or the "Group")

Appointment of Group Head of Sales

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc (AIM: EKF), the growing in-vitro diagnostics company, announces that Tony Wilks has joined the Company as Group Head of Sales. The appointment is not a main Board appointment.

Tony brings with him a wealth of more than 25 years' senior management and international sales experience in the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) industry.

Tony joins EKF from AIM listed Immunodiagnostic Systems Holdings PLC (IDS) where he was Sales and Marketing Director. Tony joined IDS in November 2004 and was responsible for establishing direct sales operations in key international markets, strengthening the global distribution network and developing key commercial strategies. During Tony's time at IDS sales grew from £5.4m (for the year ended 31 March 2005) to £50.2m (for the year ended 31 March 2011) and over the same period pre-tax profits grew from £270,000 to £16.6m.

Before joining IDS Tony had been Managing Director of European Operations at Nichols Institute Diagnostics GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics. In 1990 Tony founded Tosoh Medics GmbH in Germany and successfully established Tosoh as a major diagnostic company in immunoassay automation. Prior to this Tony was Product Manager for Oxford Medical Systems GmbH, responsible for cardiovascular system, marketing and distribution sales.

Tony is a fluent German speaker and will work out of the Cardiff office.

Commenting, Julian Baines, CEO of EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc, said:

"I'm very pleased that we have been able to attract someone of Tony's calibre to the business. Tony has a strong track record of delivering impressive international sales growth in the diagnostics industry. Tony is very well respected and he will be invaluable in delivering EKF's ambitious rapid growth strategy."

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About EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc

EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc was formed in July 2010 following the acquisition of EKF-diagnostic GmbH for €14.32m and refocused its strategy to one of building a substantial point of care diagnostics business. As part of this strategy, the Group has integrated three further acquisitions, Quotient Diagnostics Limited (acquired in October 2010 for a maximum of £5.41m), Argutus Medical Limited (acquired in December 2010 for £2.18m) and Stanbio Laboratory L.P. (acquired in June 2011 for a maximum of US$25.5m).

The Company, with its head office in Cardiff and operations in London, Germany, Poland, Russia, Ireland and the US, is a leading diagnostics business, focused on the development, production and distribution of chemical reagents and analysers for the testing of Glucose, Lactate, Haemoglobin, Haematocrit and HbA1c.

In May 2011 EKF entered into a distribution agreement with Alere Inc ("Alere"), a global diagnostics company, under which Alere was appointed the exclusive distributor of EKF's CLIA waived Hemo_Control device and cuvettes in the US, Canada and United Kingdom. The device is distributed in the US under the name HemoPoint H2. 

For more information please visit the website: www.ekfdiagnostics.co.uk