Directors share BET payout

THE FORMER finance and resources directors of BET, the hard-pressed industrial services group, shared a pounds 987,000 compensation payment for loss of office last year.

John Griffiths, who effectively left the company as finance director last October, took most of the pay-off, according to a BET spokesman. Julian Ball, the former resources director, received less than half.

Nicholas Wills, ousted as chairman in April, received less than pounds 50,000. In the previous year, he was awarded a pounds 670,000 increase in his pension arrangements to compensate him for giving up the position of chief executive.

BET's report and accounts show that Mr Wills was paid pounds 130,844 as chairman in the year to 28 March, compared with pounds 88,050 earned by his predecessor, Sir Timothy Bevan.

John Clark, the American chief executive brought in to replace Mr Wills, was paid pounds 483,977.