People & Business: Job swap

NYCOMED Amersham's chairman and deputy chairman have swapped places.

It was all planned when Nycomed of Norway merged with Amersham International of the UK in October 1997. Richard Lapthorne, non-executive deputy chairman, will succeed Johan Fr Odfjell as non-executive chairman at the annual meeting on 6 May. Mr Odfjell will in turn succeed Mr Lapthorne as non- executive deputy chairman.

Mr Lapthorne, a Francophile who spends much of the year living in his house in France, has made a fortune from his share options in British Aerospace, where he is vice-chairman. He also finds time to be chairman of Morse, the recently floated computer services group, and a non-exec at Orange and Robert Fleming.