UTi Worldwide Announces New Management Appointments

Peter Thorrington's Retirement Effective in August


RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, Calif., June 23, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- UTi Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq:UTIW) today announced promotions and a realignment of management responsibilities related to plans announced last year for the retirement of Peter Thorrington, UTi's president and chief operating officer.

"Over the past 12 months, we have carefully assessed Peter's many responsibilities both globally and in the Americas region and have taken his retirement as an opportunity to create a number of new positions and to promote from within our considerable in-house talent base," said Roger I. MacFarlane, UTi's chief executive officer.

Accordingly, John S. Hextall, 48, president of UTi's Europe region, has taken on the added duties of president of the Americas region for freight forwarding, a new position reporting directly to MacFarlane. Christopher D. Dale, 44, who has been vice president for sales in North America as well as the Western Region vice president for the United States, has been promoted to chief operating officer for UTi, United States, which manages freight forwarding and customs brokering services. J. Thurso Barendse, 50, has been appointed to regional vice president for Canada and Latin America, and Gerhard Bosua, 42, was simultaneously promoted to Barendse's prior position as vice president of finance for the Americas region. Dale, Barendse and Bosua all report to Hextall. A new president or chief operating officer at the corporate level is not being appointed.

Thorrington, 58, whose retirement as an officer of the company becomes effective August 15, 2004, had previously announced that he will also resign from UTi's Board of Directors at the end of this year's annual meeting on June 25. He will continue to serve the company as a special advisor to the Board, including offering his counsel to the management team and providing strategic sponsorship for certain key customers. His other global responsibilities, which include management of partner relations with air and ocean carriers, are being absorbed within UTi's senior management team.

"In the decade since Peter helped to found UTi, he has played a pivotal role not only in our growth but also in developing our organization for the future," MacFarlane said. "In preparing for this transition, his stamp of leadership has been supremely evident, especially as we have been able to identify so many strong leaders from within to take on new responsibilities from which they can grow in experience and form a wider base of leadership for the entire company. Peter will certainly be missed on a day-to-day basis. His legacy is enduring, and we at UTi, as well as our clients, will continue to benefit from his ongoing counsel."

About UTi Worldwide

UTi Worldwide Inc. is an international non-asset based global integrated logistics company, providing air and ocean freight forwarding, contract logistics, customs brokerage and other supply chain management services. The company serves a large and diverse base of global and local companies, including customers operating in industries with unique supply chain requirements such as the pharmaceutical, apparel, chemical, automotive and technology industries. The company seeks to use its global network, proprietary information technology systems, relationships with transportation providers and expertise in outsourced logistics services to deliver competitive advantage to each of its customers' global supply chains.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements in this news release may be deemed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The company intends that all such statements be subject to the "safe-harbor" provisions contained in those sections. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, the company's discussion of future growth and expansion, as well as the success of executive changes and appointments. Many important factors may cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those discussed in any such forward-looking statements, including increased competition; integration risks associated with acquisitions; the effects of changes in foreign exchange rates; uncertainties and risks associated with the company's operations in South Africa; general economic, political and market conditions, including those in Africa, Asia and Europe; risks of international operations, the success and effects of new strategies, disruptions caused by epidemics, conflicts, wars and terrorism; and the other risks and uncertainties described in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although UTi believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove inaccurate and, therefore, there can be no assurance that the results contemplated in forward-looking statements will be realized. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking information included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by UTi or any other person that UTi's objectives or plans will be achieved. The historical results achieved by the company are not necessarily indicative of its future prospects. UTi undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.



            

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