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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

ASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

Report of Foreign Private Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16

of the Securities Exchange Act of

1934

August 03, 2023

Commission File Number 001-14978

SMITH & NEPHEW plc

(Registrant's name)

Building 5, Croxley Park,

Hatters Lane, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD18 8YE,

England

(Address of registrant's principal executive offices)

[Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual

reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.]

Form 20-F X Form 40-F

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[Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in

paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1).]

Yes No X

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[Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in

paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7).]

Yes No X

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[Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained

in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing information to the

Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2 (b) under the Securities Exchange Act of

1934.]

Yes No X

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If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the

registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2 (b) : 82- n/a.

Chief Financial Officer to step down in Q2 2024

3 August 2023

Smith+Nephew (LSE: SN, NYSE: SNN), the global medical technology company, announces that Anne-Françoise Nesmes has informed the Board of her intention to step down as Chief Financial Officer during the second quarter of 2024, on a date to be agreed. The Board has initiated an external search for her successor.

Deepak Nath, Chief Executive Officer, said: "I would like to thank Anne-Françoise for her leadership and significant contribution to Smith+Nephew. She was instrumental in helping the Group navigate the financial challenges of the pandemic and in laying the foundation for our transformation under the 12-point plan. On a personal note, I have been very grateful for her support and counsel which I know will continue over the coming months. When the time comes, she will leave Smith+Nephew with our best wishes."

Roberto Quarta, Chair of the Board, said: "On behalf of the Board I would like to thank Anne-Françoise for her important contribution at Smith+Nephew and for the early communication of her intention to step-down, which will support an orderly succession. She has been a highly valued member of the Board and a strong and dynamic leader of the business, and we wish her well for the future."

Anne-Françoise Nesmes, said: "It has been a privilege to work alongside Deepak and the leadership team and I have every confidence that Smith+Nephew is on a path to stronger performance. Given our progress, I feel now is the right moment to reflect and consider my next professional challenge. I would like to thank my colleagues for their strong support and dedication, and remain fully committed to continuing our work together until I leave next year."

Further announcements regarding Anne-Françoise's leaving date and the appointment of her successor will be made in due course.

This announcement includes inside information as defined in Article 7 of the UK Market Abuse Regulation. The person responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of the Company is Helen Barraclough, Company Secretary.

Enquiries

Investors / Analysts Andrew SwiftSmith+Nephew	+44 (0) 1923 477433
Media Charles ReynoldsSmith+Nephew	+44 (0) 1923 477314
Susan Gilchrist / Ayesha BharmalBrunswick	+44 (0) 20 7404 5959

About Smith+Nephew

Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology company that exists to restore people's bodies and their self-belief by using technology to take the limits off living. We call this purpose 'Life Unlimited'. Our 19,000 employees deliver this mission every day, making a difference to patients' lives through the excellence of our product portfolio, and the invention and application of new technologies across our three global franchises of Orthopaedics, Advanced Wound Management and Sports Medicine & ENT.

Founded in Hull, UK, in 1856, we now operate in more than 100 countries, and generated annual sales of $5.2 billion in 2022. Smith+Nephew is a constituent of the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN). The terms 'Group' and 'Smith+Nephew' are used to refer to Smith & Nephew plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.

For more information about Smith+Nephew, please visit www.smith-nephew.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.

Forward-looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements that may or may not prove accurate. For example, statements regarding expected revenue growth and trading profit margins, market trends and our product pipeline are forward-looking statements. Phrases such as "aim", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "well-placed", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "consider" and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is expressed or implied by the statements. For Smith+Nephew, these factors include: risks related to the impact of Covid, such as the depth and longevity of its impact, government actions and other restrictive measures taken in response, material delays and cancellations of elective procedures, reduced procedure capacity at medical facilities, restricted access for sales representatives to medical facilities, or our ability to execute business continuity plans as a result of Covid; economic and financial conditions in the markets we serve, especially those affecting healthcare providers, payers and customers (including, without limitation, as a result of Covid); price levels for established and innovative medical devices; developments in medical technology; regulatory approvals, reimbursement decisions or other government actions; product defects or recalls or other problems with quality management systems or failure to comply with related regulations; litigation relating to patent or other claims; legal and financial compliance risks and related investigative, remedial or enforcement actions; disruption to our supply chain or operations or those of our suppliers (including, without limitation, as a result of Covid); competition for qualified personnel; strategic actions, including acquisitions and disposals, our success in performing due diligence, valuing and integrating acquired businesses; disruption that may result from transactions or other changes we make in our business plans or organisation to adapt to market developments; relationships with healthcare professionals; reliance on information technology and cybersecurity; disruptions due to natural disasters, weather and climate change related events; changes in customer and other stakeholder sustainability expectations; changes in taxation regulations; effects of foreign exchange volatility; and numerous other matters that affect us or our markets, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or reputational nature. Please refer to the documents that Smith+Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith+Nephew's most recent annual report on Form 20-F, which is available on the SEC's website at www. sec.gov, for a discussion of certain of these factors. Any forward-looking statement is based on information available to Smith+Nephew as of the date of the statement. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith+Nephew are qualified by this caution. Smith+Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in circumstances or in Smith+Nephew's expectations.

◊ Trademark of Smith+Nephew. Certain marks registered in US Patent and Trademark Office.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Smith & Nephew Plc

(Registrant)

Date: August 03, 2023

By: /s/ Helen Barraclough

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Helen Barraclough

Company Secretary