MORE than 1,500 workers at Southampton's vast British American Tobacco factory today have a new boss.

He is Jan du Plessis, who takes over the reins at the seed-to-smoke tobacco giant from previous chairman Martin Broughton who today starts as British Airways chairman.

The 49-year-old South African father of three, who now calls Buckinghamshire home, is set to earn £450,000 in his new role at the tobacco company, before potentially hefty benefits.

Already a non-executive director at BAT since 1999, Mr du Plessis was previously finance director of Swiss luxury goods brand and Cartier owners Richemont. Raised near Cape Town, he obtained degrees in commerce and law from the University of Stellenbosch before going on to qualify as an accountant. His predecessor recently hit the headlines for his massive pension pot of £10.75m - the eighth biggest in the UK. He was also second highest paid chairman in the land with a total of £2.8m.

When Mr Broughton announced he was off to replace Lord Marshall of Knights-bridge at the helm of BA it sparked the biggest reshuffle at BAT since the company's 1999 take-over of Rothmans.

Paul Adams, the company's managing director, took on the role of chief executive for an undisclosed salary.

Antonio Monteiro de Castro, director of BAT's Latin American and Caribbean business, took up the new position of chief operating officer. He was paid a total of £902,705 in 2002 and was succeeded by Flavio de Andrade, now president of Souza Cruz, BAT's Brazilian subsidiary.

Mr Broughton, 56, said: "The board is unanimous in its view that Jan is the right choice, given his deep knowledge and understanding of the tobacco industry.

"He has demonstrated true independence of mind in his contribution to the board and has outstanding strategic and financial skills.

"Leaving BAT after over 30 years will be a strange feeling. However, the group is very much on track to achieve leadership in the tobacco industry and, after ten years at the top, it's time for me to hand over the challenge.

"Paul is ready to take on the role of chief executive and I am confident that he and Jan will make an outstanding team and serve shareholders well."

After closing a factory in Darlington last year, BAT's 26- acre Regents Park, Southamp-ton, facility is its only production base in the UK.