                                                       EXHIBIT 99.1



                                                                Media Contact:
                                                                Gordon R. Manuel
                                                                864-282-9448

                                                                Analyst Contact
                                                                Duane A. Owens
                                                                864-282-9488


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2004

                      BOWATER ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT CHANGES

GREENVILLE, SC---Bowater Incorporated (NYSE: BOW) today announced several senior
management changes.

         Arthur D. Fuller, 60, Executive Vice President and President -
Newsprint Division has announced his retirement effective in January 2005. He
will be succeeded by David G. Maffucci, 54. Mr. Maffucci has been Chief
Financial Officer since 1995.

         E. Patrick Duffy, 62, Senior Vice President and President-Coated and
Specialty Papers Division will also retire in January 2005. He will be succeeded
by William C. Morris, 44. Previously, Mr. Morris was Vice President of
International Newsprint Sales and most recently Assistant to Mr. Duffy.

     William G. Harvey,  47, will become  Acting Chief  Financial  Officer.  Mr.
Harvey has served as Vice President and Treasurer  since 1998. He is a Chartered
Financial Analyst.


         Bowater Incorporated, headquartered in Greenville, SC, is a leading
producer of newsprint and coated groundwood papers. In addition, the company
makes uncoated groundwood papers, bleached kraft pulp and lumber products. The
company has 12 pulp and paper mills in the United States, Canada and South Korea
and 12 North American sawmills that produce softwood lumber. Bowater also
operates two facilities that convert a groundwood base sheet to coated products.
Bowater's operations are supported by approximately 1.4 million acres of
timberlands owned or leased in the United States and Canada and 30 million acres
of timber cutting rights in Canada. Bowater is one of the world's largest
consumers of recycled newspapers and magazines. Bowater common stock is listed
on the New York Stock Exchange, the Pacific Exchange and the London Stock
Exchange. A special class of stock exchangeable into Bowater common stock is
listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE: BWX).

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