SCOTTISHPOWER's chief executive, Ian Robinson, left, and his wife yesterday made a near-#600,000 profit on the exercise of share options and immediately realised most of it in cash.

Ian Robinson exercised options to purchase 286,457 shares at 335p each, at a cost of #959,631.

He sold 226,457 at 542p-a-share, realising #1.23m and transferred the other 60,000 to his wife, Kathleen.

She then sold 20,000, also at 542p each, realising #108,400. The value of the 40,000 shares acquired in the options transaction but retained was #220,000 at last night's closing price of 550p.