EXHIBIT 99.1

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

                                                             Analyst Contact:
                                                             Duane A. Owens
                                                              864-282-9488


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2006

                      BOWATER ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT CHANGES

GREENVILLE,  SC - Bowater Incorporated (NYSE: BOW) today announced the following
organizational changes.

     Joseph B.  Johnson,  42, has been  elected  Vice  President  -  Controller.
Previously,  Mr.  Johnson  served as Director,  Financial  Reporting.  He joined
Bowater in 2001.  Mr.  Johnson is a graduate of the  University of North Florida
and is a Certified Public Accountant.

     Colin R.  Wolfe,  48,  has  been  elected  Vice  President  and  Treasurer.
Previously,  Mr. Wolfe served as Vice President of Administration and Planning -
Newsprint Division. Mr. Wolfe joined Bowater in 1982. Mr. Wolfe is a graduate of
Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada and is a Chartered Accountant.

     Michael F. Nocito,  50, has been elected Vice  President of  Administration
and  Planning  -  Newsprint  Division.  Previously,  Mr.  Nocito  served as Vice
President -  Controller.  Mr.  Nocito  joined  Bowater in 1978.  Mr. Nocito is a
graduate of Lehman  College,  Bronx,  NY and has an MBA from the  University  of
Connecticut. He is a member of the Institute of Management Accountants.

     Duane A. Owens,  37, has been elected  Assistant  Treasurer  and  Director,
Investor  Relations.  Previously,  Mr.  Owens  served as  Director,  Finance and
Investor  Relations.  He joined  Bowater in 1992. Mr. Owens is a graduate of the
University of South Carolina and has an MBA from Clemson University.

     Meg A. Mosley,  40, has been elected  Assistant  Controller  and  Director,
Accounting  Operations.  Previously,  Ms. Mosley served as Director,  Accounting
Operations.  She joined  Bowater in 2002. Ms. Mosley is a graduate of Huntingdon
College  and  has an MBA  from  Auburn  University.  She is a  Certified  Public
Accountant.


                                     (more)



     Bowater  Incorporated,  headquartered  in  Greenville,  SC,  is  a  leading
producer of newsprint,  coated mechanical and specialty papers. In addition, the
company makes 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 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 and
the Pacific Exchange.  A special class of stock exchangeable into Bowater common
stock is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BWX).

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