BBC Trustee appointed
Lord Williams of Baglan has been appointed to the BBC Trust, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced today.
The appointment is for four years and begins on 1 December.
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the BBC, responsible for representing the interests of licence fee payers. It applies the principle of public value in holding to account the Executive Board, which is responsible for the day-to-day management of the BBC. The Trust also ensures that the BBC’s activities are not anti-competitive and are consistent with a vibrant and dynamic broadcasting market.
Welcoming the appointment Jeremy Hunt said:
Lord Williams has had a distinguished career in the world of diplomacy and foreign affairs. He will bring a wealth of international experience to the BBC Trust and I am pleased he is joining the Board.
Lord Williams was most recently United Nations Under Secretary General for the Middle East, based in Lebanon. He served as Special Adviser on the Middle East to former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan as well as working as a Special Adviser to two UK Foreign Secretaries, Robin Cook and Jack Straw. He was Middle East Envoy for Prime Minister Gordon Brown and has also worked as an Editor for the BBC World Service.
Notes to Editors
- The BBC Trust is led by the Chairman and has 11 other members including the Vice-Chairman. All members are responsible for representing the public interest as a whole. The Trust includes four members formally designated as members for each of the constituent nations of the United Kingdom.
- The appointment has been made in accordance with the OCPA Code of Practice. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Following his appointment, Lord Williams has resigned the Labour Party whip.
- This post at the BBC Trust is remunerated at a level of £35,935 for a two day per week time commitment. Trust members currently take a voluntary reduction of 8.3 per cent from their fees. The reduced rate for this position is £32,952.
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