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The Government today announced that Suzanna Taverne has been appointed to the Â鶹Éç Trust with effect from 01 January 2012:

Suzanna Taverne has worked at a senior level in financial, media and cultural organisations. She currently holds non-executive roles at Nationwide Building Society and Ford Credit Europe, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company. She is also a trustee of the Design Museum, the Consumer Credit Counselling Service and the Shakespeare Schools Festival.

A former director of strategy at business, education and consumer publisher Pearson plc, Suzanna's most recent executive role was director of operations at Imperial College London. Prior to this, she was managing director of the British Museum, where she oversaw the building of The Great Court.

Welcoming the appointment of Suzanna Taverne, Lord Patten, Chairman of the Â鶹Éç Trust, said:

"Suzanna's wide range of experience in culture and commerce will be a real asset to the Trust as the Â鶹Éç evolves to meet its new funding settlement and responds to changing audience needs. Her knowledge of business strategy and digital media will be of particular benefit, especially in the run-up to Charter renewal."

Suzanna Taverne said:

"The Â鶹Éç is at the heart of British cultural life. I'm very excited to be joining the Trust at such a key time for the organisation and working with colleagues to ensure that the Â鶹Éç continues to deliver the best for licence fee payers."

Ends.

Notes to editors

1. Suzanna Taverne currently holds a portfolio of non-executive roles. She is a non-executive director at Nationwide Building Society and Ford Credit Europe, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company. She sits on the audit and remuneration committees for both of these organisations. Between 2002 and 2005 Suzanna was director of operations at Imperial College London. From 1999 to 2002 she was managing director for the British Museum, where she was responsible for the building of The Great Court – a £100 million millennium project. Prior to this she spent three years at Pearson as director of strategy. She was finance director at the Independent newspaper for five years from 1989 to 1994 and has also worked as a consultant for Saatchi & Saatchi. She started her professional life as an investment banker, working on mergers and acquisitions at S.G. Warburg & Co. Ltd.
2. The appointment is made for four years from 01 January 2012 to 31 December 2015.
3. Fees for Trust members are set by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The remuneration for this post is £35,935. Â鶹Éç Trustees currently take a voluntary reduction in their fees. The reduced level of fees is £32,952.
4. The Â鶹Éç Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. There are 12 members of the Â鶹Éç Trust, which is led by the Chairman, Lord Patten of Barnes. The Â鶹Éç Trustees are the guardians of the public interest in the Â鶹Éç. Full details of the other Trust members and biographies can be found here: The Trustees.