Simon Burke Joins BBC Board | The Irish Film & Television Network

The appointment has been made by the BBC Executive Board with the approval of the BBC Trust. Announcing the appointment, the BBC Director-General Mark Thompson commented on the appointment, saying: "I'm extremely pleased that someone with Simon's background will now be able to contribute to the effectiveness of the Executive Board.

"The addition of Non-executives to our board has had many benefits for the BBC – the experience they have brought with them from such varied areas of industry has been invaluable. It's the combination of his experience in the entertainment industry with a proven commitment to culture and public service that makes Simon's appointment such a great asset for the BBC, and I am looking forward to working with him."

Simon Burke explained that he is looking forward to the challenges of the position, saying: "I'm both delighted and privileged to be able to play a part in helping the BBC to deliver its objectives and rise to the challenges that lie ahead."

Simon is currently a Trustee of the National Gallery, the Chairman of Hobbycraft, the arts and crafts retailer, and Chairman of the supermarket chain Superquinn. His previous positions include chief executive or chairman roles for Virgin Entertainment Group, Hamleys PLC, Majestic Wine PLC and Total Home Entertainment.

The BBC Executive Board and BBC Trust were constituted under the new governance arrangements set out in the Royal Charter and Agreement which came into effect on 1 January 2007. The BBC Executive Board includes a number of Non-executive Directors – Robert Webb QC, Dr Mike Lynch OBE, Val Gooding CBE and Marcus Agius all of whom oversee the effective delivery of the BBC's objectives and obligations within the framework set by the BBC Trust.

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