The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP has reappointed Pete Czernin, Jonathan Ross OBE and Andrea Wong for terms of four years, ending on 25 February 2021, and has extended the terms of Tom Hooper, Matthew Justice and Lisbeth Savill by 12 months, ending on 29 May 2018.

Pete Czernin

Pete Czernin is a British Film Producer best known for In Bruges (2008), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) and its sequel (2015), Seven Psychopaths (2012) and The Riot Club (2014), among others. He currently oversees the film and television slates at Blueprint Pictures, a London-based film and television production company that he established in 2004 with Graham Broadbent. Blueprint will release two films later this year, 3 Billboards South of Ebbing Missouri and The Mercy. They are currently shooting Guernsey.

Jonathan Ross OBE

Jonathan Ross is a mainstay of British television and radio, rarely off the airwaves either as a presenter or as a host of his own distinctive style of celebrity guest interviews. He presented over two hundred episodes of the BBC’s iconic chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, which won five BAFTA Awards. In 1999 Jonathan cemented his reputation as a passionate lover of cinema when he became Barry Norman’s successor to the BBC One flagship film show, a position he held until 2010. In 2011 Jonathan joined ITV to present The Jonathan Ross Show which is currently on air today. Other career highlights include hosting the BAFTAs, Comic Relief (BBC1), Channel 4′s Comedy Gala in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital, and The Royal Variety Performance (BBC1).

Andrea Wong

Andrea Wong holds the dual roles of President, International Production for Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and President, International for Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). Based in London, Wong heads Sony Pictures Television’s 18 overseas production companies, creating nearly 1,300 hours of entertainment around the world each year. Among her achievements in this role, Wong brought to SPT The Crown, winner of Golden Globes for Best Drama Television Series and Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series among other accolades. As President, International for Sony Pictures Entertainment, Wong guides the company on matters impacting international production, and champions the studio’s interests abroad.

Previously, Wong served as president and CEO of Lifetime Networks, where she oversaw the day-to-day operations of Lifetime Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Real Women, and Lifetime Digital, including programming, marketing, advertising sales, affiliate sales, public affairs, business and legal affairs, strategic planning, operations and research. During her time there she saw Army Wives become Lifetime’s top-rated original series ever and spearheaded Lifetime’s acquisition of Project Runway. Prior to that, Wong was executive vice president, alternative programming, specials and late night at ABC where she developed shows such as The Bachelor, the U.S version of Dancing With the Stars and the Emmy-award winning Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Wong graduated MIT with a degree in electrical engineering and received an MBA from Stanford University. She serves on the boards of Liberty Media Corporation, Liberty Interactive Corporation and Hudson’s Bay Company. Wong is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute. She is also a member of the governing board of the British Film Institute, a Trustee of the Royal Academy of Arts, and serves on the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council.

Tom Hooper

Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (Alicia Vikander) and was nominated for three more Oscars including Best Actor (Eddie Redmayne). The Danish Girl was nominated for three Golden Globes, five BAFTAs and two SAG Awards (with Alicia Vikander winning Best Supporting Actress) – Tom Hooper was nominated for The Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film. Hooper’s Les Miserables won three Oscars and three Golden Globes including Best Picture (Musical/Comedy). Tom Hooper won the Academy Award for directing The King’s Speech. The film won four Oscars including Best Picture. Hooper’s television work has won ten Golden Globes and 22 Emmy awards. John Adams won the most Emmys ever awarded in one year. Hooper won the Best Director Emmy for Elizabeth I. At age 18, Hooper wrote, directed and produced the short film Painted Faces, which was his first film to be released theatrically and was shown on Channel 4. Tom Hooper made his first film Runaway Dog when he was 13 years old, shot on a Clockwork 16mm Bolex camera, using 100 feet of film.

Matthew Justice

Matthew Justice is Managing Director of Big Talk, winner of Best Independent Production Company at the Broadcast Awards 2017. Matthew has executive produced multiple award-winning motion pictures and television series, including the films Attack the Block, Sightseers, Cuban Fury, Man Up and the TV series, Free Agents (US and UK series), Rev, Him & Her, A Young Doctor’s Notebook, Crashing, Raised by Wolves, Houdini & Doyle and is currently executive producing Bliss, Back, Mum and Cold Feet. He has overseen the restructuring of Big Talk over the past ten years, including BBCWorldwide’s investment in Big Talk in 2008 and the sale of Big Talk to ITV Studios in 2013. Prior to Big Talk, Matthew ran his own production label, Lunar Films, through which he produced David Mackenzie’s Berlin Silver Bear-winning Hallam Foe, and Cedric Klapisch’s multiple César-winning The Russian Dolls. After starting his career at The Moving Picture Company, Matthew produced Michel Gondry’s award-winning commercials for Levis and Smirnoff. He also worked as Stephen Norrington’s producing partner on Blade, The Last Minute and Death Machine. Matthew is a founding member of the advisory board of the Creative Business MA at the National Film and Television School.

Lisbeth Savill

Lisbeth (Libby) Savill is a partner in Latham & Watkins Entertainment, Sports and Media Practice. She is also the Deputy Chair of the BFI. In her practice, she represents major studios, independent producers, and distributors of film and television content, as well as strategic investors and financial institutions, in their commercial arrangements in the media and entertainment sectors. Ms. Savill has been recognised as a leading lawyer in the film and television industries for many years and is actively involved in issues important to the entertainment sector. For example, she served as the only lawyer on the 2011/2012 and 2013/2014 Film Policy Review commissioned by the UK government to make recommendations for the future of the film industry.

Board Members of the BFI are not remunerated. These reappointments and extensions have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. It is a requirement of the Code that political activity by those appointed is declared. Pete Czernin, Jonathan Ross OBE, Andrea Wong, Tom Hooper, Matthew Justice and Lisbeth Savill have declared that they have not carried out any political activity.

The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP has extended the term of Rosemary Squire OBE by 12 months, ending on 25 April 2018.

The terms of appointment of Professor John Brewer, Justin Turner QC and Janice Shardlow have been extended until 30 September 2017

Nick Pollard has had a distinguished career in British journalism and broadcasting spanning more than forty five years.

Nick began his career as a local newspaper journalist on Merseyside in 1968 and worked for BBC Radio and TV News during the 1970s. He joined ITN in 1980 and became Executive Producer of News at Ten and responsible for major story coverage in the UK and around the world. From 1996 to 2006 Nick was Head of Sky News during which time the channel won numerous awards for its reporting of events around the globe. From 2009 to 2015 Nick was Chief Executive of Services Sound and Vision Corporation, the charity that runs British Forces Broadcasting and other services for the UK’s armed forces. He became a member of the Content Board of Ofcom, the UK’s broadcasting and telecommunications industry regulator, in 2016. Nick is a Fellow of the Royal Television Society and in 2007 was awarded the RTS’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Television Journalism. He was Chairman of the Society’s annual Journalism Awards from 2008-2011. In 2012 he carried out the independent inquiry into the BBC’s handling of the Jimmy Savile affair, producing ‘The Pollard Report’ on the matter in December 2012.

The Board of Ofcom is appointed by the Secretary of State. Board Members are paid £42,519 per annum.

This appointment has been made by exception under the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Nick Pollard was initially appointed to the Ofcom Board for an interim period of 6 months, from 14 November 2016. However, given the need for stability and continuity for Ofcom as it goes through a period of significant change and takes on additional responsibilities for regulating the BBC, the Secretary of State has decided to appoint Nick Pollard by exception for a period of 12 months to 13 May 2018.

In accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Nick has declared no such political activity.

Today, the Secretary of State, Rt. Hon. James Brokenshire MP, has announced plans for a shared UK-Ireland commemoration ceremony on 7 June 2017 to mark the centenary of the Battle of Messines Ridge.

The battle has considerable historic and symbolic significance for the UK and Ireland, as Messines was the first time that the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) Divisions fought alongside each other during the Great War. The UK and Irish governments have now committed to working together to deliver a shared ceremony of commemoration, in the spirit of the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) divisions at the battle.

Making the announcement today, Rt. Hon. James Brokenshire MP said:

I am pleased to announce this shared UK-Ireland ceremony to mark the centenary of the Battle of Messines. We have seen all too well how history can divide, but our ambitious goal throughout this decade of centenaries is to seek to use history to bring us together, and to build on the political progress that has been made throughout these islands.

This shared ceremony is an opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of those who fought at Messines Ridge, as well as to further strengthen the important relationship that exists between the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The commemoration ceremony will take place at the Island of Ireland Peace Park in Messines, Belgium, and will be a ticketed event. Members of the public who wish to express an interest in attending the commemoration can obtain further details here (MS Word Document, 169KB) .

Ends.

Notes to Editors:

1. Expressions of interest are now being sought from individuals interested in attending the Battles of Messines Ridge Centenary Commemoration, at the Island of Ireland Peace Park at 2pm on 7 June 2017.

2. Invitations will issue shortly to invited guests. All those interested in applying for a public ticket are asked to complete a brief form which can be found here (MS Word Document, 169KB) before submitting it to messinesqueries@dfa.ie. If you would like to receive the form in an alternative format, please contact messinesqueries@dfa.ie.

3. Given the likely level of interest in attending this ceremony, tickets cannot be guaranteed to all who apply and tickets may be allocated through a ballot system.

4. Priority will be given to the relatives of those who fought in the battle and persons who can provide demonstrable evidence of a particular interest in, or link to, commemoration of the Battle of Messines, in a context of reconciliation.

5. Further information on logistics for the ceremony will follow in due course.

6. The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday 5 May 2017 at 12 noon.