UK Post announce board members and date for open meeting

The first-ever elected board of UK Post, the brand new association representing the film and broadcast postproduction and effects industry, has been announced.
All ten of the largest companies in the sector as well as 70% of the top 50 companies, including the BBC, ITV and a number of emerging companies have already signed up as members.
The Board is chaired by Mike Luckwell, and eight newly elected members: Colin Brown, Neil Hatton, David Jeffers, Mike Kelt, Charles Leonard, Nicky Sargent, William Sargent and Dennis Weinreich (details attached). A CEO is expected to be appointed by the board in due course.
An open meeting was held in March to consult the industry on the need for such an association. Attended by more than 250 of the most senior executives in the sector, the new body received unanimous backing.
The new board have decided to hold a further open meeting for all members and the whole postproduction and effects industry at BAFTA on June 10th at 6.30pm at BAFTA.
Uk Post say that this will give sector professionals an opportunity to meet the board and to express their views, although only members of the association will be allowed to vote.
Film and broadcast postproduction and effects is one of the industries where the UK is an international leader with little competition other than in the US. The entrepreneurial and creative talent has a worldwide reputation that not only keeps indigenous work in the UK, with a £1.7 billion turnover, but even draws major contracts from the US and elsewhere.
Prior to the formation of UK Post, this specific sector had virtually no representation. In recent years it has emerged in good shape, despite constant pressures that include the 'dot com' boom and bust; decline in advertising spend hitting commercials production; cost and margin pressure and reduction in TV programming spend.
The Government, through the Department of Trade and Industry, the UK Film Council and other bodies have clearly signalled their support for a sector which embodies entrepreneurial drive, creative talent, cutting-edge technology and worldwide marketability putting it in a prime position for further international expansion.
The DTI and The UK Film Council have made a significant financial contribution to the cost of setting up UK Post.
(SP)