New BBC Governors appointed

Downing Street today announced that Anthony Salz has been appointed Vice-Chairman of the BBC and Richard Tait has been appointed a Governor of the BBC.
Downing Street also announced that Dermot Gleeson has been re-appointed for a second four-year term of office as a Governor. Separately, Sir Robert Smith, National Governor for Scotland, has said that he will step down from the BBC Board of Governors at the end of 2004.
Anthony Salz and Richard Tait will take up their posts on August 1, each for a four-year term. Anthony Salz replaces Lord (Richard) Ryder of Wensum who retired from the Board at the end of June 2004. Richard Tait replaces Baroness (Sarah) Hogg who left the Board in February 2004 at the end of her four-year term of office. Dermot Gleeson's term of office will now run until October 2008.
Commenting on the appointments, BBC Chairman Michael Grade said: "I greatly welcome the appointments of Anthony Salz and Richard Tait and look forward to working with them.
"Anthony Salz is among the most respected lawyers in British corporate life and will bring a wealth of experience to the BBC Board table. He is well qualified for the role of Vice-Chairman.
"There could be no better time for Richard Tait to be joining the Board of Governors. His experience of broadcast journalism, on the front line and in management, is second to none.
"His wise counsel will be particularly valuable as the BBC implements the recommendations of the Neil Report and the complaints handling review.
"I am pleased to be retaining Dermot Gleeson on the Board for a further four years. He has demonstrated real commitment to the BBC and will provide important continuity over the next few years.
"We shall be very sorry to lose Robert Smith who has been very influential as National Governor for Scotland.
"I understand that Robert feels that the burden of his external commitments means that remaining the BBC's National Governor for Scotland is unsustainable beyond the end of this year."
(GB)