The Prime Minister has appointed Karen Armstrong, Dame Elizabeth (Liz) Forgan and Lord Nicholas Stern as Trustees of the British Museum for a period of four years from 2 October 2008.
Biographical Details
Karen Armstrong
A British author of numerous works on comparative religion, who first rose to prominence with her highly successful A History of God. Author of several books on the Muslim tradition. In February 2008, she was received the TED Prize of 100,000 dollars for her interfaith work, awarded by an international conference of leading figures in the fields of design, entertainment and technology. As part of the prize, Armstrong was asked to make a wish, which TED would help her to implement. She called for a council of Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders to draw up a Charter of Compassion to which people from all over the world would be able to contribute on line. The Charter will be launched on 11 November 2008.
Dame Elizabeth Forgan
Chair of Scott Trust and formerly Chair National Heritage Memorial Fund and NED DCMS. Dame Liz Forgan is a board member of Conservatoire for Dance and Drama. She started her career in newspaper journalism, serving as Arts Editor on the Teheran Journal (1967 to 1968), then on the Hampstead & Highgate Express (1969 to 1974), and on the London Evening Standard (1974 to 1978). She became Editor of Guardian Women (1978 to 1982), and a Guardian Columnist (1997 to 1998), during which time she was also a columnist on the London Evening Standard. She became Founding Senior Commissioning Editor, and then Director of Programmes at Channel 4 TV (1981 to 1993). She then served as Managing Director, BBC Network Radio (1993 to 1996). She has been a Board Member of the British Film Institute, is a former Trustee of the Media Trust, the Phoenix Trust and Chair of the Churches Conservation Trust. She was awarded an OBE in 1999.
Lord Nicholas Stern, Baron Stern of Brentford
IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government, Chairman of the Grantham Institute, Director of the India Observatory at the London School of Economics (LSE). Adviser to the UK Government on the Economics of Climate Change and Development, reporting to the Prime Minister and Head of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 2005-2007. Head of the Government Economic Service, 2005-2007. From 2003-2005, was Second Permanent Secretary to Her Majesty’s Treasury and from 2004-2005, Director of Policy and Research for the Prime Minister’s Commission for Africa. From 2000-2003, he was World Bank Chief Economist and Senior Vice President. From 1994 until 1999, Chief Economist and Special Counsellor to the President European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Professor of Economics at Warwick 1978-1986 and at LSE 1986-1994. Lord Stern served on committees of OXFAM, ODA, and the UN. He is a Fellow of the British Academy (July 1993), Foreign Honorary Membership of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1998). BA Cambridge (Mathematics), D.Phil Oxford (Economics), Honorary Doctorates from a number of universities, including Warwick and Cambridge, Honorary Fellow, St Catherine’s College, Oxford, The Queen’s College, Oxford and Peterhouse, Cambridge. He is a visiting Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford. Knighted for services to economics in 2004 and became a cross-bench peer in 2007.
Of the Board’s present members, 6 are female (30%), 2 are from an ethnic minority (10%), and none has declared a disability.
Notes to Editors
1. The British Museum holds in trust for the nation and the world a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures. Housed in one of Britain’s architectural landmarks, the collection is one of the finest in existence, spanning two million years of human history. The Board of Trustees of the British Museum has statutory duties under the British Museum Act 1963 and Museums and Galleries Act 1992 for the general management and control of the Museum and for the appointment of the director.
2. The posts are not remunerated. Reasonable expenses can be claimed.
3. These appointments have been made in accordance with the OCPA Code of Practice. Appoints are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. Lord Stern is a crossbench peer. Dame Liz Forgan and Karen Armstrong have not undertaken any significant political activity in the UK during the past five years.
delicious
digg
facebook
