91Èȱ¬

91Èȱ¬ Global News today announced three senior management appointments to join its new streamlined board.

The changes mark a net closure of five senior management posts within 91Èȱ¬ Global News – 25% of top managers in the division – saving £600,000.

91Èȱ¬ Global News Director, Peter Horrocks, said: "91Èȱ¬ Global News needs to simplify its senior management structure to respond to seismic changes in audience demands; use of technology; and consumption of news in increasingly crowded marketplaces around the world.

"The new appointments and the streamlined structure will strengthen the editorial systems and business operations of a division that is increasingly operating in ever more complicated and fast-moving international multimedia markets with compelling and distinctive multimedia content."

The changes are:

Liliane Landor is appointed as Controller of Languages, 91Èȱ¬ Global News. She will be responsible for all 91Èȱ¬ Global News language output, comprising all 91Èȱ¬ World Service languages (including African English, English for the Caribbean and English language teaching) and translated products for 91Èȱ¬ World News. Liliane will continue to be Head of the 91Èȱ¬ Global News's Middle East region.

Craig Oliver is appointed Controller of English, 91Èȱ¬ Global News. He will be responsible for multiplatform commissioning of all 91Èȱ¬ Global News English output, working with key suppliers across 91Èȱ¬ News, 91Èȱ¬ Sport, 91Èȱ¬ Audio & Music and the independent sector. He is currently Deputy Head of the 91Èȱ¬'s Multimedia Newsroom. Craig is editor of next week's TV general election results programme. He was previously Editor of the 91Èȱ¬ News at Six and News at Ten.

James Montgomery is appointed as Controller of Digital and Technology, 91Èȱ¬ Global News. He will be responsible for 91Èȱ¬ Global News's strategy for web and mobile-based services; leading on editorial development for those platforms. This role will lead on innovation and 91Èȱ¬ Global News's relationship with 91Èȱ¬ Future Media & Technology. He is currently Director of Digital Content for the 91Èȱ¬ World News English news channel.

The previously announced role of 91Èȱ¬ Global News Business Director and Managing Director for 91Èȱ¬ World News will now not be filled until the 91Èȱ¬ Global Strategy Review has been completed later this year as it is now clear that there is a potential impact on how 91Èȱ¬ Global News's commercial news operation is run.

In the interim, Colin Lawrence (Commercial Director, World News) will lead the 91Èȱ¬ World News business and drive the improving commercial performance of the channel.

In addition to these new appointments:

Jim Egan (Controller Strategy and Business Development) will assume interim responsibility for Distribution and Transmission alongside his existing strategy and business development responsibilities. Jim will deputise for Peter Horrocks in his absence.

Richard Thomas (Chief Operating Officer) will also take on additional responsibilities, assuming management of business continuity and of studio operations across TV and radio. Lindsey North (Controller of Legal & Rights) will be taking responsibility for all Global News compliance issues and continues to be responsible for all Rights matters for the immediate future.

The senior team is completed with Caroline Nursey (Director, 91Èȱ¬ World Service Trust), Chris Westcott (Director, 91Èȱ¬ Monitoring) Sanjay Nazerali (Controller of MC&A, Global News) and Richard Thurston (Head of HR and Development, Global News).

Notes to Editors

91Èȱ¬ World Service is an international multimedia broadcaster delivering 32 language and regional services, including: Albanian, Arabic, Azeri, Bengali, Burmese, Cantonese, English, English for Africa, English for the Caribbean, French for Africa, Hausa, Hindi, Indonesian, Kinyarwanda/Kirundi, Kyrgyz, Macedonian, Mandarin, Nepali, Pashto, Persian, Portuguese for Africa, Portuguese for Brazil, Russian, Serbian, Sinhala, Somali, Spanish for Latin America, Swahili, Tamil, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, and Vietnamese.

It uses multiple platforms to reach its weekly audience of 188 million globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable channels.

Its news sites, which received 4.7 million weekly visitors in September 2009, include audio and video content and offer opportunities to join the global debate.

It has around 2,000 partner radio stations which take 91Èȱ¬ content, and numerous partnerships supplying content to mobile phones and other wireless handheld devices.

For more information, visit bbcworldservice.com.

For a weekly alert about 91Èȱ¬ World Service programmes, sign up for the 91Èȱ¬ World Agenda e-guide at bbcworldservice.com/eguide.

World Service Press Office