New Faces

Two existing non-executives - Simon Burke and Nicholas Serota - have signed on for the new BBC (unitary) Board; one new face, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE has been in and around the BBC for yonks - in 2006 she was part of a panel appointed by the BBC Governors reviewing impartiality.

That leaves two new-ish faces joining as non-executives.

Ian Hargreaves, 65 was hired by John Birt in 1987 when John was given BBC News to run as Deputy Director General. Ian came from the FT, and moved seamlessly from Managing Editor to Controller to Director of News and Current Affairs, all within four years, before heading back to the FT as Deputy Editor. And when he left, the Director role fell to Tony Hall. Ian went to Burnley and Altrincham Grammar Schools, and then Queen's College Cambridge, reading English with French; his first hack job was with the Keighley News. His main residence now is a grey stone villa in the Cardiff suburb of Penarth.

Tom Ilube, 53, is a self-described 'introvert geek' who was also crowned this year as "Britain's most influential black person". Born in Isleworth to an English mother and Nigerian father, Ilube spent his formative years between the UK, Uganda, and his dad’s country of birth. He took his first degree, in physics, at the University of Benin, Nigeria, followed by an MBA at Cass Business School in London. He's currently founder and CEO of Crossword Cybersecurity PLC; he set up online credit raters Noddle and online identity trackers Garlik (now part of Experian). He runs educational charities in Ghana and Tottenham. He likes tai chi, Maseratis and now lives in Petersham.

His father was an engineer, who trained with the British Army in Harrogate, and then joined the BBC, before being part of the set-up team of Ugandan TV - there until Idi Amin was deposed.