George Russell

Sir George Russell, Non-Executive Deputy Chairman, Granada plc

Educated at Durham University where he read politics and economics. In 1985 he was awarded the CBE, and seven years later received a Knighthood in June 1992.

His early career was with ICI in the UK, Welland Chemical in Canada, and Alcan Aluminium Ltd in Canada, from where he was transferred back to the UK to set up the aluminium smelter and power complex in Lynemouth, Northumberland. After carrying out the merger of Alcan Aluminium UK Ltd with British Aluminium Plc he set up British Alcan Aluminium Ltd, one of the major aluminium companies in Europe.

During this period, Sir George was a member of the Northern Industrial Development Board, a board member of the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra and the Washington Development Corporation. He became a Director of the Northern Rock Building Society in 1985; served on the Board of Civil Service Pay and Conditions in 1982, and the Widdicombe Committee of Inquiry into the Conduct of Local Government in 1986.

He was a Member of the Independent Broadcasting Authority for seven years until the end of 1986. In January 1987, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of Channel Four Television and, in 1988, Chairman of Independent Television News, but resigned from both boards upon his appointment as Chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority from 1 January 1989 to 31 December 1990. He continued to serve as Chairman of the Independent Television Commission from 1 January 1991 to 31 December 1996.

Sir George was a visiting professor to the Department of Engineering at Newcastle University. He has been awarded Honorary Doctorates: at the University of Newcastle, for Engineering, in 1985; at the University of Northumbria, for Business Administration, in 1992; at the University of Sunderland, for Civil Laws, in 1995, and the University of Durham, for Civil Laws, in 1997.

He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, a Companion of the British Institute of Management, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a Fellow of the Institute of Industrial Managers. He was a member of the CBI Council in 1984 and 1985, and served as a Trustee of the Beamish Museum Trust and the Thomas Bewick Birthplace Trust.

Sir George joined, Marley plc as Chief Executive in 1986 and was appointed Chairman in June 1989, retiring in 1997. He was invited to join the world board of Alcan Aluminium Ltd., Montreal, in April 1987 on which he served until October 2000. He chaired the Northern Development Company from 1994 until January 2000.

In 1992 he joined the Board of 3i Group plc, and chaired the company from 1993 until December 2001. He was Chairman of Camelot Group plc from 1995 until January 2002; and a Director of British Alcan plc from 1997 to December 2001.

Sir George currently continues to serve on the Board of Northern Rock plc; and in 1992 he was appointed to the Board of Taylor Woodrow plc where be became Deputy Chairman in 2000.

He is now also involved with technology venturing, and joined the Boards of KPIT Infosystems UK Ltd in December 2001 and Tridos Solutions, where he is Chairman, in July 2002. Since March 2002 he has chaired the Competitiveness Committee of the European Association of Metals; and he became a director of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in July 2002. He will play a significant role in assisting the Board of Granada to manage the regulatory issues and industry consolidation opportunities created by the new Communications Bill.