NEW APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD OF THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY

28 Feb 2001 12:00 AM

Aviation Minister Bob Ainsworth has appointed three new Members to the Board of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The appointments will all come into effect on 1 March 2001.

John Arscott appointed as Director of Airspace Policy

John Arscott has been appointed as an executive Member of the Board for an initial period of three years. The appointment has been agreed by Geoff Hoon, the Secretary of State for Defence, and has a salary of #100,000 per annum.

Following the Transport Act 2000, airspace policy becomes the responsibility of the CAA and will sit alongside safety and economic regulation to provide complete regulation of civil aviation. As Director of Airspace Policy Mr Arscott will have responsibility for determining the use of UK airspace and its supporting infrastructure.

Mr Arscott was a military air traffic controller and until 1998 headed the provision of military air traffic control services. He has been involved in airspace policy for the past two years and will retire from the Royal Air Force to take up this post with the CAA.

Chris Jesnick appointed as Director of Finance

Chris Jesnick has also been appointed as an executive Member of the Board for an initial period of three years. The salary for the appointment is #85,000 per annum.

Miss Jesnick, who is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Management Accountants, has worked for the CAA since 1996. Her previous career was in a variety of financial roles in the private sector. She succeeds Tony Herron, who retired in October 2000.

Assistant Chief of Air Staff appointed as member

From now on, one Member of the CAA Board will be appointed on the nomination of the Secretary of State for Defence with a particular remit for national security matters. The intention is that this post will be held by the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff. The current A/CAS, Air Vice-Marshal Philip Sturley, will be the first holder. The appointment is unsalaried.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. John Arscott, who is 53, has had a varied career in aviation and continues the job of Director of Airspace Policy as this responsibility transfers to the CAA following enactment of the Transport Act 2000. He is a serving Air Vice-Marshal but will retire from the Royal Air Force to take up the new post within the CAA. He has held senior appointments within the RAF with responsibility for air traffic control policy and service provision and has held a number of posts in the joint civil/military NATS prior to 1996. He has no other ministerial appointments and is not engaged in any political activities.

Chris Jesnick, who is 45, has worked in a variety of financial positions including being the Head of Financial Services for British Gas PLC from 1992 to 1996. She joined the CAA in 1996 as Head of Finance for the Safety Regulation Group and became Finance Director - Regulation in 1997. She has no other ministerial appointments and is not engaged in any political activities.

2. The CAA is responsible for the regulation of civil aviation in the United Kingdom. It has specific responsibility for aviation safety, consumer protection, economic regulation and airspace policy and planning.

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