RICHARD JACKSON APPOINTED TO THE BOARD OF THE CAA

28 Jul 2004 03:45 PM

Secretary of State for Transport Alistair Darling has appointed Mr Richard Jackson as a member of the board of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). He will take over as Group Director, Consumer Protection on 1 October. The appointment is for five years and will initially be at a salary of 115,000 per year.

Mr Jackson is currently a financial consultant. Formerly a banker, he began his career in the Ministry of Defence where his posts included acting as Private Secretary to the Navy Minister. He has no political affiliations.

The CAA is responsible for the regulation of civil aviation in the United Kingdom and is the Government's principal advisor on civil aviation matters. It has specific responsibility for consumer protection, aviation safety, airspace policy and the economic regulation of the industry.

The CAA, through the Consumer Protection Group, manages a high-quality system of financial protection for holidaymakers, operates a bonding scheme on the industry providing an effective rescue and refund scheme for passengers, licenses airlines, and enforces consumer protection legislation. It also acts as expert adviser to the Government on the development and implementation of passenger protection measures.

As Group Director, Consumer Protection, Richard Jackson's key tasks will include managing the Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL) protection scheme for holidaymakers, and dealing with airline licensing, liability and insurance.

Notes to Editors

1. Richard Jackson graduated from Christ Church, Oxford, and joined the Ministry of Defence. He left the MoD in 1984 for the banking world, firstly Hill Samuel & Co then Daiwa SBCM Europe where he rose to Managing Director, Investment Banking Division. He co-founded the Zeno Partnership, an FSA-registered financial consultancy, in 2001.

2. The Civil Aviation Authority's Consumer Protection Group (CPG) manages the Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL) protection scheme for holidaymakers, and deals with airline licensing (including financial fitness, ownership and control), liability and insurance. The CPG is also involved in passenger rights issues and is sponsor of the Air Transport Users Council (AUC), which represents the interests of air passengers.

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