Millennium Dome - new MD appointed

Greenwich, 17 April 1998

The New Millennium Experience Company today announced that LIAM KANE will be joining the Board of the Company as an Executive Director.

Mr. Kane, who was Managing Director at Mirror Group Scotland until January this year, will be responsible for the day to day management of the activities of the company, which is responsible for delivering the Millennium Experience at Greenwich.

The Dome will be the centrepiece of the UK's millennium celebrations and will employ up to 5,000 people when it opens on 31st December 1999.

Mr. Kane, a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, will take up the newly-created post of Managing Director on Monday 20 April. It means the number of NMEC Board Executive Directors is increased from two to three.

Mr. Kane has held senior board and management positions at Caledonian Publishing, where he led a successful management buy-out of the George Outram Group from Lonhro, and at News International and Mirror Group.

NMEC Chairman Bob Ayling said: "Liam Kane has a strong and successful track record in the newspaper and television business. His business and management skills will meet the expanding needs of the project as it enters the next key phase in development. He joins a talented and committed team under Jennie Page who are doing a marvellous job in bringing the project forward."

Chief Executive Jennifer Page added: "I am very pleased to have been able to appoint someone of Liam's calibre to this important position."

Mr Kane said: "I am delighted to be joining the team that is working so hard to make the Millennium Experience the success that Britain deserves. There is a lot of work to be done and a limited time to do it in - I'm looking forward to making a contribution."

Reporting directly to Chief Executive Jennie Page, Mr Kane will have the task of controlling costs, maximising revenues and delivering the project to time.

Mr Kane's appointment takes place as the company prepares to increase its central staff roll from 80 to 200, in preparation for staffing of 2,000 employees and 3,000 contract staff when the Millennium Experience opens on 31st December 1999.

Activity on the Greenwich site will step up in the next few months as contracts are let for the design, fit-out and installation of exhibits, attractions and service infrastructure. The growth of the national programme, the second and subsequent phases of the sponsorship programme and the start of the marketing and licensing campaigns will also occur in the course of 1998.

Notes:

• Mr Kane will become the third executive director on the New Millennium Experience Company Board, with Chief Executive Jennifer Page CBE and Finance Director Steve Brown.
• Non-executive directors on the New Millennium Experience Company Board are Bob Ayling, Chief Executive, British Airways (Chairman); Sam Chisholm, former Chief Executive and MD, Sky (Deputy Chairman); Ian Ash, Director, Corporate Relations, BT; The Hon Sara Morrison, Director, GEC; Sir Brian Jenkins, Chairman, Woolwich plc; Cllr Len Duvall, Leader, Greenwich Council; David Quarmby, Chairman, British Tourist Authority; Sir Alan Cockshaw, former Chairman, AMEC plc; Michael Grade CBE, Chairman, First Leisure Corporation plc; Ruth Mackenzie OBE, General Director, Scottish Opera.