BOARD-P-08-07
This paper outlines the current status of Board members and seeks approval to approach Sir Trevor Chinn to replace Edmund King.
Vacancies currently exist on the Board of LowCVP following resignations from:
•
Jack
•
John
•
Edmund
At the November Board it was agreed the Director should approach Julia King
(Vice Chancellor, Aston University) and Jamie Borwick (Modec). The Board has previously approved an approach to Jon Walden (MD, Lex Vehicle Leasing) to strengthen representation from the fleet sector. Contacts have been made with each of these individuals to ascertain their interest.
As a replacement for Edmund King it is proposed to approach Sir Trevor Chinn and Board approval is sought for this. The RAC Foundation has also written to
LowCVP indicating their wish to continue to be represented but without proposing a person. At present RAC Foundation is without a nominated Executive Director.
If successful with these approaches the balance of the Board will be:
•
4 automotive companies (max 4 – includes Modec)
•
3 supply chain companies (max 4 – includes Millbrook represented through the Chair of the Steering Group)
•
2 research community (max 3)
•
3 energy companies (max 3)
•
2 transport operators (max 3)
•
3 Government (max 4)
•
2 trusts (max 2)
•
2 consumer / environmental groups (max 3)
This would increase membership of the Board to 21 but this is considered manageable.

Appendix - Biographies
Jon Walden - Lex Vehicle Leasing
Jon is responsible for the overall strategic development and operational performance of Lex. He has worked extensively in the automotive sector for over twenty five years. Following a term as
Managing Director of Lex between 1990 and 1995 he rejoined the company in 1999.
Lex is the UK’s largest fleet company employing 600 people from centres in Manchester, Marlow and Stirling. In its Contract with the Future, Lex Vehicle Leasing accepts:
• that it is part of a global community from which it derives benefits and to which it owes responsibility
• its responsibility extends to lessening the impact of all aspects of its operations on that community and the environment on which it depends
• that the car - with its traditional technologies - has a detrimental effect on the environment
• that CO2 emissions from vehicles are a significant contributor to global warming
• that vehicle emissions have a detrimental effect on urban air quality and public health and well-being
It also recognises “that the car has brought great benefits to, and is an intrinsic part of, modern society” and that, as the UK's foremost contract vehicle hire company, it has a responsibility to use its position to accelerate the change to 'clean', sustainable vehicle usage.
Jamie Borwick, Modec
Jamie has been Chairman of Modec Ltd since 2005. Modec manufacture electric vans in
Coventry. He is also Chairman of Route2Mobility Ltd, which funds wheelchairs and scooters for disabled people as part of the Motobility scheme. He is a trustee of five charities and a partner of
Federated Investments Limited, an investor in property in the UK and Florida. Jamie is a former
Chairman and CEO of Manganese Bronze Holdings, parent company of LTI and former member of the DTI Technology Strategy Board.
Julia King, Aston University
Julia King is the author on the on-going Treasury review into low carbon cars.
After sixteen years as an academic researcher and university lecturer at Cambridge and
Nottingham universities, Julia King joined Rolls-Royce plc in 1994. At Rolls-Royce she held a number of senior appointments, including Head of Materials, Director of Advanced Engineering for the Industrial Power Group, Managing Director of the Fan Systems Business and Engineering
Director for the Marine Business. In 2002 Julia became Chief Executive of the Institute of
Physics, and in 2004 she returned to academia as Principal of the Engineering Faculty at Imperial
College, London. In December 2006 she became Vice Chancellor of Aston University.
Throughout her career Julia has held a number of senior public appointments and has continued to support universities and voluntary bodies in various roles. In addition to being a director of the
Engineering and Technology Board, she chairs the Defence Science Advisory Council and is a member of the DTI Technology Strategy Board. She is currently leading a Royal Academy of
Engineering Working Party on ‘Educating Engineers for the 21st Century.’ She plays an active role in encouraging women and young people to go into science and engineering-based careers.
Julia is a Liveryman of the Goldsmiths’ Company, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, an Honorary Fellow of New Hall, Cambridge and of Cardiff University. She has published over
160 papers on fatigue and fracture in structural materials and developments in aerospace and marine propulsion technology. Her research has been recognised through the award of the
Grunfeld, Bengough and Kelvin medals. In the Queen’s Birthday Honours in July 1999 she was made a Commander of The Order of The British Empire for ‘Services to Materials Engineering’.
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Sir Trevor Chinn
Sir Trevor Chinn CVO is a prominent British businessman and philanthropist. His current positions include acting as Chairman of: AA Ltd (the Automobile Association); Streetcar, the largest UK pay-as-you-go car club; and ITIS Holdings, the leading UK provider of traffic information. He is also the Chairman of the Motorists Forum and a Director of Automotive Skills, the Skills Council for the retail automotive industry.
Sir Trevor spent more than 40 years at the helm of RAC plc (formerly Lex Service plc). He retired his position as Chairman in 2003. He is a past Chairman of Kwik-Fit and previous Vice Chair of the Government’s Commission for Integrated Transport (from 1999-2004). In 1989 he initiated the
Lex Report on Motoring (now the RAC Report on Motoring), the most authoritative study of motorists' attitudes in Britain.
His philanthropic leadership roles include Chief Barker of the Variety Club of Great Britain for 2 successive terms (1977 and 1978), Chairman of the Friends of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Scheme (for which he received his CVO - Commander of the Royal Victorian Order - in 1989),
Vice Chairman of the Wishing Well Appeal for Great Ormond Street Hospital (for which he received his knighthood in 1990), Deputy Chairman of the Royal Academy Trust.
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