Ofcom appoints three new members to Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland

Ofcom today announced the appointment of three new members to its Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland.

The Advisory Committee was established under the terms of the Communications Act 2003 to provide advice to Ofcom about the interests and opinions of people living in Northern Ireland on all communications matters.

The new appointments, all for three year terms, will fill posts on the Committee which had come to the end of their term.

Paul Cavanagh is Commissioning Manager of the North-West Local Commissioning Group. He has previously been Commissioning Manager for Mental Health and Learning Disability with the Western Health and Social Services Board; set up the Western Health Action Zone; was Chief Executive of City Centre Initiative in Derry and Co-ordinator of the North West Community Network. Paul is a member of the Big Lottery Fund Northern Ireland Committee and chairs its Young People’s Fund. He is Co-Chairperson of the Local Strategy Partnership in Derry City Council area.

Lesley Holmes is currently seconded to the role of Economic Development Officer with Belfast City Council’s Development Department. She has worked for the Council for nine years, previously in the roles of Cultural Communications Officer and Information Assistant. Before joining Belfast City Council, she was Client Executive at AndersonSpratt Group Communications Ltd and completed an internship with the US Senate. Lesley holds an LLB from Queen’s University, a Postgraduate Diploma in European Business Administration and the Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma.

Ben Preston was President of the Students’ Union at Queen’s University Belfast. During his two year term the Students’ Union underwent a £9 million refurbishment. Ben is a Computer Science graduate from Queen’s University where he was part of the Christian Union Executive and helped set up the WIMPS.org.uk committee – a youth-led website enabling young people to contact their public representatives. His career to date includes a year’s placement with the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and he has recently worked with the British Council and the World Economic Forum.

Denis Wolinski , Director of Ofcom Northern Ireland said: “The communications industry is changing rapidly in Northern Ireland. We welcome our new members and the particular knowledge and expertise which they bring, which will complement those of our existing members and help ensure that the Committee continues to provide Ofcom with informed and timely advice.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

Members are appointed to the Advisory Committee through an open public application process. The Committee meets quarterly and reports directly to the Ofcom Board. The minutes of meetings and details of all current Committee members can be found on the Ofcom website. The Committee is chaired by Professor Wallace Ewart. Existing Committee members are Jim Dougal, Isolde Goggin, Máire Killoran, Billy McClean, Dr Sally Montgomery, and Dr Leslie Orr.

Ofcom has advisory committees for England, Scotland and Wales as well as for Northern Ireland.

Ofcom appoints three new members to Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland

Notes to Editors

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