Today we are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Chairman, Mr. Anthony Fry. Anthony studied History at Oxford University and embarked on a career in banking with Rothschilds where he advised businesses and governments around the world. He was instrumental in the structuring of the UK National Lottery and until recently served as Chair of CALA Group, The Premier League and Dairy Crest. He has also held non-executive positions on the boards of companies including Southern Water, BSI and Molem. His experience of charitable, cultural and academic organisations includes Board positions with The British Lung Foundation, SOAS, The English National Opera and The Natural History Museum. From the late 1990s Anthony was Global Head of Media and European Head of Telecoms at Credit Suisse where he worked with major media companies including the BBC, BSkyB and Vivendi. He also became a member of the BBC Trust. Anthony now lives in Wiltshire and is an enthusiastic fan of Time Team. We are very pleased that he has agreed to lend his wealth of expertise to the benefit of Wessex Archaeology.

Sadly, we must also say goodbye to our outgoing Chair, Genie Turton, who has guided the organisation through the toughest economic conditions in living memory. Genie agreed to take on the role on a temporary basis but, recognising the need for stability, she has remained with us for five years. During her tenure, Genie encouraged our teams to balance clear-eyed business thinking with the delivery of public benefit and used her commitment to diversity and equality to inspire our staff and return our organsisation to a strong financial position. The Board and the management team benefited hugely from her experience and energy and she has been a consistent source of sound advice and moral support. We are tremendously grateful for the contribution Genie made to our organisation and we have no doubt that her next initiative will be a great success.