BVCA names new monitoring group members

The BVCA has appointed members to the board of its new Guidelines Monitoring Group (GHG), the body set-up in the wake of the Walker Report to ensure BVCA members are complying with the transparency and disclosure code.

Chaired by Sir Mike Rake, chairman of the BT Group and a member of the advisory group that worked with Sir David on the report, the GHG will also consist of Alan Thomson, former group finance director of Smiths Group, and Jeannie Drake, the retiring deputy general secretary of the CWU (the Communication Workers Union). Robert Easton, managing director at The Carlyle Group, and David Blitzer, senior managing director at Blackstone Group, will represent the private equity industry.

Sir Mike said: “I am delighted to have such a strong team to work with on the Monitoring Group. It recognises the breadth of community and public interest in private equity and an enhanced degree of openness in its operations. At the same time its membership reflects an applied and experienced commercial focus. The Monitoring Group has an important role and we look forward to getting down to work.”

Alan Thomson was group finance director of Smiths from 1995 until 2006. He is currently chairman of Hamsard 3054 – Polypipe, deputy Chairman of Bodycote and non-executive director of Johnson Matthey, Alstom and Crossmatch Technologies.

Jeannie Drake is a non-executive board member of the Pension Protection Fund and Personal Accounts Delivery Authority, and was a member of the Pensions Commission under the chairmanship of Lord Turner. She will retire shortly from her position as a deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union representing members in the telecoms and financial sectors. She was TUC President in 2005.