AVN.L Regulatory News (AVN)

16 Jun 2008 07:00



Date: 16 June 2008

On behalf of: Avanti Communications Group plc ("Avanti" or "the Company")

Embargoed until: 0700hrs

Avanti Communications Group plc

Director Appointment

Avanti Communications Group Plc ("Avanti" or "the Company") (AIM: AVN), the satellite operator, is pleased to announce the appointment to its Board of Ian Colin Taylor MP (63) as a Non-Executive Director. Ian joins with immediate effect.

Ian is MP for Esher and Walton, having entered Parliament in 1987 after a career in investment and corporate finance.  He was Minister for Science and Technology (including Space) at the Department of Trade and Industry (1994-97).  He now chairs the Conservative Party's Policy Task-force on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. He is also Chairman of the Conservative Group for Europe. 

John Brackenbury, CBE, Chairman of Avanti Communications commented;

"We are delighted to welcome Ian to our board. There are few people who have greater experience in navigating the geo-politics of the global space industry than Ian and we look forward to benefiting from his wise counsel and extensive international relationships." 

Ian holds 2,885 shares in Avanti through his SIPP. 

The companies in which Ian Taylor MP has been a director of in the past five years are as follows:

Next Fifteen Communications plc*

Petards Group plc*

AXA - Framlington Limited*

Fentiman Consultants Limited*

Speed-trap Limited*

EURIM - European Informatics Market Limited*

The Parkmead Group plc

Radioscape plc

Hudson Venture Partners Limited

European Movement Limited

* Current Directorship

Ian Taylor MP was a Director of Hudson Venture Partners Limited, an investor in early stage technology companies, from September 1997 to September 2002. The company was placed in receivership in March 2003. Ian was a Director in Modern Composites Limited when the company was placed in receivership in 1979.

There are no further disclosures to be made under Schedule 2, paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules.

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