Sir Iain Vallance Chairman (a) (i) (j)
Sir Iain joined the Post Office in 1966. Appointed a director of the company in 1984, he served as Chief Executive from 1986 until December 1995 and has been Chairman since 1987. Sir Iain is non-executive vice chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland and also chairman of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers. Aged 53.

Sir Peter Bonfield CBE Chief Executive (a) (b) (c) (i)
Sir Peter was appointed to the Board on 1 January 1996 as Chief Executive. He is a director of BT’s associated company, MCI Communications Corporation. Sir Peter is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Electrical Engineers. From 1981 to 1995, he worked for ICL, most recently as chairman and chief executive. Sir Peter is currently non-executive chairman of ICL and a non-executive director of Zeneca. Aged 51.

Dr Alan W Rudge CBE Deputy Chief Executive (a) (b) (c)
Dr Rudge FRS FEng FIEE joined BT in 1987 and was appointed to the Board in 1989. He became Deputy Chief Executive in January 1996. Dr Rudge is also a director of MCI Communications Corporation. He is chairman of the Engineering Council and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, and a past president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. Aged 58.

Robert P Brace FCA Group Finance Director (a) (b) (c) (e) (g)
Mr Brace joined the company in 1989 and was appointed to the Board in 1993 as Group Finance Director. A career-long finance professional, he started with Peat Marwick Mitchell (KPMG) in 1971 and subsequently held senior finance roles with Unipart and Black & Decker. Mr Brace chairs BT’s Welsh Advisory Forum. Aged 46.

Sir Colin Marshall Deputy Chairman (a) (d) (h) (j)
Sir Colin was appointed a director on 1 April 1995 and became Deputy Chairman in January 1996. He ceased to be chairman and chief executive of British Airways at the end of 1995, but remains non-executive chairman. Sir Colin is also non-executive chairman of Inchcape, a non-executive director of HSBC Holdings, the New York Stock Exchange and Qantas Airways and president of the Confederation of British Industry. Aged 62.

Dr Iain Anderson (d) (e) (h)
Dr Anderson was appointed to the Board on 1 November 1995. He is chairman of the chemicals sector of Unilever, for whom he has worked since 1965. Dr Anderson joined the Unilever board in 1988. He has post-doctorate qualifications in microbiology from both Glasgow and Massachusetts Universities. Aged 57.

Malcolm Argent CBE (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (j)
After a career in the Post Office, Mr Argent was appointed Secretary of the company in 1984 and a director in 1989. Since retiring in August 1994, he has served on the Board as a non-executive director. Mr Argent is deputy chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority and a non-executive director of Clerical Medical and General Life Assurance Society and Westminster Health Care Holdings. Aged 60.

Birgit Breuel Germany
Appointed to the Board as a non-executive director on 1 April 1995, Mrs Breuel is general commissioner of EXPO 2000 and was previously president of Treuhandanstalt, the agency responsible for the privatisation of industry in the former East Germany. Mrs Breuel is also a non-executive director of Daimler-Benz and Novartis. Aged 58.

Sir Ewen Fergusson GCMG, GCVO (h)
Sir Ewen was appointed a director in 1993, having retired as HM Ambassador to France after a 36 year career in the Diplomatic Service. He is non-executive chairman of Coutts & Co and the Savoy Hotel and a non-executive director of the Sun Alliance Group. Sir Ewen chairs BT’s Scottish Advisory Forum. Aged 63.

Yve Newbold (d) (f) (h)
Appointed to the Board in 1991, Mrs Newbold is a solicitor and chief executive of PRO NED. She was company secretary of Hanson from 1986 to 1995. Mrs Newbold is also a non-executive director of Coutts & Co and a governor of the London Business School. Aged 55.

Keith Oates (d) (h) (j)
Mr Oates was appointed a director in June 1994. He is deputy chairman and managing director of Marks and Spencer. Mr Oates’ international experience includes working for IBM, and Black & Decker. He is also a non-executive director of Guinness and a member of the Sports Council of Great Britain. Aged 53.

Bert C Roberts Jnr USA
Mr Roberts joined the Board as a non-executive director in October 1994. He is chairman and chief executive officer of BT’s associated company, MCI Communications Corporation, based in Washington DC. Aged 53.

The Rt Hon Lord Tebbit CH (d) (h) (j)
A former MP, Lord Tebbit became Secretary of State for Employment in 1981, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in 1983, and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and chairman of the Conservative Party in 1985. Having left the Government, he joined the Board as a non-executive director in 1987. Lord Tebbit is also a non-executive director of Sears and The Spectator. Aged 65.