Culture Minister appoints NI Screen Board
Culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilín MLA today announced the appointment of eight new Board Members to NI Screen.
~ Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Following open competition, Michael Catto, Adeline Dinsmore, Jennifer Johnston, Michael Kuhn, Fiona MacMillan, Aódán Mac Póilin, Laurence McKeown and Ian Parsley have been appointed as Board Members.
Welcoming the new members the Minister said: “I am looking forward to working with the new Board as they build on the success of NI Screen in developing our local screen industries.
“NI Screen has achieved considerable success in persuading major film and television productions such as Game of Thrones, Hunger and Your Highness to choose the north as a location.
“These productions have provided a much welcome boost to our economy and have given us an opportunity to demonstrate that we have the infrastructure and talent to be successful in this growing sub-sector of our creative industries.”
Minister Ní Chuilín recognised the cultural and educational activities of NI Screen when she said “I am also looking forward to working with the new Board as it continues to deliver successful cultural and educational programmes.
“The Creative Learning Centres, which are funded by NI Screen, provide training programmes for young people, youth leaders and teachers in new digital technologies, a sub-sector of the creative industries which provides significant growth potential and opportunities for us as we strive to rebuild and rebalance our economy.”
Minister Ní Chuilín also paid tribute to the outgoing Board members for their contribution and commitment to the work of NI Screen during their terms of appointment. “I would like to personally thank NI Screen’s outgoing Board members for their leadership, vision and time commitment. They have laid solid foundations for the continued success of NI Screen.”
Notes to editors:
1. Northern Ireland Screen is funded by Invest NI and part financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the European Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland and by the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and it is delegated by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to administer Lottery funding for film in Northern Ireland. DCAL is the sponsor Department for Northern Ireland Screen.
2. Northern Ireland Screen is governed by a Board consisting of a Chair, Vice-Chair and 11 Board members. Board member positions are not remunerated but they are entitled to travel and subsistence expenses. The Chair receives an honorarium of £10,000 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses. The Vice-Chair will receive an honorarium of £3,500 per annum plus reasonable travel and subsistence expenses.
3. The appointments process was carried out in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments Northern Ireland Code of Practice for Ministerial Public Appointments. A selection panel, which included an independent panel member, as required under the Commissioner’s Code, considered the suitability of all candidates. The final decision on the appointments rested with the Minister. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published. Any political activity is mentioned in the biographies attached.
4. The terms of appointment of outgoing members expired on 31 December 2011. The new terms of appointment commence on 9 February 2012 and are for three or five year periods. The terms of appointment are for differing lengths to facilitate the retention of a sufficient level of experience and to realign the terms of appointment to reduce the potential number of competitions that the Department would need to run to keep the Board at its full complement of 13. Vice-Chair Brian McMahon has had his term extended until December 2014 to facilitate this re-alignment.
5. The following Board members will continue to serve on the Board:·
- Rick Hill (Chair)
- Brian McMahon (Vice-Chair)
- Maurice Hayes
- Tim McKane
- James Penny
6. The outgoing Board members are:
- Roger Austin
- Terry Loane
- Ruth McCance
- Philip Morrow
- Peter Quinn
- Mairead Regan
- Kate Smith
- Anne Cormican
7. Media enquiries should be addressed to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure Communications Office Tel 028 90 515047 or email: communications@dcalni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699715440 and your call will be returned.
Biographical details
New Board Members
Michael Catto (Appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2014)
Mr Catto is a Visiting Professor at University of Ulster Belfast where he teaches Narrative Theory part time to the Master of Fine Arts Computer Animation students and has taught film related studies at secondary and tertiary level since 1968. He has written or edited scripts for several TV documentaries for BBC and RTE and presented film programmes for BBC and UTV. He has broadcasted and written on Film and Media topics on a weekly basis since 1976. Mr Catto has served on numerous boards including the Arts Council NI and the Arts Council of Ireland. Mr Catto has not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
Adeline Dinsmore (Appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2016)
Mrs Dinsmore is a former teacher (36 years) and Principal who has used film to engage students while teaching literature. She has introduced and developed a number of creative initiatives to harness the use of digital technologies in teaching to offer a wider curriculum to her pupils and staff. Mrs Dinsmore served as a member of the Broadcasting Council of BBC NI for five years and as President of the Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association. Mrs Dinsmore has not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
Jennifer Johnston (Appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2014)
Jennifer Johnston has worked in the Film and Digital Arts Education Sector for over 10 years. This has included running a Multimedia and Moving Image company which delivered training to a range of schools and colleges. She is an Apple Distinguished Educator, and is currently responsible for leading the specialism in Creativity and Digital Arts at Hazelwood Integrated College, Northern Ireland's only specialist school in Digital Arts. Jennifer runs an online forum for Moving Image Arts teachers across the UK, and is Principal Moderator for CCEA's Moving Image Arts AS Level. She has made three short films, one of which was screened last year at the Belfast Film Festival. Ms Johnston has not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
Michael Kuhn (Appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2016)
Mr Kuhn built up the film studio - Polygram Filmed Entertainment which has produced/distributed over one hundred films including major productions such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Fargo, Trainspotting and Shallow Grave. He has been awarded the Michael Balcon BAFTA for outstanding contribution to the UK Film Industry. Mr Kuhn has served as Chair of the National Film and Television School from 2003 – 2010. He was a member of the board of governors of Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute and helped set up the Sundance Film Channel. He was a member of the EU Committee which reported on the media industry’s digital future in 1998. Mr Kuhn has not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
Fiona MacMillan (Appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2014)
Ms. MacMillan is a communications and public affairs consultant. She was Public Affairs Officer at the Arts Council (2008-2011) and press officer for Cinemagic (1993-1995) and the Northern Ireland Film Council (1993-1995). She was commissioned by Sesame Workshop to project manage Sesame Tree from 2009-2011. She was Media and Communications Manager for NI’s largest children’s charity, Barnardo’s, for 11 years. Ms. MacMillan has been non-Executive Director of Stratagem NI since 1998. She holds an M.A. (Hons) in Modern History and Politics from the University of Edinburgh and a post-graduate diploma in Journalism Studies from the University of Ulster. Ms MacMillan volunteered with the “Yes 2 AV” campaign in the May 2011 referendum.
Aódán Mac Póilin (Appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2014)
Mr Mac Póilin has been involved in television for more than 20 years. As Director of the Ultach Trust, he has written extensively on the promotion of the Irish Language and Irish Language Broadcasting issues. He played a key role in lobbying for funding for Irish language film and television which ultimately led to the establishment of the Irish Language Broadcasting Fund. Mr Mac Póilin was a member of the committee of the first Irish-medium school in the North. Mr Mac Póilin has been a member of the BBC Educational Broadcasting Council NI, the Broadcasting Council NI, and the NI Audience Council. Mr Mac Póilin has not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
Laurence McKeown (Appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2016)
Dr McKeown founded the West Belfast Film Festival in 1995 which later became the Belfast Film Festival in 2001. He currently serves on the Board of the Festival. He has co-written a feature film, H3, and has written and directed several short films including Private Day of Reflection, When the Summit is Shrouded in Mist, We Won’t Be Kept Down Easy and The Visit. He also produced the short film I gCillín an Bhaís. Dr McKeown was Project Coordinator with Coiste na nLarchimi from 1998 – 2007. He is a regular commentator in the media, speaking on a range of cultural, current and political affairs. Dr McKeown has canvassed on behalf of Sinn Féin.
Ian Parsley (Appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2014)
Mr Parsley was a member of the Organising Committee and subsequently Marketing Manager for the Celtic Film and Television Festival when it was hosted in Belfast in 2003. He was also a Policy Adviser at the NI Assembly from 2005 – 2009. Mr Parsley has worked on projects with MacMillan Media and Vision Works. Mr Parsley has served as a councillor on North Down Borough Council on a range of committees. Mr Parsley has applied for the position of Chair of the Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund. He is a former Hon Treasurer of the Ulster-Scots Language Society and has worked as a consultant with the Ulster-Scots Heritage Council and the Ulster-Scots Agency, and is author of a forthcoming Ulster-Scots grammar. Mr Parsley has undertaken political activity for both the Conservative Party and the Alliance Party between 2007 and 2011.
Board Members re-appointed for a second term
Maurice Hayes MRIA (Re-appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2016)
Mr Hayes read English at Queen’s University and taught for 7 years at St. Patrick’s Grammar in Downpatrick before pursuing a career in the NI Civil Service. He is a former Northern Ireland Ombudsman and Boundary Commissioner and was Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services (NI) as well as former Chairman of the Community Relations Council (NI). Appointed by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Hayes was a member of the 21st and 22nd Seanad Éireann and Chair of the National Forum on Europe. He has been a Board Member of NI Screen since 1 January 2008 and is Chair of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund. Mr Hayes has not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
Tim McKane (Re-appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2016)
Mr McKane has recently opened Navajo Talk - a new social network and digital content agency. Over the last twenty years he has been responsible for creating some of the most memorable local advertising campaigns and has won a number of awards. For five years he was a member of the Publicity Association NI and held the position of Chairman in 1992. He also sits on the NI Committee of the Institute of Directors. Mr McKane has been a Board Member of NI Screen since 1 January 2008. Mr McKane has not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
James Penny (Re-appointed from 9 Feb 2012 – 31 Dec 2016)
James is a media lawyer and Commercial Director of Mammoth Screen Limited with over 10 years’ experience advising film and television production companies, broadcasters and talent. He was previously a partner at law firm Arthur Cox and, before that, Head of Business Affairs at ITV Productions. Mr Penny has been a Board Member of NI Screen since 1 January 2008. As Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee, he has played a key role in ensuring NI Screen’s compliance with governance and accountability requirements. Mr Penny has not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
Chair and Vice Chair Pen Pictures
Rick Hill - Chairman, NI Screen Board (Term ends 31 Dec 2012)
Rick Hill is a self-employed media and advocacy consultant following a 17-year career as a Minister in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. He was appointed Chairman of the Consumer Council in January 2009, having served as board member for the previous year. In September 2008 he was appointed as Chairman of Consumer Focus Post (the Northern Ireland Postal Services Committee) and a member of the Board of Consumer Focus (the replacement body for the National Consumer Council). Formerly, a Non-Executive Director of the Society for the Orphans and Children of Ministers and Missionaries of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Ltd, a former member of BBC Audience Council for Northern Ireland and the BBC Broadcasting Council for Northern Ireland. Mr Hill was originally appointed to the Board of the Northern Ireland Screen Commission in January 2008 as Vice-Chair. He was appointed Chair from 1 January 2009. Mr Hill has not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
Brian McMahon - Vice Chairman, NI Screen Board (Term extended until 31 Dec 2014)
Brian is founder and CEO of Segment International. Brian has 25 years of experience in strategy formation, industrial design, user experience, and consumer research with top global brands such as Apple and the Walt Disney Co on both sides of the client-supplier relationship. He holds a MSID in Industrial Design, an MBA, and a bachelor's degree in marketing, and has won several awards and patents. Brian lectures at universities around the world, and has served on the board of directors of several companies. Prior career positions include VP at Grey and BBDO, founder of the innovation research firm Plan B, SVP (and founder of Qualitative Division) at LRW, and most recently MD/COO of Flamingo in New York. Mr McMahon has not been involved in any political activity in the last five years.
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