07 April 2010 – Lady Judge appointed Chair of Pension Protection Fund

Today, Barbara Judge was appointed to be the new Chair of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF). The appointment takes effect from 1 July 2010 and will be for three years. Lady Judge will join the PPF from the UK Atomic Energy Authority, which she currently chairs.

Lady Judge said:

"I am delighted to be appointed as Chair of the PPF. The PPF is crucial in continuing to provide confidence and stability in pensions in the coming years and I am looking forward to having the opportunity to contribute to this important part of the pension protection system.  This is a challenging role and I envisage using my experiences from both the public and private sectors, including my roles as Deputy Chair of the Friends' Provident PLC and as a Non Executive Director of United Asset Management."

The PPF is a statutory fund created to protect members of defined benefit occupational pension schemes by paying compensation if their employer becomes insolvent and the pension scheme is under-funded.  It provides a safety net for 12 million members of defined benefit pension schemes. The fund is administered by the Board of the Pension Protection Fund, a public corporation.

Notes for Editors

1. Lawrence Churchill is currently the Chair of the PPF and will retain this role until 30 June 2010 when his appointment is due to end after two three year terms in the role. From July 2010 he will become the first Chair of the NEST Corporation.
2. Lady Judge’s appointment will commence on 1 July 2010 and will be for an initial period of three years. She will receive £60,000 annual remuneration for two days per week.
3. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ (OCPA) code of practice.
4. Lady Judge has held an extensive portfolio of appointments including chairing a range of different organisations in the public and not for profit sectors, most recently the UK Atomic Energy Authority, from which she will soon stand down. Lady Judge holds dual UK/US Citizenship.In December 2009 she was appointed a UK Business Ambassador. Other current appointments include -
   • Chair of the School of Oriental and African Studies, Independent Director, Magna International Inc, Independent Non-Executive Director, Massey Energy Company and Independent Director, NV Bekaert SA.
5. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Lady Judge has declared that she has not undertaken any political activities or made a donation to any party in the last five years.

Media Enquiries: 0203 267 5191
Out of hours: 07659 108883
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk