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SIR MICHAEL GRADE CBE |
| Born in London in 1943, Michael Grade was educated at Stowe & St. Dunstan's College. |
| A sports columnist on the Daily Mirror from 1960-66, he spent the next seven years as joint Managing Director of the London Management talent agency. |
| In 1973 he became Head of Entertainment & Director of Programmes at London Weekend Television, leaving in 1981 to move to the USA to become President of Embassy Television. |
| He joined the BBC as Controller in September 1984 &, in conjunction with this role, became Director of Programmes in June 1986 & Management Director Designate in 1987. In May 2004 he was appointed Chairman of the BBC Governors. |
| Michael spent nine years from 1988 as Chief Executive at Channel 4 Television, leaving in June 1997 to become Executive Chairman of First Leisure Corporation. In October 1998, on the appointment of a Non-Executive Chairman, he became Chief Executive & oversaw the restructuring of the company, leaving at the end of 1999. |
| Since leaving First Leisure, Michael Grade has become Executive Chairman of Pinewood & Shepperton Studios & is also Chairman of Hemscott plc, a leading supplier of business & investment information over the internet. In January 2002, he became Chairman of the Camelot Group, operators of the national lottery, Chairman of the Royal National Theatre's Development Council, is a member of the Council of the Royal Albert Hall, a Trustee of the National Film & Television School, a Director of the Gate Theatre in Dublin, Chairman of Index on Censorship & is also on the Board of Charlton Athletic Football Club. |
| In 1989 Michael Grade was asked by the Home Secretary to chair the Working Group on the Fear of Crime & from 1994 to 1996 he was a member of the National Commission of Inquiry into the prevention of child abuse. |
| In November 2006 he became the Executive Chairman of ITV but has announced that he will step down from his executive role by the end of 2009. |
| Michael Grade was awarded a CBE in the 1998 New Year's Honours list. |
For more information on Sir Michael Grade, Contact Arena. Tel: 0113-239-2222 |