BBC Trust

"there will be changes to the membership of both the BBC’s Executive Board and the Worldwide Board in order to reduce the potential for conflicts of interest. Specifically, the Chief Executive Officer of BBC Worldwide will no longer be a member of the BBC’s Executive Board and staff from BBC Vision (who produce most of the BBC content subsequently sold by Worldwide) will not be eligible to be members of the Worldwide Board. This will result in Jana Bennett stepping down from the BBC Worldwide Board."

The BBC Trust would like to clarify the following:

1. Yesterday's governance changes were agreed by the BBC Trust in the light of a recommendation from the BBC Executive Board, of which Jana Bennett is a member. They were devised as part of a wider review of the BBC’s commercial activities and in no way reflect on the individuals concerned. There has been no question of Jana Bennett being "forced" to step down as press reports have suggested.
2. The changes are not in response to any known actual conflict of interest on behalf of any party. The changes will ensure greater clarity between the BBC’s public service and commercial activities. John Smith, the Chief Executive of BBC Worldwide has likewise stepped down from the BBC Executive Board as part of the changes.