Ofcom's independent Consumer Panel announces two new members
Ofcom's independent Consumer Panel announces two new members (PDF)
10 February 2006
Ofcom's independent Consumer Panel today announced the appointment of two new members. Allan Williams and Jeremy Mitchell join the Panel, which exists to advise Ofcom and other bodies on the consumer interests in the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors.
Jeremy Mitchell has spent much of his life working to promote the interests of consumers, especially in the fields of telecommunications, broadcasting and financial services. His previous full-time appointments include Director of Consumer Affairs at the Office of Fair Trading and Director of the National Consumer Council. He has also been a Committee Member of ICSTIS (the premium rate telecoms regulatory body) and was Chairman of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications. He is a founding Council member of the Telecommunications Ombudsman Service, Otelo.
Allan Williams, was Senior Policy Advisor at Which? - formerly the Consumers' Association -, where he was responsible for telecoms, broadcasting and e-commerce issues. He worked on the campaign for the reform of communications regulation, which led to the setting up of Ofcom, and was a member of the steering board which established the Telecommunications Ombudsman Service, Otelo. His most recent work has focused on digital television including switchover and usability issues and he chaired the government's Consumer Expert Group on digital TV.
Colette Bowe, Chairman of the Ofcom Consumer Panel, said:
"Both Jeremy and Allan bring invaluable understanding of the consumer experience in the communications marketplace to the Panel. They have been selected for their ability to appreciate the range of consumer interests and to represent them effectively to Ofcom and all the other audiences we interact with. They join the Panel at an exciting time as the communications market is bursting with change and issues, which will have a fundamental impact on us all as consumers and citizens. Together with the other Panel members, I am delighted to have them on board."
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Notes to editors
The Ofcom Consumer Panel was established to advise Ofcom on the consumer interest in the markets it regulates. The Panel is independent and sets its own agenda. Visit www.communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk for more information about the Panel as well as a copy of the UK consumer research.
The Panel's members appointed by Ofcom are:
Colette Bowe, Chairman
Ruth Evans, Deputy Chairman
Azeem Azhar
Fiona Ballantyne
Roger Darlington
Simon Gibson
Graham Mather
Kevin McLaughlin
Jeremy Mitchell
Kate O'Rourke
Bob Twitchin
Allan Williams