Bill Cockburn CBE TD

Biography

Bill was born in 1943 and was educated in Edinburgh.

He joined the Post Office as a management trainee in 1961 and in 1981 he was appointed to the Post Office Board. He had various Board appointments including Finance Director, Managing Director Royal Mail and Group Chief Executive (1992-5).

He was Group Chief Executive of WH Smith (1995-7) and Group Managing Director of BT plc with Board responsibility for all UK operations (1997-2001). Since retiring from BT he has held a number of non-executive roles including, currently, Deputy Chairman Business Post Group plc and Chairman of the Senior Salaries Review Body.

He was previously Chairman of Parity Group plc and has held Non-Executive Director appointments with LEX Service plc; Centrica plc; Kymata Ltd; Yakara plc; Business in the Community; Whitbread plc; and Deputy Chairman of AWG plc . He was President of the Institute of Direct Marketing and Chairman of the School Teachers’ Review Body.

Bill served in the TA for 26 years: was Colonel of the Postal and Courier Service of the Royal Logistics Corps (RLC); Honorary Colonel Commandant of the RLC; and a Non Executive Member of the Army Board. He was awarded the CBE in 1989 for services to British Industry. Appointed: April 2008. Reappointed: April 2011. Term ends: March 2014

Remunerated Interests

Business Post Group - Deputy Chairman SSRB - Chairman

Registered Shareholdings

General portfolio

Ownership of Land and Property

3 houses - 1 let, 2 for personal use

Party Political Activity

None

Other Declarations

None

Date of Registration 25 April 2011