Non-broadcast Council members

Lord Borrie Lord Borrie became the ASA's Chairman in January 2001. A lawyer by training, he practised at the Bar before becoming a law lecturer. He was a law professor at Birmingham University and became a QC in 1986. He is a Bencher of the Middle Temple. As Director General of Fair Trading, he was in charge of the Office of Fair Trading from 1976 to 1992. He chaired the Labour Party's Commission on Social Justice from 1992 to 1994 and was created a Life Peer in 1995. Lord Borrie has served on the Council of the Consumers' Association and has written on consumer law. He was also President of the Institute of Trading Standards from 1992 to 1996 and was Chairman of the Direct Marketing Authority from 1997 to 2000.

Jean Coussins Jean Coussins is Chief Executive of the Portman Group, which aims to promote sensible drinking and help prevent the misuse of alcohol. She is also a member of the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit's Alcohol Advisory Group and the Scottish Advisory Committee on Alcohol Misuse. Before joining the Portman Group in 1996, Jean was a Director at the Commission for Racial Equality. Among other appointments, Jean is an Independent Member of the Advisory Council of the British Board of Film Classification and an Associate Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge. Appointed to the ASA Council in April 2003.

Christine Farnish Christine Farnish is Chief Executive of the National Association of Pension Funds. Before her current post she was Consumer Director at the Financial Services Authority where she was responsible for promoting public awareness and consumer protection. She fronted an FSA initiative on small print and 'past performance' advertising in financial services. Before joining the FSA, she was Consumer Director and then Deputy Director General of OFTEL. Appointed to ASA Council in May 2002.

Sunil Gadhia Sunil Gadhia is the Chief Executive Officer of and a Partner in the City law firm Stephenson Harwood. He is involved in the firm's provision of free legal advice services at Camden Law Centre and at the Citizens Advice Bureau at the Royal Courts of Justice on whose Legal Services Committee he sits. Sunil was a non-executive director of the Law Society Trustees Limited, which is responsible for managing and distributing the Law Society's charitable funds. Sunil was Chairman and a volunteer legal adviser at Fulham Legal Advice Centre, a registered charity providing free legal advice through volunteer solicitors and barristers. Appointed to the ASA Council in April 2003.

Mike Ironside Mike Ironside has nearly 30 years experience in the advertising and marketing industry working in advertising agencies, media independents and media owners. He has worked with a wide range of the UK's leading advertisers across a number of media platforms. He has had held senior management responsibilities at The Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday. He currently runs an advertising and marketing consultancy based in London. Appointed to ASA Council in February 2001.

David McNair David McNair is Chief Executive of Food From Britain, an international marketing consultancy, funded partly by government to assist UK food and drink exporters and to encourage the development of regional speciality food and drink companies within the UK. He has a background of international marketing and sales with companies such as Unilever, Guinness, and Allied Domecq; business consulting with Silvermere Partnership; and retailing with J Sainsbury. Appointed to ASA Council in January 2000.

Susan Murray Susan Murray is Non-Executive Director of Enterprise Inns plc, SSL International plc and Imperial Tobacco Group plc. She is the former Chief Executive of Littlewoods High Street Stores, where she was responsible until recently for 120 clothing and 170 Index Stores. Before joining Littlewoods in 1998 she was Worldwide CEO of the Pierre Smirnoff Company a part of Diageo and Director of International Marketing at IDV Ltd. Her earlier career involved senior General Management and Marketing positions with Colgate Palmolive, Kraft General Foods and Duracell. Appointed to ASA Council in May 2003.

Dan O'Donoghue Dan O'Donoghue is Head of Strategic Planning at Publicis Worldwide. His time at the Publicis advertising agency has seen him work as Vice Chairman before holding the post of Joint Chief Executive for eight years. Dan had a ten-year career in Market Research at Rowntree Mackintosh before moving to the advertising agency side of the industry. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and is an honourary member of the APG. Appointed to ASA Council in June 2001.

Martyn Percy Reverend Canon Dr Martyn Percy is Director of the Lincoln Theological Institute at the University of Manchester. Since his ordination in 1990, Dr Percy has occupied academic posts at Christ's and Sidney Sussex colleges, Cambridge and the University of Sheffield. He worked as Academic Advisor on the Spirit Zone project in the Millennium Dome and presently sits on the Church of England's Faith and Order Advisory Group and is also Adjunct Professor at Harvard Seminary, Connecticut. Appointed to ASA Council in September 1999.

Donald Trelford Donald Trelford is Visiting Professor at the University of Sheffield, where he was Professor of Journalism Studies from 1994 to 2000. He was Editor of The Observer from 1975 to 1993 and is now a regular columnist and broadcaster. He is chairman of judges for the British Press Awards and chairman of the London Press Club. Appointed to ASA Council in May 2002.

David Lipsey David Lipsey is a Labour peer. He is chairman of the Social Market Foundation, the Racing Trust, the British Greyhound Racing Board and of Make Votes Count, and a director of London Weekend Television. He was a member of the Jenkins Committee on the Electoral System, of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care of the Elderly and of the Davies Panel on the Funding of the BBC. He is a former special adviser to Anthony Crosland and James Callaghan. His book "The Secret Treasury" was published in 2001. He was appointed the ASA council in April 1999.

Pauline Thomas Pauline Thomas is a Magistrate in Central London and a trustee of the Windsor Fellowship. She has worked in management roles for a number of companies, including Grant Thornton, Lovell White Durrant and British Petroleum. She is a Non-executive Director of St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, and Chairman of the hospital's Equal Opportunities Group and Clinical Governance Committee. Her first novel was published in 1997. Appointed to Council in June 1998.

Neil Watts Neil Watts is a Secondary School Headteacher and has been in education since 1974. He studied Economics at Magdalene College, Cambridge University. From there he went on to gain his P.G.C.E at Leicester University and returned to Cambridge to secure an MA. Professionally he is a member of the Secondary Heads Association and the General Teaching Council. Neil is involved in several committees and groups including the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ASBAH) of which he is the Chair of Education Committee. Appointed to ASA Council November 2004.

Broadcast Council members

Lord Borrie Lord Borrie became the ASA's Chairman in January 2001. A lawyer by training, he practised at the Bar before becoming a law lecturer. He was a law professor at Birmingham University and became a QC in 1986. He is a Bencher of the Middle Temple. As Director General of Fair Trading, he was in charge of the Office of Fair Trading from 1976 to 1992. He chaired the Labour Party's Commission on Social Justice from 1992 to 1994 and was created a Life Peer in 1995. Lord Borrie has served on the Council of the Consumers' Association and has written on consumer law. He was also President of the Institute of Trading Standards from 1992 to 1996 and was Chairman of the Direct Marketing Authority from 1997 to 2000.

Jean Coussins Jean Coussins is Chief Executive of the Portman Group, which aims to promote sensible drinking and help prevent the misuse of alcohol. She is also a member of the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit's Alcohol Advisory Group and the Scottish Advisory Committee on Alcohol Misuse. Before joining the Portman Group in 1996, Jean was a Director at the Commission for Racial Equality. Among other appointments, Jean is an Independent Member of the Advisory Council of the British Board of Film Classification and an Associate Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge. Appointed to the ASA Council in April 2003.

Christine Farnish Christine Farnish is Chief Executive of the National Association of Pension Funds. Before her current post she was Consumer Director at the Financial Services Authority where she was responsible for promoting public awareness and consumer protection. She fronted an FSA initiative on small print and 'past performance' advertising in financial services. Before joining the FSA, she was Consumer Director and then Deputy Director General of OFTEL. Appointed to ASA Council in May 2002.

Sunil Gadhia Sunil Gadhia is the Chief Executive Officer of and a Partner in the City law firm Stephenson Harwood. He is involved in the firm's provision of free legal advice services at Camden Law Centre and at the Citizens Advice Bureau at the Royal Courts of Justice on whose Legal Services Committee he sits. Sunil was a non-executive director of the Law Society Trustees Limited, which is responsible for managing and distributing the Law Society's charitable funds. Sunil was Chairman and a volunteer legal adviser at Fulham Legal Advice Centre, a registered charity providing free legal advice through volunteer solicitors and barristers. Appointed to the ASA Council in April 2003.

David McNair David McNair is Chief Executive of Food From Britain, an international marketing consultancy, funded partly by government to assist UK food and drink exporters and to encourage the development of regional speciality food and drink companies within the UK. He has a background of international marketing and sales with companies such as Unilever, Guinness, and Allied Domecq; business consulting with Silvermere Partnership; and retailing with J Sainsbury. Appointed to ASA Council in January 2000.

Susan Murray Susan Murray is Non-Executive Director of Enterprise Inns plc, SSL International plc and Imperial Tobacco Group plc. She is the former Chief Executive of Littlewoods High Street Stores, where she was responsible until recently for 120 clothing and 170 Index Stores. Before joining Littlewoods in 1998 she was Worldwide CEO of the Pierre Smirnoff Company a part of Diageo and Director of International Marketing at IDV Ltd. Her earlier career involved senior General Management and Marketing positions with Colgate Palmolive, Kraft General Foods and Duracell. Appointed to ASA Council in May 2003.

Dan O'Donoghue Dan O'Donoghue is Head of Strategic Planning at Publicis Worldwide. His time at the Publicis advertising agency has seen him work as Vice Chairman before holding the post of Joint Chief Executive for eight years. Dan had a ten-year career in Market Research at Rowntree Mackintosh before moving to the advertising agency side of the industry. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and is an honourary member of the APG. Appointed to ASA Council in June 2001.

Martyn Percy Reverend Canon Dr Martyn Percy is Director of the Lincoln Theological Institute at the University of Manchester. Since his ordination in 1990, Dr Percy has occupied academic posts at Christ's and Sidney Sussex colleges, Cambridge and the University of Sheffield. He worked as Academic Advisor on the Spirit Zone project in the Millennium Dome and presently sits on the Church of England's Faith and Order Advisory Group and is also Adjunct Professor at Harvard Seminary, Connecticut. Appointed to ASA Council in September 1999.

Nigel Walmsley Nigel Walmsley is the Chairman of the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB) and brings his extensive professional experience in the media industry to the ASA council. Having gained a BA in English at Oxford Nigel has worked at the highest level across several sectors including the position of Board Member for Marketing for the Post Office. His work in the media is considerable, he was Managing Director of Capital Radio, Chairman of Carlton Television and Chairman of GMTV. Nigel is very familiar with the advertising world having, until recently, been the Vice Chairman of the Advertising Association (AA) for over ten years. Appointed to the ASA Council November 2004.

Chitra Bharucha Chitra Bharucha, a Consultant Haematologist was born in Madurai, India. She gained her medical qualification, MB BS, before moving to Britain in the 1970’s where she went on to obtain a Specialist degree. Chitra was Deputy Director of the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service and Consultant Haematologist in Belfast City Hospital. Her professional qualifications and experience, membership of committees and voluntary work are extensive. Currently she is an Associate member of the General Medical Council (GMC) and chairs the Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs for the Food Standards Agency. She has been involved with many high profile groups across various different fields, ranging from the Independent Television Commission (ITC) to the GM Science Review Panel. Appointed to the ASA Council November 2004.

Alison Goodman Alison Goodman is a Fundraising Manager for the charity Terrence Higgins Trust. Her work involves implementing fundraising initiatives and managing the organisation's relationships with wealthy individuals and high profile celebrity supporters. With a degree in Education from London University Alison started out her professional life in teaching. A strong background in voluntary and charity work has seen Alison devote a great deal of time and energy to good causes such as community and educational work with Soviet refugees and working for the homeless each Christmas for 'Crisis'. Alison is a Governor of a Primary School in Islington, London.  Appointed to the ASA Council November 2004.

Pauline Thomas Pauline Thomas is a Magistrate in Central London and a trustee of the Windsor Fellowship. She has worked in management roles for a number of companies, including Grant Thornton, Lovell White Durrant and British Petroleum. She is a Non-executive Director of St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, and Chairman of the hospital's Equal Opportunities Group and Clinical Governance Committee. Her first novel was published in 1997. Appointed to Council in June 1998.

Neil Watts Neil Watts is a Secondary School Headteacher and has been in education since 1974. He studied Economics at Magdalene College, Cambridge University. From there he went on to gain his P.G.C.E at Leicester University and returned to Cambridge to secure an MA. Professionally he is a member of the Secondary Heads Association and the General Teaching Council. Neil is involved in several committees and groups including the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ASBAH) of which he is the Chair of Education Committee. Appointed to ASA Council November 2004.