News in brief: Footsie board jobs for women slow, Eurostar’s first female chairman, Trinity Mirror sees revenue slip ease

p53 Eurostar train travelling at speed on railway track. ref: AAJA61 train

alamy

17 May 2013

The rate of female appointments to FTSE 100 boards slowed drastically this year, with only 12% of posts being appointed to women in the two months to May.

The figures, from the Professional Boards Forum, represent a marked pace change since last year, when half of new FTSE 100 director appointments were going to women. The overall proportion of FTSE 100 women directors has remained almost static since last summer at 17.4%.

Eurostar’s first female chairman

Eurostar today appointed its first female chairman, with Clare Hollingsworth taking over from incumbent Richard Brown in June.

Hollingsworth was chief executive of private hospital group Spire Healthcare, and managing director of carrier Caledonian Airways. She is still on the board of Spire, as well as Virgin Healthcare, property group Savills and a Swedish medical technology firm.

Trinity Mirror sees revenue slip ease

Trinity Mirror today offered a glimmer of hope to investors as the rate of revenue decline eased from 13% in January and February to 7% in March and April.

But the owner of the Daily Mirror, which was holding its annual meeting, admitted even digital advertising fell by 13% in the period. Net debt improved to £132 million as Trinity has reduced payments into its pension scheme, which is £300 million in deficit.