BBC Trust defends Rona Fairhead over £500,000 HSBC payment - Defendng the indefensible!

Chair of BBC’s governing body was chair of HSBC’s audit committee at time covered by HSBC files, but has had no discussions with journalists about coverage (ADMIN: WHAT INFLUNECE DOES THE CHAIR HAVE OVER THE CAREERS OF BBC MANAGERS AND JOURNALISTS?)

The BBC Trust has defended its chairwoman Rona Fairhead after it emerged that she was paid £513,000 by the scandal-hit bank HSBC last year.

HSBC files: Rona Fairhead declines to answer queries about activities at Swiss bank

Chair of BBC Trust has been a director of HSBC since 2004 and headed its audit and risk committee from May 2007, covering some of the period detailed in files

The corporation’s governing body insisted that Fairhead has had “absolutely no discussions” with BBC journalists about its coverage of HSBC, where she has been a non-executive director since 2004.

Fairhead, who was also chair of HSBC’s audit committee at the time covered by the leaked HSBC files, has declined to respond to questions about how much she knew about activities at the bank’s Swiss subsidiary.
HSBC’s annual report, released last week, shows that Fairhead was paid a total of £513,000 by the bank last year.

The remuneration includes £334,000 for being non-executive chair of HSBC North America Holding and a further £19,000 of benefits, including travel expenses for attending meetings. She also owns about £436,000 worth of shares in the bank.

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Fairhead is no longer chair of HSBC’s audit committee but continues to juggle a role at HSBC with her BBC duties, currently serving as chair of the bank’s North American division.