London, 19 November 2008. Film Distributors' Association (FDA), the trade body for UK theatrical film distributors, is delighted to announce that Lord Puttnam CBE has agreed to become President of FDA with effect from 1 December 2008.

He will champion the pivotal business of audience delivery at a time when film distribution is reshaping itself to embrace the challenges and opportunities of digital technology.

Lord Puttnam's experience of film, media, marketing, education and politics, gained over more than forty years, renders him ideally qualified to take on this role.

David Puttnam joined the influential advertising agency, Collett Dickenson Pearce, in the early 1960s when advertising was fast becoming a cultural force. He then spent three decades in the film industry as the multi-award winning producer of films including Midnight Express, Chariots of Fire, Local Hero, The Killing Fields and The Mission, working with directors such as Hugh Hudson, Alan Parker and Ridley Scott. In 1987 he began a ten-year stint as Chair of the National Film & Television School, of which FDA is a long-standing sponsor.

Having been knighted in 1995, he became a life peer two years later since when he has largely devoted himself to education and policy making. During this time Lord Puttnam has served for ten years as the first Chancellor of Sunderland University, founded the National Teaching Awards, and chaired the National Endowment for Science, Technology & the Arts (NESTA) for its first six years (1998-2004). From the House of Lords, he has worked for the Government, chairing joint-committees on the Communications Bill and Climate Change Bill in 2002 and 2007 respectively.

He was elected UK President of UNICEF in 2002, made a Lifetime Fellow of BAFTA in 2006, and is currently Chancellor of the Open University.

Lord Puttnam said: "I believe passionately in the power of compelling stories, imaginatively told, as a force for social as well as economic good. As a rights owner, I clearly appreciate the essential role of distributors in connecting content with its audience. But I also recognise that the film business, like all media businesses, is in the throes of digital transition and if we fail to keep up, audiences will simply pass us by. That's why I'm genuinely excited to be FDA's new President and look forward greatly to the challenge."

Mark Batey, FDA Chief Executive, said: "Lord Puttnam is synonymous with quality British cinema, but he also brings unparalleled expertise across a broad range of policy areas. All of us at FDA couldn't be more thrilled to have secured the commitment of such a force of nature in the communications world and beyond."

For further Information

Mark Batey, FDA
Tel 020 7437 4383
Email mbatey@fda.uk.net

Notes to editors

Film Distributors' Association has 21 member companies whose releases account for 96% of UK cinemagoing. More at www.launchingfilms.com.

Additional biographical notes:

David Puttnam was born in Southgate, north London. His father, Leonard, was a Captain in the Army Film Unit and later, Picture Editor of Associated Press.

Following Grammar School and four years at City and Guilds night school David joined Collett Dickenson Pearce, where he worked for five years before embarking on an outstanding career as a film producer.

Nominated four times as Producer of the Best Film, in 1982 Chariots of Fire won the accolade at both the BAFTA and Academy Awards. In 1986, he was appointed Chair and CEO of Columbia Pictures in the US. In 1997, he published The Undeclared War: The struggle for control of the world's film industry, an authoritative personal account of how Hollywood came to hold the leading position in international film supply.

He was awarded a CBE in 1982, knighted in 1995 and made a Labour life peer - Lord Puttnam of Queensgate - in 1997.

In France he holds the distinction of Commander of Arts and Letters. Married to Patricia for 47 years, he has two children and three grandchildren.

Selected filmography, all as producer/executive producer:

Melody (1971, directed by Waris Husein)
That'll Be The Day (1973, dir. Claude Whatham)
Stardust (1974, dir. Michael Apted)
Mahler (1975, dir. Ken Russell)
Bugsy Malone (1976, dir. Alan Parker)
The Duellists (1977, dir. Ridley Scott)
Midnight Express (1978, dir. Alan Parker)
Chariots of Fire (1981, dir. Hugh Hudson)
P'tang Yang Kipperbang (1982, dir. Michael Apted)
Local Hero (1983, dir. Bill Forsyth)
The Killing Fields (1984, dir. Roland Joffe)
The Mission (1986, dir. Roland Joffe)
Memphis Belle (1990, dir. Michael Caton-Jones)