Former Head of Sky News becomes new SSVC Chief Executive

Nick Pollard, former Head of Sky News, joins the Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC) today as Chief Executive.

SSVC provides BFBS Radio and Television to British Forces and their families worldwide, and live entertainment in operational theatres, under contract to the MoD. It also runs cinemas overseas, the British Defence Film Library, and a chain of retail stores in Germany.

Nick Pollard, 58, has had a distinguished career in British journalism spanning four decades, and has extensive experience in domestic and international news coverage. Nick says he "sort of fell into journalism" when he joined the Birkenhead News on leaving school at 17 and has enjoyed it ever since. He has worked for BBC Radio News, BBC TV News, and, for 13 years, ITN where he was Executive Producer of News at Ten. Most recently he was Head of Sky News for 10 years from 1996 to 2006, scooping four RTS 'News Channel of the Year' Awards in a row and winning two BAFTAS for Best News Coverage.

"I am excited to be heading up a corporation which consistently achieves quite amazing things, delivering first-class content to British Forces whether on a remote mountain-top in the South Atlantic, in a Forward Operating Base in Helmand Province, or on-board a Royal Navy ship at sea," says Nick. "The technology is cutting edge, and the passion to provide the absolute best for our Forces and their families, wherever they are, is second to none."

BFBS Television added two more channels in May, bringing the total to nine, with a tenth in the pipeline. BFBS Radio launched on DAB in the UK in April, 'coming home' after more than 60 years of broadcasting only overseas. And the entertainment division, CSE, has just this month produced live shows further forward in a war-zone than has ever been done before.

"It is a hugely exciting time at SSVC," says Air Vice-Marshal Andy Vallance, Chairman of the Board of SSVC Trustees, "and Nick's drive, his energy for innovation, and his sheer enthusiasm for what we do makes him ideally suited to take us forward to even greater things. "

Since leaving Sky News in 2005, Nick has worked on a number of projects, including helping set up a rolling news channel in India. Earlier this year, Nick Pollard was invited by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to join a panel made up of some of the UK's top sport, broadcasting and business talent to review which events are broadcast free to the nation. He is Chairman of the Judges for the Royal Television Society's Journalism Awards and a holder of the RTS's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Nick is a voracious reader of military and political history. He is married to Sally, a former nurse, and they have two grown up sons.