STRATEGIC development director Ian Downie and media consultant Michele Romaine have been appointed as non-executive directors of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust.

Mr Downie has a wide range of management experience having started his career with Westland PLC in 1974. He moved to ML Aviation in 1984 as finance director and then became managing director.

He joined Serco Group in 1992 and currently has a range of management roles within the group. This includes being strategic development director of Serco Group and chairman of Serco Ltd.

Ms Romaine is a former director of production for the BBC who has considerable experience as an advisor within the media industry.

She started her journalistic career as a local newspaper reporter in the north of England, before moving to Independent Television News, where she became chief sub editor.

She joined the BBC in 1992 and had several roles. As director of production modernisation, she was instrumental in implementing changes for the introduction of digital services. She now has her own media consultancy.

The appointments were made by the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust Council of Governors and will run from November 1 to October 31, 2013. Non-executive directors receive remuneration of £12,500 per annum.

Luke March, chairman of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust said: “It is essential that the board has a wide range of skills and knowledge to take us forward. I am delighted that we have been able to make these excellent appointments, as we continue to develop and improve services for our patients and local people who use our hospital services.”

Other current non-executive members of the trust board are Nigel Atkinson, Lydia Brown, Barry Bull, Stephen Long and John Stokoe.