FIONA POLLARD, former owner of the Hop Farm Country Park, Beltring, and Bob Goldfield, chief executive of Dover Harbour Board, are among five new appointments to the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA).

Sarah Hohler, a Kent county councillor, is stepping down.

Chairman Jim Brathwaite said: "I am delighted that the standard of candidates for the posts was again very high.

"I believe this reflects the value which is placed on SEEDA’s work, and my only disappointment was that we could not appoint all the great candidates we saw – which included some senior politicians and impressive people from the business and voluntary and community sectors.

"I am very excited to be welcoming our five new Board members who I’m sure will make a valuable contribution to SEEDA’s work."

Mrs Pollard replaces Terry Mills who died last December. The other four new board members will take up their three-year appointments from December 14.

Announcing the appointments, the Minister of State for Industry and the Regions, Margaret Hodge, said: "The RDAs have a crucial role to play as drivers of economic development in their region, working to reduce imbalances within and between regions.

"The South East England Development Agency will be able to use the knowledge and expertise these appointments bring to help the region reach its full economic potential, boost productivity and create jobs and prosperity."

Mrs Pollard is on the board of the Kent Messenger Radio Group, the Learning & Skills Council and the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery planned for Margate.

Previously, she spent 12 years as a derivatives dealer in the City of London working for Goldman Sachs where she had responsibility for the funding needs of the supranational sector including the World Bank and European Investment Bank.

Mr Goldfield joined Dover Harbour Board after a long career in the aviation industry holding positions as airport director at Shannon International Airport, managing director at Teesside International Airport and airport manager at Inverness Airport.

He has also worked abroad as manager of operations and technical administration at Hong Kong International Airport and airfield manager for the Ministry of Defence in the Middle East.