The Board of Groupe Eurotunnel SA, on the recommendation of its nominations and remuneration committee, at its meeting on 29 February 2012 appointed Lord Peter Levene as an independent director of the company. Lord Levene replaces Mr Henri Rouanet, who has stepped down from the Board, for the remainder of his term of office, namely the conclusion of the general meeting called to approve the 2011 financial statements.

The nomination of a new British board member reinforces the proportion of non-French board members, which increases from 28% to 36%. The average age of board members is now 61.
Jacques Gounon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Groupe Eurotunnel SA, stated: ” I welcome the arrival of Lord Peter Levene, a foundation shareholder of Eurotunnel, who through his extensive experience and his personality will bring to the Group a significant contribution in terms of competence, experience and public profile. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Henri Rouanet for his valuable contribution. The Board is very grateful for the excellent work he has achieved as Chairman of the Safety and Security committee which he has presided up to now.”

A Foundation Shareholder of Eurotunnel, Peter Levene joined the defence group United Scientific Holdings in 1963, and rose to the post of Group chairman in 1981. Subsequently, he was asked by Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Heseltine, to act as his Personal Advisor in the MoD, and then as Permanent Secretary in the role of Chief of Defence Procurement, a position which he held for six years. He thereafter held the post of Advisor to the Secretary of State for the Environment, to the President of the Board of Trade and to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He was appointed as Advisor to the Prime Minister on Efficiency and Effectiveness from 1992 to 1997.

During this period, he also served as Chairman of the Docklands Light Railway and then Chairman and Chief Executive of Canary Wharf Ltd. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of J. Sainsbury plc from 2001-2004 and of Total SA from 2005-2011. He is currently Chairman of NBNK Investments plc, Chairman of General Dynamics UK Ltd, and a member of the boards of Haymarket Publications and China Construction
Bank. He is an Alderman of the City of London and served as Sheriff of London from 1995-96. He served as Lord Mayor of London for the year 1998-99. He received a knighthood in 1989 and became a Life Peer in July 1997 as Lord Levene of Portsoken. Previously, he served as Chairman of Lloyd’s, the world’s leading specialist insurance and reinsurance market from 2002-2011, after having been Vice Chairman of Deutsche Bank. Prior to this, he held the position of Chairman of Bankers Trust International, Morgan Stanley and Wasserstein Perella.