PRESS INFORMATION ________________________________________________

DAVID FRENCH APPOINTED AS DIRECTOR GENERAL AT THE COMMONWEALTH INSTITUTE

The Chairman of the Commonwealth Institute, David Thompson, today announced the appointment by the Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs of David French as Director General. He succeeds Stephen Cox who is leaving to join the Royal Society as Executive Secretary.

David French, Chief Executive of Relate from 1987 to 1995, takes up his appointment on 7 July 1997. The announcement today coincides with the official opening of The Commonwealth Experience, a major new visitor attraction at the Commonwealth Institute, and a further step in the revitalisation of the Institute, which already operates a successfiil and award winning Conference and Events Centre.

David French said: "I am delighted to be following Stephen Cox in leading the Institute. The next few years promise to be a period of great opportunity both in developing the Institute in all its roles - as an educational resource centre for the Commonwealth, visitor attraction, conference & events venue and architectural landmark - and most importantly in promoting the contemporary Commonwealth in this country. Coming as I do from a different field of interest, I am greatly looking forward to getting to grips with a new set of issues and challenges."

At Relate, David French took the organisation through its name change from the National Marriage Guidance Council and relaunch in 1988 and the subsequent transformation of its image and profile. Since leaving Relate in September 1995, David French has worked as an independent consultant in policy and management.

Further information: Ylva French Communications tel. 0171 233 6789; fax 0171 233 6770; Karen Boutle, Common wea fth Institute Directorate, tel. 0171

DAVID FRENCH, NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH INSTITUTE

David French, who is 49, has spent most of his career in national voluntary organisations. From 1987 to 1995 he was Chief Executive of Relate and took that organisation through its name change from the National Marriage Guidance Council and relaunch in 1988 and the subsequent transformation of its image and profile. During his time the volume of Relate's work doubled and it also became a leading contributor to public policy and debate in its field, notably in the controversial area of divorce law reform.

Since leaving Relate in September 1995, David French has worked as an independent consultant in policy and management. He convened the Family Law Bill Coalition last year, a grouping of some 15 organisations supporting the main provisions of that Bill. He has been a consultant to the BT Forum and an associate of Compass Partnership, a consulting practice which specialises in the not for profit sector. He has been a trustee of the Family Policy Studies Centre since 1989 and is involved with the establishment of a new charity, the Twenty First Century Foundation.

David French was educated at Sherborne and Durham University where he took a degree in Politics, Sociology and Psychology. After beginning his career in the brewing industry he joined the National Council of Social Services (now NCVO) in 1971. In 1974 he was appointed Head of the Social Services Department of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf and in 1978 joined The Children's Society where he was Director of Services until 1987. From 1993-95 he was a Council member of the Uk Association of the International Year for the family and from 1985-87 Chairman of St. Albans International Organ Festival.

He undertook the General Management Course at Henley from May to July 1984 and the Cabinet Office Top Management Programme in June-July 1995.

He is married, has four sons and lives in St. Albans. He lists among his interests sailing and photography and has a strong layman's interest in architecture. He admits to an insatiable appetite for big projects.

Further information: Yiva French Communications tel. 0171 233 6789; fax 0171 233 6770; Karen Boutle, Commonwealth Institute Directorate, teL 0171 603 453i

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