Virgin Atlantic Airways has appointed former BBC presenter and reporter Paul Charles as its new Director of Corporate Communications. Paul, 34, who will join Virgin in March, is currently Director of Communications for the high-speed rail service, Eurostar. He was voted as PR Professional of the Year at the 2004 PR Week Awards.

Making the announcement, Steve Ridgway, Virgin Atlantic�s Chief Executive said:

�We�re very pleased to secure Paul Charles who has huge energy and drive as well as experience on both sides of the fence. This has made him very adept whether interviewing powerful CEO�s and often irascible Chairmen while at the BBC to pushing the cause of a single master more recently at Eurostar. �I�d also like to thank Paul Moore for his amazing contribution to Virgin Atlantic. He can look back with huge pride on his time at Virgin Atlantic. The spectrum was vast � from huge growth in the late 90�s and iconic inaugurals to new markets to the trauma and re-trenchment of 9/11, SARS and Iraq and back now the excitement of growth, new routes, new aircraft and new stunts.�

Commenting on his appointment, Paul Charles said:

�Virgin Atlantic has a strong growth plan which will help to set the agenda in the airline industry in the coming years. Now is the right time to join such an innovative company and help build a global communications strategy for the future.�

Paul Charles� career began at BBC News where, over a 10-year period, he reported for a range of programmes including BBC TV�s Business Breakfast and The Money Programme, and BBC Radio�s Today, MoneyBox and Financial World Tonight.

In 2000, he joined FTSE software company Misys as Editor-in-Chief of the Internet Division, before becoming Head of Communications for Misys plc.

Then, in 2003, Paul was appointed as Director of Communications at Eurostar, where he spearheaded the launch of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Since then, he has contributed to rebuilding Eurostar�s image, his team having won several awards for the quality of their internal and external communications campaigns.

Paul will report to Virgin Atlantic�s Chief Executive, Steve Ridgway. Reporting to Paul will be Anna Knowles, Virgin Atlantic�s PR Manager who will continue to manage the airline�s Press Office team.

Since it was founded in 1984, Virgin Atlantic Airways has become Britain�s second largest carrier serving the world�s major cities. Now based at both London�s Gatwick and Heathrow airports, it operates long haul services to 25 destinations world-wide as far apart as Las Vegas and Shanghai.

Virgin Atlantic has enjoyed huge popularity, winning top business, consumer and trade awards from around the world. The airline has pioneered a range of innovations setting new standards of service, which its competitors have subsequently sought to follow. Despite Virgin Atlantic�s growth the service still remains customer driven with an emphasis on value for money, quality, fun and innovation.

Virgin Atlantic currently has a fleet of 33 aircraft which includes thirteen 747s and nine A340-300s and eleven A340-600s.

Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, also commented:

�As my memory is so bad our primary criteria in selecting a replacement for Paul was finding someone who answers to the same name. Paul Charles fits the bill admirably and is apparently not too bad at PR (although we�ll soon train that out of him). �

For further information please contact the Virgin Atlantic Press Office on 01293 747 373 or log onto www.virginatlantic.com