Sue Malden has been chosen to be the new Chair of FOCAL International.

Four very strong candidates had put themselves forward for the position left empty since the death of Jane Mercer last September.

Sue brings a wealth of experience from the archive side of the business having worked at the BBC archives for over twenty years - as Head of BBC Broadcast Archives, then Head of Marketing BBC Information & Archives and finally as Corporate Affairs Manager BBC I&A. Since leaving the BBC she has continued to work as an Archive Consultant, a Footage Researcher, and a Archive Research Trainer. She is a leading light in the FIAT/IFTA organisation (the International Federation of Television Archives), running their annual conferences and chairing their Programming and Production Commission. She also finds time in her busy schedule to serve on a number of committees such as the RTS History Group and the BECTU History group.

In Sue Malden's own words, "I am commited to the audio-visual industry - archives - in particular, that has developed through my career working in archives and for organisations that promote the value of these archives. I strongly believe that audiovisual archives are a vital source to illustrate all elements of our culture and history. I am passionately interested in any initiative, activity or organisation that contributes to the greater use of these archives and their protection and accessibility, which of course FOCAL does."

Having already served on the FOCAL Executive for ten years, Sue brings to FOCAL International a wealth of experience in all aspects of the footage archive business. With her determination and worldwide contacts, FOCAL expects Sue to continue the drive to establish a formal training scheme for people entering the footage business - both on the libraries and research side - and to lead the way in growing FOCAL's worldwide membership. Other projects in the pipeline are a footage industry survey which will be the cornerstone of eventually establishing a collecting society for the footage industry - a concept which, in the world of new media, is becoming increasingly more crucial to preserving the rights and income streams of commercial audiovisual archives.