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Half of all senior managers whose roles are in scope to move to the new centre for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North at MediaCityUK in Salford have decided to go. This is substantially more than was expected based on previous moves at the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ and in other companies.

The deadline for decisions was 30 April and 15 of the 32 managers have now told the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ they want to make the move to join the senior management team to be led by Peter Salmon, the Director of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North.

Commenting after the decision deadline had passed Peter Salmon said: "I am pleased by the response we have had and the calibre of the people who will be coming on the journey to ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North.

"The acceptance rate is higher than had initially been planned and I am told by the relocation experts that 47% is a high percentage for a move of this size.

"I also completely sympathise with some colleagues who have not been able to make the decision because I understand just what an enormous individual decision it is, particularly where partners' careers, children's schooling, and sometimes caring responsibilities are involved."

Senior ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ managers who will be working from ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North in 2011 include Ben Gallop and Philip Bernie from ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sport, Rhian Roberts from ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 5 Live and Michael Carrington and Joe Godwin from Children's.

Ben Gallop, who is Head of Interactive and Formula 1 for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sport, said: "While it has been a big decision to relocate my family, I'm really looking forward to the challenges ahead to take ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sport into a fully-digital, multi-platform future.

"We've seen the way audiences and technology have been changing in recent years and I'm excited by the opportunity that our new home in ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North will offer."

Notes to Editors

The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is expected to begin moving into the new ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North in a phased way during 2011, from around Easter onwards.

Other ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ staff whose roles are relocating to ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North in 2011 will make their individual decisions during the course of 2009.

Departments relocating to ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North at MediaCityUK in Salford are Children's, Sport, 5 Live, Learning and parts of Future, Media and Technology.

An estimated 1,400 roles will relocate from London. Around 800 staff currently based at ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Manchester will also move to the new ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North in 2011.

Peter Salmon starts his role as ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Director North full time from 1 June 2009, while Richard Deverell, Head of Children's, has already been announced as the Chief Operating Officer for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ North.

Michael Carrington is Controller of CBeebies; Joe Godwin is Head of News, Factual and Entertainment, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Children's; Rhian Roberts is Head of Development, Radio 5 Live; Philip Bernie is Head of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ TV Sport.

Early indications, including the results from senior managers, show that a higher number of people than expected will decide to move to Salford.

Extensive efforts will be made by the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ to redeploy staff who are not able to make the move. In the event that redeployment is not possible, the individual may be offered redundancy when the move is finally made.

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Press Office