Former Tunstall CEO joins Punch Taverns

TONY Rice, the former chief executive of telecoms firm Tunstall, has joined Punch Tavern's board as non-executive director.

Mr Rice has many years' experience at board level with some of the UK's leading

companies.

He spent 16 years with BAE Systems (formerly British Aerospace) where he had various roles from 1986 to 2002, culminating in the role as group managing director of Commercial Aircraft responsible for the UK Airbus and Commercial Aircraft Business.

He then spent three years at Whitley Bridge-based Tunstall as chief executive from 2002 until its sale to Bridgepoint in 2005.

Mr Rice is currently joint managing director and finance director of Cable & Wireless.

He was also a non executive director and chairman of the audit committee at Cable & Wireless from 2003 to 2006 and at Telewest from 2000 to 2003.