The English-Speaking Union, UK. The English-Speaking Union has announced the appointment of Professor James Raven LittD FBA FSA as the new Chair of its board. Chair of the ESU’s Education Committee, James succeeds Lord Boateng who has stepped down after five years of distinguished service. James is a writer, academic and broadcaster specialising in literary culture; an internationally recognised authority in the history of the book and Professor Emeritus of Modern History at the University of Essex. He is a past and present Fellow of two Cambridge and one Oxford colleges (currently at Magdalene) and has a longstanding involvement in promoting international educational, scholarship and partnership schemes and volunteer engagement. He has over 40 years’ membership of the ESU, ever since he won the national ESU Public Speaking Competition in 1976 and an ESU exchange scholarship to the ESU of New Brunswick, New Jersey.