Lord (Terry) Burns was appointed in July 2015 as a Member of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information. He is Chairman of Channel 4 Television Corporation, Senior Adviser to Group Santander, and a Non-Executive Member of the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Lord Burns began his career in 1965 at the London Business School, becoming Professor of Economics in 1979. In 1980, he was appointed Chief Economic Advisor to the Treasury and Head of the Government Economic Service. In 1991 he became Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, a post he held until 1998, when he was appointed a life peer.

His previous appointments include being Chairman of Santander UK plc, Marks and Spencer plc, Welsh Water, the National Lottery Commission and The Royal Academy of Music. He was also a Non-Executive Director of Banco Santander SA, Pearson Group, The British Land Company plc and Legal & General Plc.