Is HSBC subsidising the BBC?

A colleague made a Freedom of Information request to the BBC asking in what capacity was HSBC Director, and Chair of BBC Trust Rona Fairhead, attending the Bilderberg Conference this year. She is listed in the official attendee list like this:bblistThe BBC replied today that Fairhead was attending in a personal capacity and that she claimed no expenses:

foireplySince it is highly unlikely that Fairhead paid for herself to attend, did HSBC pay her expenses to attend as “Chairman, BBC Trust”? What was she doing there, if not representing BBC or HSBC and how on earth does the BBC know that she did not discuss BBC business?

This is from the BBC’s own online News Magazine

Screen Shot 2015-07-02 at 15.49.14Here is a clip of Andrew Neil on the BBC Daily Politics show stating that BBC Trust Chairman Rona Fairhead was attending the conference: