Dame Elan Closs Stephens appointed performing chairwoman of BBC
D
ame Elan Closs Stephens has been appointed performing chairwoman of the BBC following Richard Sharp’s departure.
Mr Sharp resigned after publication of a report which discovered he broke the principles by failing to reveal that he performed a task in getting then-prime minister Boris Johnson an £800,000 mortgage assure.
The Government introduced on Friday that Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has appointed Dame Elan as chairwoman of the BBC board from June 27 for 12 months, or till a brand new everlasting chairperson has been appointed, whichever is sooner.
Ms Frazer mentioned: “I am pleased that Dame Elan will take up the position of acting chair of the BBC and has the unanimous support of the board.
“When she takes over, Dame Elan will provide stability in the leadership of the BBC while a process to appoint a new permanent chair is run.”
Dame Elan has been a member of the BBC’s governing physique since 2010, serving then because the member for Wales when it was the BBC Trust.
She then continued because the Welsh member of the BBC Board and has been the chairwoman of the Wales committee, and from 2019 to 2022 additionally served as chairwoman of the BBC’s business subsidiary.
She mentioned: “It’s a huge honour to be appointed by the Secretary of State as acting chair and I am grateful to my fellow board members for putting their trust in me.
“As a board, we will champion the licence fee-payer across all of the UK, ensure the BBC is a vital partner for the UK creative industries, maintain trust, and drive change to make the BBC fit for a fast-changing media landscape. There is much work to be done.”
Dame Elan’s different work with broadcasters consists of serving for 2 phrases as chairwoman of Welsh-language broadcaster S4C between 1998 and 2006.
In an announcement, the BBC board – which was consulted earlier than the appointment in step with the company’s Royal Charter – mentioned: “Elan has been an active and distinguished member of the BBC board who has brought huge energy and drive to her role as member for Wales.
“We are delighted that she is taking up the role as acting chair – she is the ideal choice.”
Under the BBC’s Charter an performing chairperson have to be an present non-executive director on the BBC board.
The function comes with an annual wage of £160,000.
Dame Elan nonetheless serves the BFI as a non-executive director of the Imax Cinema in Waterloo and is presently the pro-chancellor and professor emerita in communications and inventive industries at Aberystwyth University.
She can also be the electoral commissioner for Wales and member of the UK Electoral Commission Board.
Dame Elan, a local Welsh speaker who lives in Aberystwyth and has two youngsters, has additionally served as vice chairwoman of the Welsh Language Board.