Following the resignation of Richard Sharp as Chairman of BBC, the UK Government has appointed Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens as Acting Chair of the BBC.
Dame Elan has been a non-executive director on the BBC Board since July 2017. Under the BBC’s Charter an Acting Chair must be an existing non-executive director on the BBC Board. Dame Elan will replace Richard Sharp who will step down on 27 June. She will remain in post while the UK Government undertakes the process to appoint a new, permanent BBC Chair. Lucy Frazer, the Culture Secretary, said the temporary appointment of Closs Stephens, 75, by the BBC board would provide leadership “stability”.
Closs Stephens has stated that
“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.”
