Dame Elan Closs Stephens is the new Acting Chair of the BBC Board

Lucy Frazer, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport of the United Kingdom, has appointed Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens as Acting Chair of the BBC Board from June 27 for twelve months, or until a new permanent Chair has been appointed, whichever is sooner. The news comes after Richard Sharp resigned following a damning report which found he breached the governance code for public appointments.

Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens is an experienced chair and non-executive director who has spent a career in broadcasting, the creative industries and academia. She has been a member of the BBC’s governing body since 2010, first serving as Member for Wales on the BBC Trust, until its dissolution in 2017, and then as the Welsh member of the BBC Board.

“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,”  Lucy Frazer commented.

“It is 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 license 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,”  Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens added.