DAME Elan Closs Stephens has been announced as the new acting chair of the BBC by the UK Government.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer revealed the appointment on Friday, adding that Stephens will take over the post from Richard Sharp on June 27.
Who is Dame Elan Closs Stephens?
The 75-year-old Dame is currently serving as the Pro Chancellor and Professor Emerita in communications and creative industries at Aberystwyth University having spent her career in broadcasting and academia.
She has sat on the BBC’s governing body since 2010, initially as a member for Wales on the BBC Trust and then as a Welsh member on the BBC board.
A native Welsh speaker, Stephens has also previously served two terms as the chair of Welsh-language broadcaster S4C.
In stark contract to Richard Sharp – who stepped down as director after he failed to declare his role in introducing Boris Johnson to a man who would act as a guarantor on a loan – Stephens appears to have few political affiliations.
Indeed, the governance code of the BBC requires that any “significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared”.
This is defined as encompassing public speaking, making a recordable donation or standing as a candidate.
Stephens has not declared any such activity.
However, she was involved in conducting a review alongside three other non-executive members of the BBC board’s Nominations Committee into Richard Sharp’s failure to disclose his actions in helping to facilitate a loan for Boris Johnson.
READ MORE: BBC sees new acting chair appointed after Richard Sharp forced out
The review concluded that there were “no concerns” about Sharp’s integrity while serving as chairman but noted that he should have made the relevant declarations at the outset of his tenure.
How much will she get paid?
The yearly salary of the BBC chair is £160,000.
Why did she get made a Dame?
Stephens accepted a CBE in 2001 for services to broadcasting and the Welsh language.
In 2019, she was made a dame for her services to the Welsh government and broadcasting.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here