Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens appointed Acting Chair of the BBC

The BBC will get an Acting Chair on June 27th as Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens steps up to the role following the resignation of Richard Sharp.

Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens 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.

As a BBC Board member she has been the Chair of the Wales Committee and also served as Chair of the BBC’s commercial subsidiary from 2019 – 2022. She served for two terms as Chair of the Welsh-language broadcaster, S4C between 1998 – 2006 and subsequently served an additional term as non-executive director on S4C, representing the BBC Trust.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “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 Closs Stephens said: “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 replaces Richard Sharp who resigned in April following the publication of a report into his appointment.