The Secretary of State has appointed Professor Dame Elan Closs
Stephens as Acting Chair of the BBC Board from 27 June for twelve
months, or until a new permanent Chair has been appointed,
whichever is sooner.
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. Dame Elan 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.
Dame Elan is currently the Pro Chancellor and Professor Emerita
in Communications and Creative Industries at Aberystwyth
University. She is the Electoral Commissioner for Wales and
Member of the UK Electoral Commission Board. She is the Chair of
the Wales Public Leaders’ Forum and Chair of the UNESCO
International Prize for contribution to the creative economy. She
has served on many cultural bodies including the British Film
Institute (BFI) and the British Council. She still serves the BFI
as a Non-Executive Director of the IMAX Cinema in Waterloo. She
has been a member of the Wales Permanent Secretary’s Board where
she was Chair of Corporate Governance. She has served as Vice
Chairman of the Welsh Language Board and is a Fellow of the
Learned Society of Wales.
Dame Elan has been a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Professor of
the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies at
Aberystwyth University, where she is now the Pro-Chancellor. She
was educated at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, a comprehensive school in
the quarry valleys of North Wales and won an open scholarship to
Somerville College, Oxford.
Dame Elan is a native Welsh speaker and lives in Aberystwyth. She
has two children.
Culture Secretary 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.
Professor 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.
ENDS
NOTES
Dame Elan will take over as Acting Chair of the BBC Board on 27
June, at which point the current Chair will step down. The
appointment is being confirmed now to ensure that the transition
can take place in an orderly fashion. This appointment process
was run in accordance with the BBC Royal Charter and the Cabinet
Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is
regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This role
is remunerated at £160,000 per annum. The Governance Code
requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an
appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as
holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or
candidature for election. Dame Elan has not declared any
activity.
