New BBC Chairman To be Announced Today

Former market trader and Birmingham city council chief executive, Sir Michael Lyons, is said to be the frontrunner for the position of BBC Chairman, which is due to be announced today.

Other candidates have included Chris Powell, who is a director of advertising agency DDB London and brother to Tony Blair’s chief of staff, Jonathan.

The former Ofcom deputy chairman, Richard Hooper, was also short-listed and interviewed, as was the BBC’s acting chair, Chitra Bharucha.

Several high-profile candidates ruled themselves out of the running, including David Dimbleby and Lord Puttnam (see Dimbleby Out Of BBC Chairman Race).

Lyons has been chairman of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra since 2001. He was also formerly a non-executive director of ITV company Central Television between 2002 and 2006.

Between 1970 and 1972 he was a street market trader, before becoming a brand manager, then moving into the academic world and local government.

Officially the Queen chooses the BBC chairman, but in practice the candidates are interviewed by a panel, then the culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, makes a recommendation.

The candidate’s name then goes to the Privy Council, which advises the Queen, before being rubber-stamped by the Prime Minister.

The chairman of the BBC Trust post became vacant after Michael Grade left for ITV last November in a shock move, which saw him become executive chairman of the broadcaster following a drawn out saga to find a replacement for Charles Allen (see BBC Chairman Jumps Ship To ITV Top Job).

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