Bob Wigley named as potential for ITV chairman position

Bob Wigley has been named as a potential candidate for the ITV chairman role.

Wigley is currently chairman of Yell but has also been former head of Merrill Lynch Europe, advising on a range of deals including Sir Philip Green’s acquisition of fashion company Arcadia.

He is the latest candidate to join the running for ITV’s top position, following the broadcaster’s turbulent six month search.

Last month, ITV was forced to announce that two favorites for the job – the former Channel 4 chairman Michael Bishop and the former chief executive of Reed Elsevier Sir Crispin Davis – had pulled out within days of each other.

The broadcaster’s current chief operating officer John Cresswell has stepped into the role of interim chief executive to help the company appoint and new chair.  Cresswell will step down altogether once someone is appointed.

ITV is also struggling to find a replacement for Sir Michael Grade.  The broadcaster had hoped to appoint the former BSkyB chief Tony Ball as the new chief executive but negotiations broke down due to “substantial differences” of opinion.

Grade is expected to step down from his role by the end of the year.