Lyons Confirmed As New BBC Chairman

Sir Michael Lyons, a former market trader and council chief executive, has been named the new BBC chairman, replacing Michael Grade who left for ITV late last year.

The 57-year-old had been reported as the frontrunner for the position (see New BBC Chairman To be Announced Today), with other candidates previously short-listed and some high profile names ruling themselves out (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.

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).

The Trust recently suspended online education service BBC Jam after complaints from commercial companies, approved a satellite version of Freeview and gave initial approval to making BBC shows available on demand.

The final decision on the on-demand plans is still to be announced, while it is expected that the new recruit will be installed in time to rule on whether adverts should be placed on the international parts of the BBC website (see BBC Trust Defers Online Ad Decision).

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