LONDON (Reuters) - An ex-Bank of England deputy governor is the British government's choice to be the new chair of the BBC, culture minister Karen Bradley said on Tuesday, as the state-owned broadcaster's structure is overhauled.
David Clementi, who completed a report on the governance and regulation of the BBC last March, will be the first chair of the corporation under a new unitary board structure. It replaces the BBC Trust and was recommended by Clementi.
He also recommended that the BBC should face external regulation for the first time in its 95-year history, a proposal taken up by the government in May and which subjects the broadcaster to tighter scrutiny.
"The new BBC Charter will secure the future of the BBC, strengthen it and give it an unprecedented degree of independence," Bradley said in a statement.
"It will make it more transparent, accountable and representative. I am confident that Sir David will provide the strong leadership necessary for the BBC to remain the world’s best broadcaster."
Clementi, who was at the Bank of England between 1997 and 2002 and has chaired Prudential (LON:PRU) and Virgin Money (LON:VM), said in a statement that "it would be a great honour to join the BBC at an important time in the organisation’s history".
He must appear before lawmakers for pre-appointment scrutiny on Jan. 17.
Clementi would replace Rona Fairhead, the former boss of the Financial Times Group, who said she would step down as chair of the BBC Trust in September.
Director-General of the BBC Tony Hall said he was "delighted" by the choice of Clementi in a statement.