Ofcom UK Appoints HM Treasury’s Sharon White to CEO Role

The United Kingdom’s telecoms and media regulator, Ofcom, has today announced that Sharon White will in late March 2015 take over the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from Ed Richards, who steps down at the end of this month. The regulators Strategy and Technology Director, Steve Unger, will cover the intervening period as acting CEO.

Richards, who has been in the role of CEO since 2006 and first joined Ofcom way back in 2003, announced his intention to leave the regulator in October 2014 (here). In his time at Ofcom Richards became a seasoned veteran of what is easily one of the most complicated markets to understand and govern. By contrast Sharon White will very much find herself being thrown in at the deep end and with a lot to learn.

On the other hand White, an economics graduate, already has 25 years’ of experience working in the public sector and for the past year she has been the Second Permanent Secretary responsible for the Treasury’s finance ministry functions. Prior to that White was also the Director General of Public Spending at HM Treasury. Sadly her telecoms experience is rather limited.

Ofcom Chairman, Dame Patricia Hodgson, said:

“Sharon brings with her an outstanding combination of intellect, political acumen and experience leading complex public organisations. The Ofcom Board is confident that Sharon will provide the leadership and vision to ensure Ofcom continues to promote a thriving communications sector in the UK that operates in the public interest.”

Sharon White said:

“The communications sector is vital to the economy and delivers essential services to everyone in the UK. I look forward to starting in this fascinating job and building on Ofcom’s considerable track record.”

The CEO position is a public appointment made by the Ofcom Board that involves “an independent assessor” and is subject to approval by the Government’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Sharon White’s salary will be £275,000 per annum and it will be interesting to see whether she has any flexibility to push the regulator in a different direction, although major changes are usually dictated by political desires from higher up the food chain.