Channel 4 has appointed a new chair. Ofcom, media regulator, confirmed that Sir Ian Cheshire (a businessman) will join the board of Channel 4, taking over from Dawn Airey, interim chair.
In appointing Cheshire, Channel 4 will have the benefit of his decades of business experience in both the commercial and public sector – key skills at a time when the broadcaster awaits the government’s decision on whether to privatize the channel, currently a publicly-owned, not-for-profit organisation, whose remit would be significantly altered if put up for sale. The proposal has attracted many critics, citing Channel 4’s commitment to diversity and range of programming that they claim would be put at risk if the channel were sold.
Cheshire is currently the chair of Spire Healthcare plc and a chair of Menhaden plc’s environmental investment trust Menhaden plc. He is also a non-executive director at BT plc. He is also the chair of the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund and the Mental Health at Work Leadership Council.
Previously, he was in charge at B&Q and later at Kingfisher plc. He was also the chair of Barclays U.K. as well as Debenhams plc and Maisons Du Monde SA. Whitbread plc’s senior independent director.
His public service roles include a non executive directorship at Cabinet Office and chairing Ecosystem Markets Task Force and Economy Honours Committee. He currently serves as the chairman of the Food Farming and Countryside Commission. In 2014, he was knighted for his services to sustainability, business and the environment.
No mention of the forthcoming decision regarding Channel 4’s future was made by either Cheshire or the UK’s Culture Secretary, Nadine Dorries, who approved his appointment.
Cheshire said: “I am excited to be joining Channel 4 at this vitally important time for public service broadcasting. As it transforms for a new era of media consumption, I look forward to helping Channel 4 deliver for viewers right across the U.K. for many years to come.”
Dorries said: “I am delighted to approve Sir Ian Cheshire to be the new chair of Channel 4. Sir Ian has an impressive record at the helm of some of Britain’s biggest businesses and I am confident his proven leadership will help Channel 4 go from strength to strength and ensure it thrives long into the future amid a time of rapid change for the sector.”