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The BBC gets its woman, but where does its future lie? The BBC gets its woman, but where does its future lie?
(35 minutes later)
It has been a rather humiliating search for the government – and the BBC. First, David Cameron let it be known that he wanted to appoint a woman as new chairman of the corporation's Trust. Then he cancelled his last leak and altered the job's time requirements so Sebastian Coe could become front runner. But Seb ran out of puff round the bend.It has been a rather humiliating search for the government – and the BBC. First, David Cameron let it be known that he wanted to appoint a woman as new chairman of the corporation's Trust. Then he cancelled his last leak and altered the job's time requirements so Sebastian Coe could become front runner. But Seb ran out of puff round the bend.
And so we are back to a necessary woman. No, not Marjorie Scardino, ex-boss of Pearson and the Financial Times, but Rona Fairhead, her old CEO, who wanted but didn't get Scardino's job.And so we are back to a necessary woman. No, not Marjorie Scardino, ex-boss of Pearson and the Financial Times, but Rona Fairhead, her old CEO, who wanted but didn't get Scardino's job.
It may turn out to be a good appointment. Fairhead is a very clever, very polished – and, at 52, comparatively young – businesswoman, currently serving on the PepsiCo and HSBC boards. She knows about the media world from her FT days. She also knows all about helping to run a successful company.It may turn out to be a good appointment. Fairhead is a very clever, very polished – and, at 52, comparatively young – businesswoman, currently serving on the PepsiCo and HSBC boards. She knows about the media world from her FT days. She also knows all about helping to run a successful company.
But why does she fit the BBC Trust bill? How did she come to emerge as Chris Patten's successor after an extremely non-transparent, almost embarrassingly botched process? There is partly, as ever, a case of who knows who about this appointment.But why does she fit the BBC Trust bill? How did she come to emerge as Chris Patten's successor after an extremely non-transparent, almost embarrassingly botched process? There is partly, as ever, a case of who knows who about this appointment.
Patten was once a Conservative party chairman. Both the Conservatives and Labour have always made a practice of selecting a political friend to run the BBC. People with party pasts or connections stretch back over decades.Patten was once a Conservative party chairman. Both the Conservatives and Labour have always made a practice of selecting a political friend to run the BBC. People with party pasts or connections stretch back over decades.
Fairhead is married to a former Tory councillor, Tom. She knows George Osborne well. She sits, alongside the cabinet secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, on the cabinet office oversight board. And Sir Jeremy was by the most senior member of the selection board who interviewed and nominated the next Trust leader for approval by Heywood's immediate boss, David Cameron. Fairhead is married to a former Tory councillor, Tom. She knows George Osborne well. She sits, alongside the cabinet secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, on the cabinet office oversight board. And Sir Jeremy was the most senior member of the selection board who interviewed and nominated the next Trust leader for approval by Heywood's immediate boss, David Cameron.
She wasn't the first candidate into the ring. She may even have been steered into contention once Lord Coe pulled out. But she will bring drive, charm and a good deal of high level business experience to the Trust. The question is, though, whether that will be enough.She wasn't the first candidate into the ring. She may even have been steered into contention once Lord Coe pulled out. But she will bring drive, charm and a good deal of high level business experience to the Trust. The question is, though, whether that will be enough.
The whole system of BBC governance lies in play and perhaps in pawn when the royal charter is renewed in 2017 (with effective negotiations already starting late by past standards). The Trust may be abolished, with power handed to an enhanced, unitary governing board. The opportunities for political meddling have never been more obvious. And the independence and influence of the Trust chairman, shaping the future of the corporation, will be crucial. Fairhead is the leader, but who can tell quite where she's leading?The whole system of BBC governance lies in play and perhaps in pawn when the royal charter is renewed in 2017 (with effective negotiations already starting late by past standards). The Trust may be abolished, with power handed to an enhanced, unitary governing board. The opportunities for political meddling have never been more obvious. And the independence and influence of the Trust chairman, shaping the future of the corporation, will be crucial. Fairhead is the leader, but who can tell quite where she's leading?
It's not immediately clear that Fairhead, after years in Scardino's shadow, will find building her own new public persona easy. The Trust is a difficult, arguably cracked creation. The BBC itself has many residual problems that defeated a wise political bird like Lord Patten. Rona Fairhead may not have been used to life in the public spotlight before. She will have to come to terms with it very quickly now. It's not immediately clear that Fairhead, after years in Scardino's shadow, will find building her own new public persona easy.
The Trust is a difficult, arguably cracked creation. The BBC itself has many residual problems that defeated a wise political bird like Lord Patten. Rona Fairhead may not have been used to life in the public spotlight before. She will have to come to terms with it very quickly now.