Former culture minister Ed Vaizey ‘in the running’ for Ofcom chair role
Former culture minister Ed Vaizey is said to be under consideration for a shortlist of candidates to chair media regulator Ofcom.
Officials and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will this week start finalising the list of applicants for the position ahead of final interviews later this month, Bloomberg reported.
However, it is thought the process could be delayed by state mourning following the death of Prince Philip.
Vaizey served as culture and digital minister between 2010 and 2016 – the longest serving minister in the role.
He is now a member of the Lords and a privy councillor, as well as an executive at M&A advisory firm Liontree and on the TMT advisory board of FTI Consulting.
The appointment of a new chair comes at a crucial time for Ofcom, which is gearing up for its expanded role as the UK’s first internet regulator.
The process has also sparked much furore amid reports that former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre is being considered for the role.
Critics have described Dacre’s possible appointment as a politically-motivated move by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
However, other candidates are still being considered for the role, according to the report.