BBC boss says he will step down in summer
THE BBC’s director-general Tony Hall is to quit this summer after seven years in the job.
The 68-year-old peer announced the “hard decision” in an email to staff this morning.
No successor has been lined up but the search for the next head of one of the world’s best-known broadcasters will begin “within the next few weeks”.
Lord Hall of Birkenhead was appointed the BBC’s 16th director-general in April 2013 to replace stand-in Tim Davie and restore stability to the corporation in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.
However, his tenure has also been overshadowed by a series of controversies. One of the most damaging was the row over the gender pay gap at the BBC, which culminated in a landmark court victory for presenter Samira Ahmed earlier this month. The ruling is expected to lead to a flood of payouts to women employees which insiders fear could lead to major budget cuts.
Today it emerged that radio presenter Sarah Montague won a £400,000 settlement and an apology from the BBC after complaining about unequal pay and conditions.
The BBC is thought likely to want to appoint its first ever female
director-general to send a signal about its commitment to promoting women.
Leading internal candidates would include director of content Charlotte Moore.
Other strong candidates from within the BBC include Mr Davie, who runs the commercial arm of the BBC and took over temporarily from George Entwistle when he was forced to quit in the wake of the Savile revelations; former culture secretary James Purnell, who is currently director of radio, and editorial director Kamal Ahmed.
In his message to staff, Lord Hall said: “It’s been such a hard decision for me. I love the BBC. I’m passionate about our values and the role we have in our country — and what we do globally too. If I followed my heart I would genuinely never want to leave. However, I believe that an important part of leadership is putting the interests of the organisation first.
“The BBC has an 11-year charter — our mission is secure until 2027. But we also have a mid-term review process for the spring of 2022. As I said last week, we have to develop our ideas for both. And it must be right that the BBC has one person to lead it through both stages.”
Chairman of the BBC Sir David Clementi, said: “Tony Hall is an inspirational creative leader, within the UK and around the globe, and the BBC has been lucky to have him as our director-general for the last seven years.
“Tony has led the BBC with integrity and a passion for our values that is obvious to everyone who meets him. His reforms have shaped the BBC for the future and he will leave the BBC in the summer with our gratitude and our very best wishes.
“Responsibility for appointing his successor lies with the BBC board. Within the next few weeks we will publish a job description and advertise the job, seeking candidates within the corporation and externally. We are committed to selecting the best-qualified person for the job.”