Civil servant tipped for Ofcom top job

Sharon White

Civil servant Sharon White, who currently holds the top role in the Treasury overseeing the UK’s public finances, has been tipped to take the CEO role at broadcast regulator Ofcom.

According to a Sky News report, White is understood to have been recommended to Culture Secretary Sajid Javid as Ofcom’s new chief executive, though the appointment has not been finalised. The Financial Times also named White as “frontrunner” for the role.

White was appointed as the new Second Permanent Secretary responsible for the Treasury’s finance ministry functions in October 2013. Prior to this she worked as Director General for public services at HM Treasury.

Ofcom’s existing CEO, Ed Richards, announced in October that will step down from his role at the end of December after eight years in charge of the broadcast regulator.

Steve Unger, Ofcom’s director of the strategy, international, technology and economist group was named as acting chief executive last month.