AN Aberystwyth professor has been named as the acting chair of the BBC.

Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens has been appointed as Acting Chair of the BBC Board following Richard Sharp’s resignation, after he was found to have broken the rules by failing to disclose his role in getting former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson an £800,000 loan guarantee.

She will commence to role from 27 June for 12 months or until a new permanent chair is appointed.

Dame Elan, described by the Daily Telegraph as ‘a state-educated Welsh speaker’, is currently the Pro Chancellor and Professor Emerita in Communications and Creative Industries at Aberystwyth University.

She is the Electoral Commissioner for Wales and Member of the UK Electoral Commission Board.

She is the Chair of the Wales Public Leaders’ Forum and Chair of the UNESCO International Prize for contribution to the creative economy.

She has served on many cultural bodies including the British Film Institute (BFI) and the British Council.

She still serves the BFI as a Non-Executive Director of the IMAX Cinema in Waterloo.

She has been a member of the Wales Permanent Secretary’s Board where she was Chair of Corporate Governance. She has served as Vice Chairman of the Welsh Language Board and is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.

As a BBC Board member she has been the Chair of the Wales Committee and also served as Chair of the BBC’s commercial subsidiary from 2019 – 2022.

She served for two terms as Chair of S4C between 1998 – 2006 and subsequently served an additional term as non-executive director on S4C, representing the BBC Trust.

Originally from Gwynedd and a former pupil of Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, Dame Elan won an open scholarship to Somerville College, Oxford.

She lives in Aberystwyth and has two children.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “I am pleased that Dame Elan will take up the position of Acting Chair of the BBC and has the unanimous support of the board.

“When she takes over, Dame Elan will provide stability in the leadership of the BBC while a process to appoint a new permanent Chair is run.

Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens said: “It’s a huge honour to be appointed by the Secretary of State as Acting Chair and I am grateful to my fellow board members for putting their trust in me.

“As a board, we will champion the licence fee payer across all of the UK; ensure the BBC is a vital partner for the UK creative industries; maintain trust and drive change to make the BBC fit for a fast changing media landscape. There is much work to be done.”