Lord Burns confirmed as new chairman of Channel 4

November 5, 2009

Lord Terence Burns has been confirmed as the new chairman of British television channel Channel 4.

Burns, who was the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury from 1991 to 1998, will take the position on January 24, 2010. He will replace the former chairman, Luke Johnson, who is now retiring. Luke was chairman of Channel 4 since early 2004.

Lord Burns will also immediately take the position to try and find a new chief executive alongside Luke Johnson, after it was announced that the current chief executive Andy Duncan was to retire after being in the position for five years. Speaking about joining the corporation for the channel, Burns said: "I am delighted to be joining Channel 4. This is a time of great change as we experience the impact of the rapid development of digital technology in the communications sector and Channel 4 has a very special and continuing role to play."

Colette Bowe is the current chairman of Office of Communications, or Ofcom, an independent regulator and competition authority for the communication industries in the United Kingdom. Speaking about this announcement, Bowe said: "He [Lord Burns] has an outstanding record of public service and a real depth of commercial expertise. He will provide strong leadership at a time of considerable change in the broadcasting world. I would also like to pay tribute to Luke Johnson’s tremendous contribution to Channel 4 in a period during which it has enjoyed considerable success."