Following Richard Sharp's resignation as chair of the BBC, Dame Elan Closs Stephens has been named as acting chair.
After breaking the law by having dealings with Boris Johnson, who was the prime minister at the time, before being appointed, he resigned earlier this year.
From June 27 until the appointment of a new permanent chair, whichever comes first, Dame Elan will serve as the BBC board's chair.
The new position, in her words, was "a huge honor.". .
Dame Elan received "the unanimous support of the board" and "would provide stability in the leadership of the BBC," according to Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, who made the appointment.
According to a report, Mr. Sharp didn't fully disclose his knowledge of Mr. Johnson's personal finances, which led to the appearance of a conflict of interest. As a result, he resigned in April.
After it became known that he attempted to arrange a high-level government meeting for a businessman who was willing to provide financial assistance to the former prime minister, his position had come under scrutiny.
A report, led by attorney Adam Heppinstall KC, concluded in April that Mr. Sharp had violated the corporation's rules by failing to fully disclose his involvement in setting up a meeting between Cabinet Secretary Simon Case and Sam Blyth, a second-degree relative of Mr. Johnson who had offered to financially support the then-PM.
A loan of up to £800,000 was offered to Mr. Johnson in 2020 to supplement his income, according to a Sunday Times report that sparked the investigation.
Former investment banker and Conservative Party supporter Mr. Sharp, who had already applied for the BBC position when he approached Mr. Case, was hired a few months later.
Since 2010, Dame Elan has served as the representative for Wales on the board of directors of the BBC, which was formerly known as the BBC Trust.
She then continued to serve as the Welsh representative on the BBC Board, chaired the Wales committee, and from 2019 to 2022, she also served as the chairman of the BBC's commercial subsidiary.
Dame Elan, a native Welsh speaker who resides in Aberystwyth, presided over the Welsh-language broadcaster S4C for two terms between 1998 and 2006.
Currently the provost and professor emerita of communications and creative industries at Aberystwyth University, she will continue to support the British Film Institute as a non-executive director of the Imax Cinema in Waterloo.
There is "much work to be done," according to the mother of two who also serves as Wales' electoral commissioner and a board member of the UK Electoral Commission.
Following the announcement, she declared, "As a board, we will champion the licence fee-payer across the whole of the UK, ensure the BBC is a crucial partner for the UK creative industries, maintain trust, and drive change to make the BBC fit for a rapidly evolving media landscape.
