OFCOM news

The Government has announced the appointment of David Currie as the first Chairman of the new communications regulator OFCOM.

David (Lord) Currie is Dean of City University Business School and Professor of Business Economics.

David Currie brings strong economic and regulatory experience to the position: before his previous post as Deputy Dean of London Business School, he was Director of its Centre for Economic Forecasting (1988-95) and its Regulation Initiative (1995-2000).

He is a founding member of the Treasury's Panel of Independent Forecasters and has also worked with Oftel in the past, providing economic input into Oftel's work.

David Currie will chair the Board of OFCOM, which is now being set up under the Office of Communications Act.

OFCOM will not take over regulatory responsibilities from the five existing regulators until the full Communications Bill has passed into law. Initially, the Board will be responsible for all the preparatory work needed to get the new regulator up and running, building on the work now being done jointly with the consultants.

Among the Chairman's first tasks will be to advise Government on the appointment of other non-executive members of the OFCOM Board. The Government is expected to announce the appointment of non-executive Board members later this month.

The Chairman will then be responsible for overseeing the appointment of OFCOM's first Chief Executive.