Advisory Committee for England

About Ofcom Structure and leadership
Published: 2 July 2010
Last updated: 2 June 2025

The Advisory Committee for England advises Ofcom about the interests and opinions, in relation to communications and postal matters, of persons living in England.

The Committee usually meets four times a year. The Committee’s minutes are provided to the Ofcom Board.

The remit of the Advisory Committee is to:

  • seek to identify issues affecting the communications and postal sectors in England, both collectively as a Committee and individually for Members, with particular reference to the sectors where they have particular knowledge or expertise
  • to provide advice to Ofcom about general and specific issues concerning the communications and postal sectors arising within England
  • to provide advice and comment as required on matters brought to the Committee by Ofcom
  • to offer comment as appropriate on consultations undertaken by Ofcom
  • where requested by the Content Board, to provide specific advice to that Board on matters relating to television, radio and other content on services regulated by Ofcom
  • when so requested by the Ofcom Board, to provide advice to the Communications Consumer Panel on matters affecting consumers in England in the communications sector.
  • to produce an annual report reflecting issues within the communications and postal sectors in England

27 February 2025
5 June 2025
9 October 2025
25 November 2025

Paula Carter (Chair)

Paula Carter has more than 30 years’ experience in the broadcasting sector, most recently as Director of Planning and Board Secretary at Channel 4. Previously she held senior policy and management roles at the BBC and ITV. She is a magistrate on the South East London Bench, and was appointed to the Board of the Rugby Football Union to represent Surrey in August 2020. She is a member of the British Transport Police Authority.

Paula joined the ACE on 1 June 2019. Her appointment runs until 31 May 2025.

Richard Bellamy

Richard has over 25 years’ experience working in management consultancy and governance positions in the corporate, criminal justice and charity sectors. He spent most of his career leading the people and process aspects of complex technology enabled transformation across government and wider public protection. He has previously worked to broaden community outreach services for Terrence Higgins Trust and is a CORE coach and mentor.

Richard joined the Committee on 1 June 2025. His appointment runs until 31 May 2028.

Caroline Gardner

Caroline Gardner has been a teacher for the last 18 years at a large, North West based FE college with a Sixth Form Centre. Caroline has taught across a range of Media related courses, exclusively teaching A Level Film Studies and Media Studies for the last 10 years in a small, but successful team. Alongside her teaching roles, she is also an Assistant Curriculum Manager for Creative Arts and Business A Levels, a busy department with a cross section of learners for a variety of backgrounds. Caroline has previously worked in a moderating role for an examination board. Before teaching, Caroline worked as a Production Assistant at Granada Sky Broadcasting including Shop! and MUTV having studied Media and Sociology at Leeds Trinity.

Caroline joined the ACE on 1 March 2023. Her appointment runs until 28 February 2026.

Edleen John

Edleen John is a Diversity, ESG, Corporate Affairs and Communications Consultant working across multiple sectors and supporting companies across the globe. She is the Vice Chair of the Governing Body at a community special school for young people with disabilities, a Director of Tech Talent Charter, an International Trustee for Restless Development, and the Senior Independent Director of The Amateur Football Alliance.

Edleen joined the ACE on 1 February 2024. Her appointment runs until 31 January 2027.

Mauro Mortali

Mauro Mortali has over 25 years of experience working in leadership and governance positions in the corporate, education and charity sectors. He spent much of his career at BT, working in strategy, innovation and portfolio management roles. Mauro now works as a senior partner for Cambridge Management Consulting, heading up its Strategy Practice. He is an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation, and is a trustee with the national charity, Relate.

Mauro joined the ACE on 1 February 2024. His appointment runs until 31 January 2027.

Kavya Sharma

Kavya is a trust and safety professional, leading organised crime and exploitation intelligence teams. She works with some of the world’s largest online platforms and governments to combat human exploitation, non-consensual intimate image abuse, organised crime, and illegal goods-related threat landscapes. Kavya is a Lord Bowen (The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn) and Kalisher-Wadham (University of Oxford) Scholar.

Kavya joined the Committee on 1 June 2025. Her appointment runs until 31 May 2028.

Andrew Squires May

Andrew is an accomplished media and sports lawyer with a extensive career spanning law, broadcasting, and brand management. As a consultant solicitor with a leading London entertainment and media firm, he provides strategic legal counsel to high-profile clients in the sports and media sectors, negotiating complex commercial agreements and advising on brand partnerships and reputation management. Andrew also serves as a director for one of Europe’s oldest sports and media agencies, representing well-known talent and overseeing high-value agreements.

His career is marked by a deep understanding of the legal, commercial, and regulatory aspects of the media industry. Prior to qualifying and beginning his practice as an English solicitor, Andrew trained as a broadcaster and journalist twenty years ago at the BBC, going on to present programs on its principle radio and television networks. He has also worked on and off air for BT Sport and Fox and Star Sports in Asia. A respected voice in the industry, Andrew has spoken at major industry events and contributed to thought leadership on sports and media law.

Andrew joined the Committee on 1 June 2025. His appointment runs until 31 May 2028.

As well as the appointed Members of the Advisory Committee, the Content Board Member, and the Communications Consumer Panel Member for the respective Nations are invited to attend Advisory Committee Meetings.

In England this is:

  • Robert Hammond  – Communications Consumer Panel
  • Dekan Apajee – Content Board

Ofcom 
Riverside House
2A Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 9HA

T: 020 7981 3000

Related content

Terms of reference for the National Advisory Committees • PDF • 124.94 KB • 5 October 2023
Code of Conduct for the National Advisory Committees • PDF • 268.15 KB • 27 May 2025

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