BBC chairman Richard Sharp announces resignation after conflict of interest case

End clap for Richard Sharp. The BBC chairman announced his resignation on Friday 28 April. The former banker must give up his place because of a conflict of interest case surrounding his appointment as head of the British public audiovisual group.

A published report found a violation of the appointments rules. Richard Sharp was appointed head of the BBC in 2021, shortly after playing matchmaker to help Boris Johnson, then Prime Minister, obtain a loan of 800,000 pounds sterling (906,000 euros). The report points to the fact that Richard Sharp had informed Boris Johnson, as early as 2020, that he wanted to take the seat of president of the BBC, details the latter (article in English).

The report “concludes that I have violated the governance code for public appointments”, but that this violation “does not necessarily invalidate the nomination”, said Richard Sharp in a press release. Invoking a mistake made “inadvertently”he argues that he wants to put first “BBC Interests”judging that this case could represent a “distraction” related to “well done” of the British audiovisual giant. His resignation will be effective at the end of June.