Ofcomhas chosen Melanie Dawes, … Dame Melanie has held senior roles across the Civil Service, working in partnership across the public and private sectors. She is also Civil Service champion for diversity and inclusion.She has held non-executive roles including with the consumer body Which? He has agreed to stay on until the new Chair is in place to ensure a smooth transition.I congratulate Dame Melanie Dawes on her appointment as chief executive of Ofcom. Given the extension of Ofcom’s role, the Secretary of State has also today said that the Government will consider carefully the full impacts of this potential change, both for Ofcom and to inform broader work on the regulatory landscape.In view of the fact that the new role would mean change for Ofcom over the next few years, the Secretary of State has indicated that the Government would like a Chair to be in place who is able to oversee the successful implementation of any changes in full.Lord Burns has therefore agreed to step down to enable a new Chair to be in place by the end of this year. Whitehall’s longest-serving female permanent secretary, Dame Melanie Dawes, will leave the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to become chief executive of Ofcom early next month, the regulator has confirmed. The body will also appoint a new Chair, replacing Lord Burns. She is also Civil Service champion for diversity and inclusion.She has held non-executive roles including with the consumer body Which? Melanie Dawes will fill Sharon White's £500k shoes – report Brit telcos can keep £218m licence fee repayment from Ofcom after penny-pinching regulator loses Court of Appeal case But will you see your phone bills decreasing?
Melanie's experience leading organisations through change will be vital as the Government today announces it is minded to appoint the organisation as regulator for new online harms laws. The session comes as the communications watchdog's remit is set to expand, following the Government's announcement that it was "minded" to make Ofcom the online harms regulator. She was Director General of the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat at the Cabinet Office between 2011 and 2015, and prior to that she served on the Board of HMRC as Head of Business Tax.In addition to her current Permanent Secretary role, Dame Melanie chairs the Civil Service People Board, leading workforce strategies across all government departments. She started her career as an economist and spent 15 years at the Treasury, including as Europe Director. She will take up her new position in early March.Dame Melanie has held senior roles across the Civil Service, working in partnership across the public and private sectors. and is a trustee of the Patchwork Foundation, which promotes the participation of under-represented young people in democracy.“I look forward to working with her over the months ahead as we prepare for this forthcoming legislation as well as the ongoing tasks of achieving better broadband and mobile coverage and supporting UK broadcasting.”The programme to establish online harms as part of Ofcom’s remit is likely to take time to put in place. She will take up her new position in early March.Dame Melanie has held senior roles across the Civil Service, working in partnership across the public and private sectors. Dame Melanie has been Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government since 2015. She will assume the role in March, with interim CEO Jonathan Oxley resuming his position as competition group director and board member. The Ofcom Board has today announced the appointment of Dame Melanie Dawes as Chief Executive. Melanie Dawes is currently permanent secretary at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Dawes has been permanent secretary at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government since 2015 and is set to take up her new position in early March. In her first appearance before the Committee, Dame Melanie Dawes will give evidence after three months as CEO of Ofcom.