Page 3 Profile: Rona Fairhead, Chair of the BBC Trust

Rona Fairhead, Chair of the BBC Trust

Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life…

So said Confucius, but Rona Fairhead may soon beg to differ. The former chief executive of the Financial Times Group is to become the first woman to lead the BBC, as the new chair of the BBC Trust, the broadcaster’s governing body. Ms Fairhead has said that she is “excited” and “honoured” to lead “a great British institution”. However, she will undoubtedly have to work hard in this much-scrutinised – and difficult – role.

Scrutiny?

Indeed. Some have asked questions about her links to the Government; she was a non-executive member of the Cabinet Office board until the BBC came knocking.

But is her CV up to scratch?

It is impressive. After picking up a double-first in law at Cambridge, she went on to become a non-executive director of banking group HSBC. She has an MBA from Harvard and sits on the board of PepsiCo. Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo’s chief executive, described her as “a proven business leader with global experience spanning multiple industries”.

All work and no play then?

Surprisingly not. Fairhead holds a pilot’s license and enjoys flying, skiing and scuba diving.