Committee publication · Report · 22 May 2026 · HC 55
2nd Report – Pre-appointment hearing for the Chair of Ofcom
From: Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
Inquiry: Pre-appointment hearing for the Chair of Ofcom
Government response deadline: 22 July 2026
Summary
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee conducted a pre-appointment hearing for Sir Ian Cheshire, the government's preferred candidate to chair Ofcom. The committee endorses his appointment, citing extensive private and public sector experience, but recommends ministers direct him to urgently improve his online safety knowledge and establish clear performance metrics within six months, emphasizing Ofcom's primary duty to the British public.
Key findings
- Sir Ian Cheshire possesses extensive FTSE100 chair and CEO experience across retail, real estate, healthcare, financial services, media and charitable sectors, with familiarity with Whitehall decision-making as former Government Lead Non-Executive Director
- The committee identified gaps in his knowledge of UK online safety legislation, deeming this a critical priority given the complexity and urgency of the issue and Ofcom's expanded remit under the Online Safety Act
- Recruitment campaign attracted 30 applicants, 6 invited to interview (5 interviewed), 3 found appointable; shortlist showed 67% male/33% female and 83% white/17% ethnic minority representation
- Sir Ian committed to determining performance metrics and 'what good looks like' to assess his first-year performance; committee recommends these be provided to Parliament within six months
- Appointment terms: four-year term at £120,000 per annum, up to 3 days per week; Sir Ian intends to continue chairing Land Securities plc and Spire Healthcare plc alongside the role
Recommendations
- Endorse Sir Ian Cheshire's appointment as Chair of Ofcom
- Ministers should direct Sir Ian to prioritise quickly improving his knowledge of UK online safety legislation, given its critical importance and his need to represent Ofcom in discussions with companies covered by the Online Safety Act
- Ministers should underline to Sir Ian the scope and scale of challenges facing Ofcom, reminding him that Ofcom's primary duty is to the British public and emphasizing what makes a difference to constituents on a day-to-day basis
- Ministers should request that Sir Ian's performance metrics and definition of 'what good looks like' be provided to Parliament within his first six months in post
- Committee will closely monitor Sir Ian's and Ofcom's performance on a regular basis, particularly enforcement of the Online Safety Act, and expects him to be robustly held to account
Tone
SupportiveTopics
Key actors
Sir Ian Cheshire, Dame Chi Onwurah, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ofcom, Emran Mian, Susannah Storey, Alison Walker-Fraser
Notable line
“We are endorsing his appointment, and will closely monitor his and Ofcom's performance, particularly its approach to enforcement of the Act.”
Key Quotes
“I feel that Ofcom has a vital national role to play, with its extended remit in Online Safety, as well as its traditional role in telecoms and broadcasting.”
“If appointed I would need to deepen my skills /understanding of the online safety issue set and keep close to the evolution of AI as it impacts all aspects of the remit”
“I believe I will need to develop and share the metrics on Ofcom's delivery in order to be able to assess its effectiveness – these metrics should start with the consumers, and their experiences, especially around children's safety online.”
“However, we encourage ministers to direct Sir Ian to prioritise quickly improving his knowledge of the UK's online safety legislation. In our digital society, online safety is a complex and urgent issue of critical importance to our constituents”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗