Richard Sharp, a former investment banker, used to be senior to the current Chancellor when they both worked at Goldman Sachs. He also used to advise Boris Johnson on the economy when the Prime Minister was mayor of London.
Mr Sharp is being considered in the running for a position as head of the BBC, according to the Times.
It is thought he is in the running alongside another prominent figure in the financial sector – former Chancellor George Osbourne.
Mr Sharp is believed to be a promising candidate in part because of his work to secure a financial package for the arts through the coronavirus pandemic.
It will be the Chairman’s responsibility to, among other things, “Support the Mission and Public Purposes of the BBC, which is to act in the public interest, serving all audiences and all sections of the population through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain”.
Applicants are also required to have worked “at the highest level of public or commercial life”.
Recently, it emerged the salary for the BBC chairman role had been boosted to £160,000 per year.
This marks a significant increase from £100,000 when the position was held by Sir David Clementi.
The chairman will be expected to work between three to four days a week over the course of four years.
Final interviews are due to be conducted in either the first or second weeks of December this year.
However, no date has yet been set for when the new chairman will be officially announced.
The new chair appointment comes as the BBC faces pressure over its future funding model.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said last week the government would soon put together a panel to discuss “the future landscape of public service broadcasting”.
This would affect not only the BBC, but also Channel 4, which is commercially-funded but publicly-owned.
Regarding the privatisation of Channel 4 – which aims to produce ‘alternative content’ – Mr Dowden said “all options need to be on the table”.
However, in 2016 a House of Lords report concluded Channel 4’s creativity would be “jeopardised” if it were to be sold to a private bidder.
