Ofcom has selected Melanie Dawes, a senior UK civil servant, to be its new chief executive. The 53-year-old was the most senior woman in the civil service as permanent secretary at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The Guardian reports Ofcom’s board is ready to appoint Dawes but the announcement of a successor to Sharon White is not likely to be confirmed until after the general election and that could have an impact on her appointment, which needs to be agreed by the culture secretary.

Ofcom has said Jonathan Oxley, its group director of competition, will become interim chief executive as White is leaving at the end of November. Ofcom said Oxley did not apply to be permanent chief executive.

Dawes has an impressive three-decade career in government, including 15 years at the Treasury, five years at HMRC and four years at the Cabinet Office.

The Ofcom role, which has a starting salary of £315,000 (€366,000), spans everything from regulating the BBC to monitoring mobile, landline and broadband pricing.

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