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Ofcom Board appointments

November 1, 2024

By Colin Mann

The UK Government has confirmed the appointment of Tamara Ingram, OBE, and Lord Allan of Hallam to the Board of comms regulator Ofcom.

Ingram, who will join the Board as Deputy Chair for a four-year term, has had an extensive career across advertising, marketing and digital communication spanning over 35 years. She has held several leadership positions in the creative industries and was Global Chair of Wunderman Thompson until 2020. She has also served as Global Chief Executive Officer of J. Walter Thompson, Chairman and CEO of Grey, and CEO of McCann Worldgroup and Saatchi & Saatchi in London.

She is currently a Non-Executive Director of Marks and Spencer Group and Chairman of the health charity, Asthma + Lung UK. She is also a Non-Executive Director at Intertek Group, Reckitt Benckiser Group, and Marsh & McLennan Companies. She is also a business coach focussing on leadership. She was previously Chair of the fundraising committee for the Royal Court, and a Non-Executive Director of the Sage Group and Serco Group. She was awarded an OBE for her contribution to tourism as Chair of Visit London in 2012.

“Ofcom does vital work ensuring the safety and inclusiveness of the communications services we all rely on. I am thrilled to be joining and look forward to working closely with the Board led by Lord Grade and the executive led by Dame Melanie Dawes,” said Ingram.

“I am very pleased to welcome Tamara as our new Deputy Chair. Her many years of leadership experience will be of huge benefit as she joins myself and the other Board members in providing strategic direction to Ofcom,” added Lord Grade, Ofcom Chair. “Tamara’s long career in the creative industries will also further strengthen the Board’s expertise, and I am confident she will be an outstanding asset to the organisation.”

Lord Allan of Hallam will join the Board as a Non-Executive Director, appointed for a four-year term.

Allan has nearly 30 years of experience in communications and technology policy. He has been a Member of the House of Lords since 2010, initially affiliated with the Liberal Democrats. He has been non-affiliated since October 2nd. He began his career with the NHS as a Systems Developer. He served as the MP for Sheffield Hallam from 1997 to 2005 and chaired the Information Select Committee. He then joined Cisco Systems as Director of Public Policy and later worked at Facebook (now Meta) for 10 years as VP of Public Policy, where he led over 70 policy experts across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He currently holds Non-Executive Board roles with New Automotive and the Centre for Public Data. His previous roles include positions with the European Digital Media Observatory, the Power of Media Taskforce, and the Sheffield City Trust.

“I have worked with and admired Ofcom throughout my career in politics and the technology sector and am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to their work as a member of the Board,” commented Allan. “I hope the experience I bring will help Ofcom have a significant positive impact as their remit expands to include online safety.”

“Richard brings extensive experience across technology, telecoms and media, from a decades-long career both in public life and the private sector,” added Grade. “His contribution to the Board will be invaluable and I look forward to working with him.”

Ofcom’s Board provides strategic direction to Ofcom and its executive, which runs the organisation and answer to the Board.

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