CHRIS PATTEN Set To Become Chair Of BBC Trust!

Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong and a former chairman of the U.K’s Conservative Party, is will apparently be appointed chair of the BBC Trust next week – according to Variety.

The appointment of Patten, 66, needs to be approved by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, who is likely to give his consent. His name was one of three forward to Jeremy Hunt earlier this week for the position. These included former editor of the Financial Times, Richard Lambert and Patricia Hodgson, who used to head the Independent Television Commission (a watchdog organization).

Reports in the local media suggest Hunt told Cameron that Patten, regarded as being on the liberal wing of the Conservative Party, is the best candidate for the job. If successful, he will replace Sir Michael Lyons who was appointed by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Patten has quite a job on his hands, as he will be overseeing the extensive cuts to the BBC and parts of its overseas activities including the World Service. Although his role will not include any executive responsibilities, the job will involve shaping the public broadcaster’s overall strategy and appointing the BBC director-general who will run the business on a day-to-day basis. Patten will also be holding management to account in the interests of U.K. license fee payers.

He will need to form a good working relationship with Mark Thompson, the current BBC director-general, who has indicated that he wants to stay at the corporation despite the challenge of leading a slimmed-down organisation fit for an age of austerity.