The BBC’s first female Deputy Director has quit her £435,000 a year job after three years – around a year after a gender pay row engulfed the corporation.
Anne Bulford, who rejoined the BBC as managing director of finance and operations in 2013, has said she will step down this spring.
She was appointed to the number two job in 2016 having worked for the corporation from 1993 to 1999.
And has announced she intends to pursue a portfolio of non-executive roles.
She said: ‘It’s been an honour to be the first woman deputy director general of the BBC and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved since 2013.
‘The BBC is an amazing organisation, with so many talented people. I feel I’m leaving the BBC in a stronger position and I’d like to thank Tony, my colleagues and especially all my teams for their contribution and hard work.’
BBC Deputy DG Anne Bulford has announced her resignation from the £435,000 role
Her departure comes after early in 2018 a number of the BBC’s leading male presenters had agreed to have their pay cut in the wake of a pay row.
The broadcaster said Jeremy Vine, Nicky Campbell, John Humphrys, Nick Robinson and Huw Edwards would take reduced wages.
Humphrys, who presents the Radio 4 Today programme with Robinson, earned between £600,000 and £650,000 and BBC News presenter Edwards earned £550,000-£599,999.
In her role as DDG Ms Bulford was responsible for all the finance, HR, legal, risk and technology functions of the corporation, managing its strategy, marketing and audience activities, as well as serving on the board of Children in Need.
The corporation’s Director General, Tony Hall, whom his outgoing seconc-in-command thanked in her statemnt, said: Anne has been an inspirational leader. She has brought real insight and determination in bringing change to the BBC.
‘Her achievements at the BBC are many – she has ensured the BBC continues to innovate and deliver hugely popular services to the public.
‘She has vastly improved the BBC’s efficiency to industry leading levels. She has led a transformation in the BBC’s working practices.
Ms Bulford answering questions in front of the Education and Culture Committee at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on the subject of the BBC Charter Renewal
‘Anne leaves the BBC a stronger organisation than the one she joined six years ago. She has been a first class colleague and an absolute pleasure to work with. I wish her every success for the future.’
According to the BBC’s website, Ms Bulford joined the BBC as Managing Director, Finance and Operations in June 2013.
In June 2016 it was announced that she would take up the role of Deputy Director General with responsibility at board level for key functions including Finance, Engineering, HR, Workplace, Legal and Business Assurance, and Marketing and Audiences.
Before joining the BBC, she worked as Chief Operating Officer, Channel 4, following a period as interim Chief Executive. She joined Channel 4 as Group Finance Director in June 2005.
From 2002 to 2005, Ms Bulford was Director of Finance & Business Affairs at the Royal Opera House. In her time there she served as chair of Ofcom’s Audit Committee.
She is currently a Trustee of Motor Neurone Disease Association and also of the Conservatoire for Dance & Drama.
Ms Bulford’s tenure in charge of, among other things, legal matters and HR has been a rocky one at time. In 2017 and 2018 BBC executives at New Broadcasting House, pictured, were rocked by an unfolding scandal over gender pay inequality
News of the departure of the BBC’s first-ever female second in command after a relatively brief tenure – a woman who was tipped by many to take over from Tony Hall – will reopen the issue of pay and gender equality at the BBC.
It emerged last year that a number of the BBC’s leading male presenters had agreed to have their pay cut in the wake of the 2017 row over pay inequality.
The broadcaster said Jeremy Vine, Nicky Campbell, John Humphrys, Nick Robinson and Huw Edwards would take reduced wages.
Figures released in 2017 showed Vine was one of the corporation’s highest paid stars, earning £700,000-£749,999; Humphrys, who presents the Radio 4 Today programme with Robinson, earned between £600,000 and £650,000 and BBC News presenter Edwards earned £550,000-£599,999.
Chris Evans, left, earned more than £2m from the BBC in 2017, £1.6m of which was for his gig at Radio 2. His show is now presented by Zoe Ball, right, who became the BBC’s highest paid female star, on a £1.2m a year contract
Jon Sopel, BBC’s North America editor, has also accepted a pay cut. The figures released last year showed he earned between £200,000-£249,999, while his female counterpart on the China desk earned £135,000-a-year.
Radio 2’s Chris Evans topped the 2017 list on more than £2 million, while the highest paid woman was Claudia Winkleman on between £450,000 and £499,999.
Late last year upon taking over Evans’ Radio 3 breakfast show presenting slot, Zoe Ball became the BBC’s highest paid woman after being handed a £1.2million a year salary to host the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, according to reports.