Bulford swaps C4 role for BBC

UK commercial network Channel 4 has lost its COO, Anne Bulford, who is joining the BBC to take on a new board-level role.

Bulford will be the new-look BBC’s as managing director, finance and operations – a role that combines COO and CFO duties – under the new structure incoming director general Tony Hall is implementing. She will also sit on the UK pubcaster’s Executive and Worldwide boards.

The news comes after the BBC closed its COO role last year and the departure of former CFO Zarin Patel.

Hall, who takes up his post in April, said: “Anne’s appointment is another significant step towards building a senior management team with the creative and strategic skills to lead the BBC for the next decade.”

Bulford has been with C4 since 2005, including a period as interim CEO position following Andy Duncan’s resignation in 2010. She also had a previous career at the BBC, working in a number of finance-related roles, and worked for Carlton Productions.