Sharon White calls it a day at Ofcom

After four years of running the UK telecoms regulator Sharon White has decided she fancies a go at retail.

Ofcom has announced White will leave her current post as CEO of the regulator towards the end of this year in order to become Chairman of The John Lewis Partnership – a UK retail chain. They don’t have a replacement lined up but have half a year to dig someone up.

“Sharon has been an outstanding Chief Executive for Ofcom and will be missed by the whole organisation,” said Ofcom Chairman Lord Burns. “Under Sharon’s leadership, Ofcom has helped to deliver ultrafast broadband, widespread 4G mobile and now 5G, and became the first independent regulator of the BBC. She leaves Ofcom as a regulator with a relentless focus on the consumer interest; making sure people and businesses can get the best out of their communications services.”

“It’s been a huge privilege to lead Ofcom at a time when reliable, affordable communications have become essential,” said White. “I will leave behind an organisation that is dedicated in its mission to make communications work for everyone.”

On the whole White seems to have done a decent job in her time at Ofcom. She had to deal with things like the Openreach controversy, the 5G spectrum auctions and Three’s constant moaning and has done so with dignity and without any major mistakes. While she has left a solid platform for her successor, that person will have to deal with an industry in the middle of enormous change and in the centre of some of the biggest contemporary geopolitical issues.