2 August 2024

S4C's Unitary Board has started the process of recruiting the channel's next Chief Executive by appointing the headhunters Odgers Berndtson.

The non-executive members of the S4C Unitary Board - who are responsible for appointing the Chief Executive - will work with Odgers Berndtson over the next few weeks to put a suitable and thorough process in place, with the intention of advertising the role in early September.

The Chief Executive is S4C's ambassador with primary responsibility for all the channel's activities. The successful candidate will oversee and manage all the editorial, financial, strategic and HR aspects of the company, and will be fundamentally responsible for the strategic direction of S4C as well as creating the vision for its success.

Guto Bebb, acting Chairman of S4C, said:

"S4C's successes in terms of reach and content over the past year show that we are on the right track, but there is a lot of work ahead of us, including the digital challenges faced by the whole sector.

"This is therefore a great opportunity for us to recruit someone ambitious to lead S4C into our next chapter; someone who shares our vision, our core values and is ready to work with the Board, S4C staff and the sector to bring that vision to life.

"In the meantime, we give much thanks to Sioned Wiliam for her work as temporary Chief Executive over the past few months, and especially for leading the work of carrying out the Action Plan published in February. Sioned will continue in her post until the new Chief Executive starts."

Odgers Berndtson were selected as headhunters following a detailed tender process. The company has Welsh language expertise and extensive experience of appointing at the highest level in Wales and beyond, including on behalf of the Welsh Rugby Union as well as the BBC and ITV at a UK level.