BBC computes succession plan

LONDON -- Mind potential predators are actually hired to create a succession request the BBC's director-general Mark Thompson as speculation increases he could step lower after this summer's London Olympics. BBC Trust chairman Chris Patten has hired worldwide recruitment firm, Egon Zehnder, to produce this program by Easter time time -- a really unusual step for your pubcaster. "I'd like us so as, when it is time, by having an intelligent take a look at that are possible successors and where successors should result from and what type of job we have to desire them to complete,In . Patten told The Occasions. While using recruitment specialists did not, mentioned Patten, "warrant the headline 'Starting gun fired for Mark Thompson succession.' " Thompson has elevated the job since 2004, a somewhat very very long time for just what is a highly uncovered role in British public existence. While there appears being no apparent pressure from Patten for your director-general to prevent, time may be appropriate for sides. Thompson recently oversaw the delivery of 700 million ($1.1 billion) of cuts carrying out a coalition government's license fee freeze in October 2010, as well as the effective move of two,300 jobs from London to BBC North in Salford, Manchester. In addition, the BBC is around the roll creatively due to content natural history series "Frozen Planet," homegrown dramas "Sherlock" and considerably recognized two-parter "Birdsong," plus awesome factual shows including "The Fantastic British Bake Off" and "Stargazing Live." A minimum of, its lots of experts inside the U.K. press, depressed through the fall-from the News around the world phone hacking story, have fallen mostly quiet. In public areas, Patten is certainly going of his approach to praise Thompson's achievements, but like every his forerunners he'll ultimately wish to train on a director-general that belongs to them choosing -- and likely for less than the approximate $millions of the incumbent makes. There's a good amount of appropriate successors inside the U.K. but cake cake toppers used in U.S. media may even attract Egon Zehnder's interest. For Thompson's next job, he might make room the Atlantic as his wife, Jane, is American. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com