Patricia Hodgson
Encyclopedia
Dame Patricia Anne Hodgson, DBE
(born 19 January 1947) is the Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge
.
research department (1968–1970), Hodgson worked as a producer and journalist and was a founder-member of the distance learning team at the Open University
. Between 1983 and 2000 she worked in a variety of positions at the BBC
(see below). She served on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (1993–1999), and was a non-executive member of the London Arts Board and a Trustee of the Prince’s Youth Business Trust. She also served on the Advisory Board of the Judge Institute for Management Studies, Cambridge. She is a former Vice-President of the Royal Television Society
and a former member of the Statistics Commission
.
From September 2000 to the end of 2003, Hodgson was Chief Executive of the Independent Television Commission
, a body which has since been subsumed by the media regulator Ofcom
. From 2004–2008 she was a member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life
. During the same period she was a Governor of the Wellcome Trust
.
Dame Patricia holds an MA from Newnham College Cambridge, and honorary doctorates from City University, London
and the University of Essex
. She was an Associate Fellow of Newnham College between 1993 and 1996.
She is a member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England
and a non-executive director of the Competition Commission
. She has been Principal at Newnham, her alma mater, since August 2006.
and what was then BBC World
, now BBC World News. Hodgson also led the BBC team which planned the launch of new digital and online services between 1997 and 2000.
In 2006 she returned to the BBC as a member of the new governing body, the BBC Trust
, which took over from the Board of Governors on 1 January 2007. When Michael Grade
abruptly stood down from the position of Chairman of the BBC Trust to become the Executive Chairman of rival broadcaster ITV plc
, Hodgson was widely rumoured to be in line to succeed him. She ruled herself out of contention, saying that her role at Newnham prevented her from doing so. In 2010 she was appointed for a second term on the Trust.
After unsuccessfully standing for both Chairman and Vice Chairman, Hodgson stood down from the BBC Trust in June 2011 to take up a role on the board of media regulator Ofcom
, where she will become Deputy Chairman.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 19 January 1947) is the Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
.
Biography
Following an early stint at the Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
research department (1968–1970), Hodgson worked as a producer and journalist and was a founder-member of the distance learning team at the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
. Between 1983 and 2000 she worked in a variety of positions at the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
(see below). She served on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (1993–1999), and was a non-executive member of the London Arts Board and a Trustee of the Prince’s Youth Business Trust. She also served on the Advisory Board of the Judge Institute for Management Studies, Cambridge. She is a former Vice-President of the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
and a former member of the Statistics Commission
Statistics Commission
The Statistics Commission was a non-departmental public body established in June 2000 by the UK Government to oversee the work of the Office for National Statistics1,2. Its chairman was Professor David Rhind who succeeded the first chairman, Sir John Kingman, in May 20033. Although it was...
.
From September 2000 to the end of 2003, Hodgson was Chief Executive of the Independent Television Commission
Independent Television Commission
The Independent Television Commission licensed and regulated commercial television services in the United Kingdom between 1 January 1991 and 28 December 2003....
, a body which has since been subsumed by the media regulator Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
. From 2004–2008 she was a member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life
Committee on Standards in Public Life
The Committee on Standards in Public Life is an advisory non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom Government.The Committee on Standards in Public Life is constituted as a standing body with its members appointed for up to three years.-History:...
. During the same period she was a Governor of the Wellcome Trust
Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
.
Dame Patricia holds an MA from Newnham College Cambridge, and honorary doctorates from City University, London
City University, London
City University London , is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute and became a university in 1966, when it adopted its present name....
and the University of Essex
University of Essex
The University of Essex is a British campus university whose original and largest campus is near the town of Colchester, England. Established in 1963 and receiving its Royal Charter in 1965...
. She was an Associate Fellow of Newnham College between 1993 and 1996.
She is a member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England
Higher Education Funding Council for England
The Higher Education Funding Council for England is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in the United Kingdom, which has been responsible for the distribution of funding to Universities and Colleges of Higher and Further Education in England since...
and a non-executive director of the Competition Commission
Competition Commission
The Competition Commission is a non-departmental public body responsible for investigating mergers, markets and other enquiries related to regulated industries under competition law in the United Kingdom...
. She has been Principal at Newnham, her alma mater, since August 2006.
BBC
Patricia Hodgson started her career at the BBC as Deputy Secretary, quickly moving to become the Secretary. She was subsequently Head of Policy (1987–1992) and then Director of Policy and Planning (1993–2000), a position on the main board. As Director of Policy and Planning she played a key role in many initiatives, including the original concept for BBC PrimeBBC Prime
BBC Prime was the BBC's general entertainment TV channel in Europe and the Middle East from 30 January 1995 until 11 November 2009, when it was replaced by BBC Entertainment.-Launch:...
and what was then BBC World
BBC World
BBC World News is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world...
, now BBC World News. Hodgson also led the BBC team which planned the launch of new digital and online services between 1997 and 2000.
In 2006 she returned to the BBC as a member of the new governing body, the BBC Trust
BBC Trust
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
, which took over from the Board of Governors on 1 January 2007. When Michael Grade
Michael Grade
Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009.-Early life:...
abruptly stood down from the position of Chairman of the BBC Trust to become the Executive Chairman of rival broadcaster ITV plc
ITV plc
ITV plc is a British media company that operates 12 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom...
, Hodgson was widely rumoured to be in line to succeed him. She ruled herself out of contention, saying that her role at Newnham prevented her from doing so. In 2010 she was appointed for a second term on the Trust.
After unsuccessfully standing for both Chairman and Vice Chairman, Hodgson stood down from the BBC Trust in June 2011 to take up a role on the board of media regulator Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
, where she will become Deputy Chairman.