Samir Shah, British-Indian has been picked by the U.K.Government to head the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as its next chair.

• Samir Shah, a 71-year-old former BBC non-executive director and media executive, was born in Aurangabad and moved to the U.K. in 1960.
• He will head the public broadcaster as it faces questions over its independence and financial challenges with the renewal of its charter.
• The previous BBC chair, Richard Sharp, stepped down in June over his failure to disclose that he had helped arrange a £800,000 loan to former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The BBC Chair’s duties include overseeing the independence of the organisation.
• Mr Shah, who has worked in media for over four decades and currently runs and owns Juniper TV, a media company, has connections to the Conservative Party.
• Mr Shah will take over the reins of the Board as the BBC is facing £500 million in cost-cutting with higher costs and a two year freeze on its licensing fee, which constitutes most of its funding.