Hunt for new Royal Mail boss called off
The search for a successor to Allan Leighton, the chairman of Royal Mail, has been abandoned by the Government.
Allan Leighton’s term as chairman of Royal Mail ends next March;
The move follows attempts to persuade a number of high-profile businessmen to accept the job.
Whitehall sources insisted the decision had nothing to do with the failure to find a replacement. Instead, they said, the priority had been to strengthen the board in other ways, such as through the appointment of non-executive directors, and added that the search could be resurrected.
The Government first advertised for the position of deputy chairman last autumn in what was widely seen as a precursor to appointing a successor to Leighton. However, approaches to several businessmen, including Sir Philip Hampton, the chairman of J Sainsbury, and Sir John Parker, the chairman of National Grid, failed. Hampton was widely seen as the frontrunner but it is believed he rejected the offer as the Government refused to commit itself to a full privatization of the organization. Leighton’s term ends next March and it is believed he would be happy to stay on for a third term.
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