TFP wrote on Feb 3
rd, 2007 at 7:01pm:
A couple seem fair, I mean Carter was a recognised high-flyer who will certainly have gone on to earn far more in his new post.
Carter may have been a business high flyer (although COO of loss making NTL Is not that high surely) but he seems to have been totally unfitted to understand the public interest remit of Ofcom having consistently ighored Ofcom's primary duty to protect the citizen consumer in favour of maximising the profitability of various business interests run by important friend of New Labour. Ditto Ofcom has consistently shored up BT's monopoly over fixed line rental in non cable areas by insisting that people rent a phone line from BT if all they want is a broadband service. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that Carter was pushed rather than deciding to jump ship, although obviously it has been agreed that it will be presented as being his choice. I get the impression that Ed Richards does have a rather better understanding of the public interest.
Quote:I mean, Rona Chester, Finance Director, £178k, what on earth does an Ofcom Finance Director do, put her initials on a few expense forms, order toilet rolls, that kind of thing?
Her salary being higher than that of Ch4's FD seems rather odd
Yes you are absolutely right aren't you. Finance Director of Ofcom is a position of no significant responsibility whatsoever. It isn't a PLC try to make a profit with all sorts of weighty and business critical decisions falling on the Finance Director's shoulders. Its just a glorified Office Manager job.
Quote:As for Sandra Jenner, HR Director, £211k, I mean how many employees does Ofcom have, 500, maybe 800 tops? If Ofcom was a blue chip private sector company with several times that headcount, surely over £200k is a very hefty money for a HR person?
And look at the staff they have, especially in their Ofcom contact centre. Most of them are pretty useless. And having met Sean Williams I was not at all impressed. A style conscious buck passer with no passionate remit whatsoever to create a more competitive telecoms and broadcasting market for the UK citizen consumer.
As to applying for Stephen Carter's job my understanding is that Kip Meek did not do so and had already made clear his intention to leave for pastures new. So it was only Richards and Williams of the internal candidates and Williams lost. Of course perhaps Sean Williams can see the writing on the wall with the Conservatives winning the next election and sweeping away half of the currently bloated and unnecessary Ofcom apparatus.................
And don't forget Dominic Morris. An office manager of the CEO's office on over £200k a year. A pleasant chap when I spoke to him a couple of years ago but undoubtedly paid at least double what he ought to be getting.