Gill Whitehead
Gill Whitehead | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | University of Oxford (MSc, 2021) |
| Occupation(s) | Executive in technology, media and sports governance. |
Gill Whitehead is a British executive, with experience in digital safety and corporate governance. She is a non-executive director at the British Olympic Association and NatWest Group and chair of the board for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup.
Career
[edit]Whitehead was a student at King Henry VIII School, Coventry.[1] She trained as an economist, and worked for the BBC, Channel 4 and Google.[2] She has a master's degree in the social sciences of the internet from Oxford University,[3] and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.[4]
In November 2021, Whitehead was appointed by Ofcom to be the chief executive officer of the new digital regulators forum, established in response to the Online Safety Act.[5][6] Whitehead was one of several women hired from senior positions in major technology companies to take on this new regulatory role.[7] In late 2022, Whitehead was appointed as Ofcom's Group Director for Online Safety.[4] Whitehead was appointed a non-executive director of the NatWest Group in January 2025.
Sports governance
[edit]Whitehead played rugby league for England students, and is a qualified RFU coach. In May 2021, she was appointed as an independent non-executive director of the British Olympic Association.[8] In January 2023, Whitehead was announced as the independent chair of the board for the Rugby World Cup, which is to be held in England in August and September 2025.[9]
Whitehead was a guest on Cerys Matthews' show on BBC 6 Music on 22 June 2025, as a part of programme celebrating the women's summer of sport.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Old Coventrian, December 2024" (PDF). Retrieved 22 June 2025.
- ^ "Gill Whitehead appointed independent Chair of Rugby World Cup 2025 Board | World Rugby". www.world.rugby.
- ^ "OII | Gill Whitehead". www.oii.ox.ac.uk.
- ^ a b "Media and Telecoms & Beyond Conference". Media and Telecoms & Beyond Conference.
- ^ "Gill Whitehead appointed Chief Executive of Digital Regulators Forum". www.ofcom.org.uk. November 1, 2021.
- ^ Prescott, Katie (December 1, 2022). "Former Google executive Gill Whitehead to lead regulator's online safety team". www.thetimes.com.
- ^ Criddle, Cristina (January 9, 2024). "Ofcom poaches Big Tech staff in push to enforce new internet curbs".
- ^ "Gill Whitehead appointed Independent Non-Executive Director of the British Olympic Association | Team GB". www.teamgb.com.
- ^ "Whitehead named independent chair of 2025 Rugby World Cup Board". February 2, 2023.
- ^ "Cerys Matthews - Women's Summer of Sport special - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk.