Industry welcomes Matt Hancock appointment as new culture secretary
Prime Minister Theresa May has promoted digital minister Matt Hancock to her cabinet to serve as her new Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, replacing Karen Bradley.
Matt Hancock the new culture secretary following cabinet reshuffle
Hancock has made the move following May’s reshuffle today (8 January) with Bradley, appointed in 2016, moving to take the post of Northern Ireland secretary.
DCMS Permanent Secretary Sue Owen welcomes @MattHancock back to the department in his new role as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport pic.twitter.com/U9vcN0wPVD
— DCMS (@DCMS) January 8, 2018
Hancock had previously served in a number of Ministerial Roles, including for skills and business, and as Paymaster General, having entered Government in 2012. May demoted him following her election less than two years ago, but has chosen to bring him back into the fold to succeed Bradley.
In response, IAB chief executive, Jon Mew tweeted; “Well done @MattHancock on a deserved appointment in the top job at DCMS. The ad industry looks forward to continuing to work with you #cabinetreshuffle”
Well done @MattHancock on a deserved appointment to the top job at DCMS. The ad industry looks forward to continuing to work with you #cabinetreshuffle — Jonathan Mew (@jonmew) January 8, 2018
Meanwhile, Paul Bainsfair, director general of the IPA told The Drum; “Matt Hancock looks like a smart choice as Culture Secretary. He demonstrated a real interest in and a good grasp of digital media in his prior ministerial role. Technology and media are inextricably linked and we regard his appointment as a positive move.”
The Advertising Association's chief executive Stephen Woodford similarly said that Hancock is an "enthusiastic and engaged supporter of the creative industries and has a keen awareness of advertising’s vital importance to the UK economy and the global lead the UK enjoys."
"We look forward to working with Matt as Secretary of State for the continued success of our industry and the wider UK creative sector," he added.
During her time in the role, Bradley announced a number of initiatives including most recently a £60m fund to encourage broadcasters to produce more children’s television. Last month, she also appointed former Channel 4 chairman Lord Burns as the next chairman of Ofcom
Last January she told the advertising industry that; "the government has never seen you as peripheral," while addressing delegates at the Advertising Association conference.
At the time of writing a successor to Hancock in the digital role had yet to be revealed.