Gavyn Davies, chief international economist and managing director at Goldman Sachs in London, is being tipped to become chairman of the BBC after its present chairman Sir Christopher Bland took over as head of BT from Sir Iain Vallance.

Davies is the leading internal candidate as vice-chairman of the BBC, a part time role which he has juggled with his work at Goldman since the end of last year. The government appointed him to the post after he conducted a wholesale review of the future financing of the BBC last year.