Patricia Hodgson, currently BBC director of public policy, has been appointed chief executive of UK commercial broadcasting body the Independent Television Commission (ITC).

Hodgson takes up the post in September. She succeeds Peter Rogers, who is retiring.

Hodgson’s move to the ITC comes just a few months after BBC director general Greg Dyke unveiled a major restructure of the organisation which saw her role trimmed back.

She was previously in charge of both policy and planning - a BBC department widely disliked by many BBC creative staff for housing large numbers of strategists and consultants.

However, Hodgson played a key role earlier this year in lobbying government to help the BBC win an increase in its licence fee.

Her appointment comes at a crucial time for the ITC, whose reputation has been dented by its decision to allow ITV to shift its flagship news bulletin, the News at Ten. Politicians, including Prime Minister Tony Blair, argued that moving news out of prime time went against the spirit of public service broadcasting.

The role of the ITC within the UK’s TV sector looks set to change radically in the next few years. The government is expected to introduce new legislation after the next election to significantly reduce the large number of existing UK media regulators.