Bank of England governor vacancy gets 650 applications on Linkedin

The role of the governor of the Bank of England has piqued the interest of Linkedin users as one of the most viewed jobs in 2019. 

Current incumbent Mark Carney is leaving the role on 31 January, with big names like Financial Conduct Authority boss Andrew Bailey and City grandee Helena Morrissey in the running to succeed him.

Read more: These are the candidates in the running for Mark Carney’s job

But that didn’t put off Linkedin users. Londoners sent 486 applications for the job on Threadneedle Street via the social network and 159 came from further afield.

The professional networking site has revealed that the job was its 11th most viewed vacancy of the year, ahead of a job as head of client partnerships at ITV show Love Island and as Amazon’s head of marketing. 

The Bank of England governor position was advertised as an open role with HM Treasury and described as “one of the most exciting jobs in world finance” with applicants expected to commit to an eight-year term.

Darain Faraz, a careers expert at Linkedin, said: “There aren’t many situations where you would find the job description of the governor of the Bank of England listed alongside roles at Love Island, Vice and Urban Outfitters – such is the variety of jobs we see on Linkedin.

Read more: Mark Carney defends move not to publish governor shortlist

“As we wind down 2019, it’s fantastic to see that the millions of roles on the platform are truly diverse.”

Ministers are expected to choose the next governor of the Bank of England in the next few days.

One hotly-tipped contender for the role is Minouche Shafik, a former BoE deputy governor who was in charge of markets and banking between 2014 and 2017. 

Ben Broadbent and Jon Cunliffe, who are the current deputy governors for monetary policy and financial stability, are also in the running for the top job. 

Former deputy governor Paul Tucker is also considered a frontrunner, having been a strong favourite in 2013 before Carney’s appointment. 

Read more: Mark Carney has already got a job ahead of his BoE exit

FCA boss Bailey, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, had been a frontrunner but his chances may have been hurt after the regulator came under fire following the Woodford equity fund saga. 

Roles in the Premier League dominated the list with three jobs in the top 10, including a role as relationship manager at Manchester United.