The next BBC music chief will be….

… probably none of the names that have been speculated in today’s papers in the wake of Roger Wright’s resignation as head of BBC Proms and Radio 3. It won’t be easy to find the right person. There is a lamentable paucity of proven managerial talent in the 30-45 age range.

The likely runners are:

– Stephen Maddock, chief executive of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and a former Proms staffer;

– Hilary Boulding, head of Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, a distant Radio 3 executive;

– Graham Sheffield, director of arts at the British Council; ex-Radio 3;

– Gillian Moore, head of music at the South Bank; no BBC track record;

– Edward Blakeman, Proms minder after Wright’s departure;

– John Gilhooly, Wigmore Hall;

– Richard Wigley, BBC Philharmonic;

– Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian, a willing candidate for top music jobs.

Also fancying their chances:

Jonathan Mills, outgoing Edinburgh Festival director;

Meurig Bowen, Cheltenham Festival director.

David Pickard, Glyndebourne;

David Butcher, Britten Sinfonia.

Overseas candidates:

The headhunters will place calls to the following, all with relevant UK experience:

Anthony Freud, Chicago Lyric Opera;

Graham Parker, WQXR New York;

Mary Miller, Bergen National Opera;

Simon Woods, Seattle Symphony;

Michael Henson, Minnesota Orchestra (unless they’ve been reading Slipped Disc).

And there’s always this failed candidate from the last round.