YouTube has hired UK Labour peer Oona King as its global diversity boss

YouTube has hired Oona King, the Labour peer and former London mayoral candidate, as its global director of diversity.

British television industry magazine Broadcast reported that King will leave her role as a diversity executive at UK broadcaster Channel 4 after seven years to base herself out of San Francisco, where she will oversee YouTube's diversity strategy across content, marketing, branding and talent.

She will take a "leave of absence" from her duties in the House of Lords, where she has served as Baroness King of Bow on Labour's front bench since 2011.

King told Broadcast: "I see YouTube as the future of broadcasting. It brings opportunities and challenges to content providers and it will be fascinating to see how YouTube and a younger generation will redefine media consumption."

YouTube confirmed the appointment but declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider.

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