Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC Board, said the new appointment comes as the “stakes have never been higher” for the broadcaster, but members believe they have chosen the right person to lead the organisation.<\/p>\n
![\"Matt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/skynews-matt-brittin-bbc-director-general_7202744.jpg\")
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Image:
\n Matt Brittin starts his new role in May. Pic: BBC<\/p>\n
“Now, more than ever, we need a thriving BBC<\/a> that works for everyone in a complex, uncertain and fast changing world,” Mr Brittin, 57, said in a statement.<\/p>\n “At its best, it shows us, and the world, who we are. It’s an extraordinary, uniquely British asset, with over 100 years of innovation in storytelling, technology and powering creativity.”<\/p>\n Mr Davie will leave the BBC next week, with Rhodri Talfan Davies, the broadcaster’s director of nations, leading in the interim period before Mr Brittin takes over on 18 May.<\/p>\n The new director-general intends to appoint a deputy, the corporation said. He will have a salary of \u00a3565,000.<\/p>\n He takes on the role during a turbulent time for the broadcaster as it faces a multibillion-dollar lawsuit from Mr Trump<\/a> over the Panorama edit, as well as the fallout over a racial slur being aired during the BAFTAs<\/a> in February.<\/p>\n Image: Mr Brittin said he would join the organisation “with humility, to listen, to learn, to lead, and to serve the public, working hard to earn their trust every day”.<\/p>\n He added: “This is a moment of real risk, yet also real opportunity.”<\/p>\n The director-general of the BBC is the broadcaster’s chief executive officer and editor-in-chief, responsible for creative, editorial and operational leadership.<\/p>\n Image: The appointment of a leader with a big tech background, rather than someone with TV production and broadcasting experience, marks a shift for the corporation in terms of skill set.<\/p>\n Some staff and commentators had been hoping for a different kind of change – to see the first female director-general in the corporation’s history.<\/p>\n But Mr Brittin’s announcement had become widely expected after reports he was approved by the BBC board at a meeting last week.<\/p>\n \n Who is Matt Brittin?\n <\/p>\n Bethany Minelle<\/a><\/p>\n @BethanyMinelle<\/a><\/p>\n In the “about” section on his LinkedIn profile, Matt Brittin describes himself as: “Tall, energetic, British. Above average at sitting down sports.”<\/p>\n He also calls himself a “gap year student,” referring to the “mini-gap year” he took after stepping down from global tech corporation Google last year, as well as a “part-time athlete” in a nod to his previous achievements as an Olympic rower.<\/p>\n He spent 18 years at Google, the last 10 of which he was president, EMEA, leading the company’s Europe, Middle East and African interests.<\/p>\n Along the way, he’s also been a board trustee at The Climate Group and the Media Trust, a non-executive director at Sainsbury’s and a part-time senior independent director at The Guardian.<\/p>\n So: an Olympian, former media executive, and rumoured Doctor Who fan – we have everything you know about the man about to move into W1A to take on one of the most demanding jobs in Britain.<\/p>\n Read our full profile<\/a><\/p>\n Critical period for BBC<\/p>\n BBC chairman Mr Shah described the new boss as “an outstanding leader” who has the skills needed to “navigate the organisation through the many changes taking place in the media market and in audience behaviours”.<\/p>\n He added: “Matt’s passion for the BBC, his understanding of the challenges facing the organisation, his commitment to its independence and his determination to maintain the BBC’s position as one of the country’s greatest national assets were critical factors in the board’s decision to appoint him as the 18th director-general.”<\/p>\n The new appointment comes at a critical time, he said, with the government reviewing the current BBC Royal Charter, which expires at the end of 2027.<\/p>\n Read more from Sky News:![\"Outgoing](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/skynews-tim-davie-bbc-portcullis-house_7130135.jpg\")
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\n Outgoing director-general Tim Davie leaves next week. Pic: Reuters<\/p>\n![\"BBC](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/skynews-bbc-broadcasting-house_7081494.jpg\")
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\n BBC Broadcasting House in London. Pic: PA<\/p>\n
\n ![\"Bethany](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/skynews-bethany-minelle_6949516.png\")
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