The BBC Board has appointed former Google EMEA president Matt Brittin as the corporation’s 18th director-general, with Brittin due to take up the post on 18 May.
Reports over recent days had indicated he was the leading candidate for the role.
Brittin will succeed Tim Davie as chief executive officer and editor-in-chief of the BBC. As already announced, Rhodri Talfan Davies will serve as interim director-general following Davie’s departure on 2 April and will retain full executive responsibility until Brittin formally begins his tenure on 18 May.
The appointment marks a significant shift for the corporation, with Brittin becoming the first BBC director-general to come to the role without direct television journalism experience. He joined Google in 2007 to run its UK business and later spent 10 years as president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, leaving the company in 2025.
Samir Shah, Chairman of the BBC Board, said: “Matt brings to the BBC deep experience of leading a high-profile and highly-complex organisation through transformation. He is an outstanding leader and has the skills needed to navigate the organisation through the many changes taking place in the media market and in audience behaviours.
“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.
“Matt joins the BBC at a critical time. The Government’s review of the Charter is underway, and it is clear there is need for radical reform of the BBC, its funding model and the framework in which it operates. The stakes for the BBC, and the future of public service broadcasting, have never been higher.
“The Board and I believe Matt is the right person to lead the BBC as it fights for a sustainable future in an uncertain world, for the benefit of audiences and the UK.”
Matt Brittin, said: “Now, more than ever, we need a thriving BBC that works for everyone in a complex, uncertain and fast changing world. 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. I’m honoured and excited to be asked to serve as Director-General.
“Working alongside so many talented journalists, creatives and technicians, across the country and around the world, I join with humility, to listen, to learn, to lead, and to serve the public, working hard to earn their trust every day.
“This is a moment of real risk, yet also real opportunity. The BBC needs the pace and energy to be both where stories are, and where audiences are. To build on the reach, trust and creative strengths today, confront challenges with courage, and thrive as a public service fit for the future. I can’t wait to start this work.”
His arrival comes at a critical point for the BBC, with Charter review discussions under way and wider debate continuing around the future of the broadcaster’s funding model and long-term structure. Recent reporting has highlighted the scale of those negotiations and the pressure on the BBC as it responds to changes in audience behaviour and increased competition from digital platforms.
The BBC said Brittin also intends to appoint a deputy director-general. His salary will be £565,000.
