BBC appoints former Google executive as director general
Former Google executive Matt Brittin has been confirmed as the BBC’s next director general, taking over from Tim Davie at a pivotal moment for the broadcaster.
Brittin spent nearly two decades at Google, most recently serving as president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa before stepping down in 2025.
He will now lead the BBC as it faces mounting pressure over funding, audience shifts and its long-term role in a digital media landscape.
A tech-first strategy
His appointment follows Davie’s decision to resign last year after controversy surrounding the editing of a Panorama interview with Donald Trump.
BBC chairman Samir Shah said Brittin brings “deep experience of leading a high-profile and highly complex organisation through transformation”, adding that he has the skills needed to guide the corporation through rapid changes in audience behaviour and competition from global tech platforms.
“He joins at a critical time,” Shah said, pointing to the government’s ongoing review of the BBC’s royal charter, which will determine the broadcaster’s future funding model and governance.
Brittin said he “can’t wait to start this work”, describing the role as coming at “a moment of real risk, yet also real opportunity”.
“The UK needs a thriving BBC that works for everyone in a complex, uncertain and fast-changing world,” he said.
Setting out his priorities, Brittin said the BBC must adapt to changing consumption habits while maintaining its core strengths.
“The BBC needs the pace and energy to be both where stories are, and where audiences are,” he said. “To build on the reach, trust and creative strengths today, confront challenges with courage, and thrive as a public service fit for the future.”
His appointment marks a shift for the broadcaster, which has traditionally been led by figures with editorial or programme-making backgrounds.
The BBC board is understood to have been drawn to Brittin’s experience in digital transformation as the organisation competes with streaming platforms and online content providers.
The corporation is also under pressure to reform its funding model, with debates ongoing over the future of the licence fee and the potential expansion of its commercial operations.
Shah said there is a “clear need for radical reform” of the BBC and warned that “the stakes for the BBC, and the future of public service broadcasting, have never been higher.”