Matt Brittin Appointed BBC Director General

Matt Brittin, a former top executive at Google, has been appointed as the new director general of the BBC, the public broadcaster announced this week. The 57-year-old will succeed Tim Davie, starting on May 18 after an interim period led by Rhodri Talfan Davies, the BBC's director of nations. Brittin's selection by the BBC board comes amid ongoing challenges for the organization, including a high-profile defamation lawsuit from former U.S. President Donald Trump and preparations for a government review of its funding and governance.

Brittin's appointment marks a departure from tradition, as previous director generals have typically come from media or broadcasting backgrounds. Instead, the board highlighted his nearly two decades at Google, where he served as president for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa from 2014 until leaving in 2025. During that time, he oversaw operations in a rapidly evolving digital landscape and faced parliamentary scrutiny over the company's U.K. tax practices, which contributed to regulatory changes like the so-called Google Tax. Before Google, Brittin worked as a consultant at McKinsey and as commercial director at Trinity Mirror. He holds a degree...