Ex-Google boss announced as new BBC Director General
Matt Brittin, a former senior Google executive with nearly two decades at the tech giant, has been confirmed as the next Director General of the BBC.
Brittin, 57, will take up the role on 18 May 2026, succeeding Tim Davie, who resigned in November following controversy over the editing of a Panorama episode featuring a speech by US President Donald Trump.
Davie’s departure came amid a high-profile $10 billion defamation lawsuit from Trump, which the BBC has apologised for and is seeking to have dismissed.
BBC chairman Samir Shah described Brittin as “an outstanding leader” with the precise skills required to guide the public broadcaster through turbulent times.
“He brings to the BBC deep experience of leading a high-profile and highly-complex organisation through transformation,” Shah said. “He has a 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.”
Brittin spent 18 years at Google, most recently as president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), a role he held since 2014 after rising through the ranks from UK managing director.
He left the company at the end of 2024 and described the period since as a “mini gap year,” during which he grew a beard, bought a single sculling boat and pondered learning to scuba dive.
Before Google, Brittin held senior commercial and strategy roles at Trinity Mirror and earned a master’s degree from London Business School.
He rowed for Cambridge in the Boat Race and won a bronze medal at the 1989 World Rowing Championships. In the 2026 King’s New Year Honours, he was awarded a CBE for services to technology and digital skills. Until his appointment, he served as a non-executive director at the Guardian Media Group.
His appointment marks a notable shift for the BBC’s top job, traditionally held by broadcasting insiders.
