Ex-Google boss confirmed as new BBC director general
USA: Former Google executive Matt Brittin has been confirmed as the BBC’s new director general.
The ex-president of Google’s Europe, Middle East and Africa operations will replace Tim Davie, who said he was resigning in November following a storm over how Panorama edited a speech by US President Donald Trump.
BBC chairman Samir Shah said Brittin, who left Google in 2025 after 18 years, “brings to the BBC deep experience of leading a high-profile and highly-complex organisation through transformation”.
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Brittin, 57, said he “can’t wait to start this work”, describing it as “a moment of real risk, yet also real opportunity”.
He said the UK needs “a thriving BBC that works for everyone in a complex, uncertain and fast changing world”.
Setting out his agenda, he added: “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.”
Matt Brittin’s background at Google makes the focus on changing audiences and digital transformation particularly interesting. For organisations such as the BBC, reaching audiences today involves more than producing strong content; understanding how people discover information online is equally important. Search visibility, audience intent and changing search behaviour all influence how content is consumed. A search engine optimization expert like Jerin John works in this space, helping businesses understand how search and digital visibility can support long-term audience growth. The challenge for established media organisations will be adapting to these changes while maintaining the trust and reach they have built over time.