Tim Davie

Davie was born on 25 April 1967 in Croydon, London. He attended Downside School and Whitgift School, a private school, in the London Borough of Croydon on a scholarship between 1980 and 1985.{{cite web|url=https://www.whitgift.co.uk/articles/alumni-news-article/~board/alumni-news/post/ow-appointed-as-bbcs-next-director-general|title=OW appointed as BBC's next Director General|accessdate=11 March 2023|publisher=Whitgift School}} He studied English at Selwyn College, Cambridge.{{cite web|url=https://www.sel.cam.ac.uk/news/selwyn-dg|publisher=Selwyn College, Cambridge|accessdate=11 March 2023|title=A Selwyn DG}} Davie joined Procter & Gamble as a trainee in 1991. Two years later he joined PepsiCo eventually becoming vice-president of marketing and finance before leaving the company in 2005.{{cite news|first=Jane |last=Martinson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/mar/23/interview-tim-davie-bbc|title=Interview with Tim Davie: Getting radio fit for a digital age|work=The Guardian |date= 23 March 2009|access-date=12 November 2012 |location=London}}

Davie unsuccessfully stood as a councillor for the Conservative Party in the Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council elections in 1993 and 1994 and was deputy chairman of the Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative Association in the 1990s.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jun/05/bbc-appoints-insider-tim-davie-as-director-general|title=BBC appoints insider Tim Davie as director general|first=Mark|last=Sweney|date=5 June 2020|work=The Guardian}}{{cite news|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/marketing-mix-true-blue-davie-no-euro-sceptic/63789|title=Marketing Mix: True Blue Davie is no Euro-sceptic|date=27 June 1996|work=Campaign Live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/mar/12/tim-davie-bbc-director-general-embroiled-gary-lineker-controversy|work=The Guardian|title=Tim Davie: BBC director general embroiled in Gary Lineker controversy|date=12 March 2023|last=Halliday|first=Josh}}

Davie joined the BBC as Director of Marketing, Communications and Audiences in April 2005,{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jun/27/bbc.radio1|title=Tim Davie: BBC's marathon man with a colourful track record|last=Sweney|first=Mark|date=27 June 2008|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 October 2017|issn=0261-3077}} succeeding Andy Duncan.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jun/05/tim-davie-bbc-director-general-ultrarunner-marketing-guru|title=Tim Davie: the ultrarunner and marketing guru handed BBC's top job|work=The Guardian|last=Sweney|first=Mark|date=5 June 2020|access-date=5 June 2020}} He was Director-General Mark Thompson's first senior external appointment.

In June 2008, it was announced that he was replacing Jenny Abramsky, who served at the BBC for 39 years before leaving to chair the Heritage Lottery Fund. Appointed Director of Audio & Music, he sat on the BBC's Executive Board with overall responsibility for all of the BBC's national radio networks and the corporation's music output across all media. This included BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4; as well as the BBC digital radio stations BBC Asian Network, BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Radio 4 Extra (then BBC 7); the three BBC Orchestras based in England; and The Proms. During this time he was involved in abandoned plans to close down Radio 6 Music and the Asian Network. In July 2009 he was on The Guardian's list of the 100 most influential people in the media.[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/jul/11/tim-davie-mediaguardian-100-2009 70. Tim Davie], 'MediaGuardian 100 2009', The Guardian, 13 July 2009

Davie took over as acting Director-General on 11 November 2012 following the resignation of George Entwistle in the wake of the Newsnight broadcast which did not name any individual but which led to Internet speculation which incorrectly identified Conservative Lord McAlpine in the North Wales child abuse case.{{cite web|title=BBC Boss Resigns After Newsnight Abuse Report|url=http://news.sky.com/story/1009818/bbc-boss-resigns-after-newsnight-abuse-report|publisher=Sky News|date=11 November 2012|access-date=11 November 2012}} He became chief executive officer of BBC Worldwide following the appointment of Tony Hall. BBC Worldwide merged with the TV-making arm of the BBC, BBC Studios, in April 2018 and Davie served as both the Chief Executive of BBC Studios and a Director globally.{{cite web|title=Board & Committees|url=https://www.bbcstudios.com/executive-committee/|work=BBC Studios|access-date=2 April 2018}}

He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2018 Birthday Honours for services to international trade.{{London Gazette|issue=62310|supp=y|page=B8| date=9 June 2018}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/community/126764/bbc-boss-made-cbe.html|title=BBC boss made CBE|website=henleystandard.co.uk|date=8 June 2018 |access-date=5 October 2019}} In 2019 he earned £642,000 and was the BBC's highest paid executive.

In January 2020, Tony Hall announced he was resigning from the Director-General's position before the scheduled end of his tenure.{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-01-20/tony-hall-director-general-leave-bbc/|title=Tony Hall to stand down as BBC Director-General|last=Craig|first=David|date=20 January 2020|website=Radio Times|access-date=5 June 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jan/20/tony-hall-to-step-down-as-bbc-director-general|title=Tony Hall to step down as BBC director general|date=20 January 2020|website=The Guardian|access-date=5 June 2020}} In May 2020, Davie was one of four candidates shortlisted to succeed Hall in the position.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/may/15/bbc-shortlists-four-candidates-to-replace-tony-hall|title=BBC shortlists four candidates to replace Tony Hall|last=Sweney|first=Mark|website=The Guardian|date=15 May 2020|access-date=17 May 2020}} On 5 June 2020, it was announced he would become the corporation's seventeenth Director-General from 1 September.

File:Eurovision Song Contest 2023 - Lucy Frazer in Liverpool - 52902352121.jpg, Lucy Frazer, at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest]]

In September 2020, appearing before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Davie justified the salary of BBC's highest paid star Gary Lineker saying the salary was worth it because of the value of analysis to the viewing audience.{{Cite news|title=BBC boss defends Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball's £1.3 million salaries|language=en-GB|last=Green|first=Alex|date=29 September 2020|work=Belfast Telegraph|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/bbc-boss-defends-gary-lineker-and-zoe-balls-13-million-salaries-39572713.html|access-date=2020-11-02|issn=0307-1235}}

In October 2020, he set out new guidelines for BBC staff, stating that they should avoid expressing their personal views on current issues of political controversy (which he called 'virtue signalling') on their own private social media accounts. He said this was to reduce perceived bias in the BBC.{{Cite web|title=BBC journalists told not to 'virtue signal' in social media crackdown|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/oct/29/bbc-journalists-virtue-signalling-social-media-crackdown|last=Waterson|first=Jim|date=29 October 2020|website=The Guardian}} This would include a ban on news reporters taking part in "public demonstrations or gatherings about controversial issues", with some BBC managers citing trans rights and Black Lives Matter as examples.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/oct/29/bbc-no-bias-rules-prevent-staff-joining-lgbt-pride-protests|title=BBC 'no bias' rules prevent staff joining LGBT pride marches|last=Waterson|first=Jim|website=The Guardian|date=29 October 2020}} Davie later said that journalists could attend events such as Pride marches if they were "celebratory" and not "taking a stand on politicised or contested issues".{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54749024|title=BBC staff can attend Pride parades, director general Tim Davie says|website=BBC News|date=31 October 2020}}

Davie has stated "As editor in chief of the BBC I think one of our founding principles is impartiality and that’s what we are delivering on".{{cite web |title=BBC boss apologises for sport disruption but will not resign |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/entertainment-arts-64895316 |website=BBC News |date=2023-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317173303/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/entertainment-arts-64895316 |archive-date=2023-03-17 |url-status=live}} A former Tory candidate, Davie announced his intention in August 2020 for the BBC to "find a better balance of satirical targets rather than constantly aiming jokes at the Tories."{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/31/exclusive-bbcs-new-boss-threatens-axe-left-wing-comedy-shows/|title=Exclusive: BBC's new boss threatens to axe Left-wing comedy shows|first=Bill|last=Gardner|date=31 August 2020|work=The Daily Telegraph}} He has announced his support of the licence fee as opposed to a Netflix style subscription service.{{Cite news|date=2020-09-03|title=New BBC boss against switch to subscription|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54014210|access-date=2020-09-03}}

In December 2021, Davie was elected to the Executive Board of the European Broadcasting Union. He was re-elected in December 2022 to serve a further two years on the Board, until December 2024.{{cite web|url= https://www.ebu.ch/news/2022/12/ebu-elects-new-executive-board|title=EBU elects new executive board|last=Rainford|first=Claire|website=European Broadcasting Union|date=2 December 2022}}

Davie oversaw major cuts to BBC Local Radio content in late Summer 2023, resulting in the reduction of locally produced content to just eight hours per day from Monday to Friday and no weekend coverage (with the exception of live men's football commentary).{{cite web | url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/broadcast/bbc-local-radio-tim-davie-cuts/ | title=BBC boss Tim Davie 'highly empathetic' to striking staff but says local radio cuts will continue | date=13 June 2023 }} The implementation of the cuts was criticised, with MPs referring to the redundancy process as "workplace bullying" and the cuts in general as "managing decline".{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65889239 | title=BBC director general defends 'painful' local radio cuts | work=BBC News | date=13 June 2023 }} At a parliamentary debate to discuss the cuts on 27 April 2023, an MP described the cuts as "the end of local public service radio".{{cite web | url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-04-27/debates/CD25AEB5-2189-49A7-B0D8-E0FE3C5B0E1B/BBCLocalRadioProposedCuts | title=BBC Local Radio: Proposed Cuts - Hansard - UK Parliament }}

In 2023, Davie was named by the New Statesman as the eleventh most powerful person on the right in UK politics.{{Cite web |last=Statesman |first=New |date=2023-09-27 |title=The New Statesman's right power list |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2023/09/the-new-statesmans-right-power-list |access-date=2023-12-14|website=New Statesman}}

In November 2023, Danny Cohen, a former director of television for the BBC, alleged that the organisation was "institutionally antisemitic" especially in its coverage of Israel.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/bbc-is-institutionally-antisemitic-says-corporations-former-director-of-television-bic3n3jv|work=The Jewish Chronicle|date=20 November 2023|title=BBC is 'institutionally antisemitic', says corporation's former director of television|last=Pope|first=Felix}} The previous month, Davie had apologised to the 1922 Committee (backbench group of Conservative MPs) for some inaccuracies in the BBC's coverage of the Gaza war.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/bbc-director-general-apologises-to-mps-over-incorrect-gaza-hospital-broadcast-mmznziyo|work=The Jewish Chronicle|date=26 October 2023|last=Pope|first=Felix|title=BBC director-general apologises to MPs over incorrect Gaza hospital broadcast}}

In March 2024, Davie announced a review of the BBC licence fee with a focus on reforms.{{Cite news |date=2024-03-26 |title=BBC to explore how to reform licence fee, director general says |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68654318 |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

Davie is Chairman of Comic Relief, Trustee of the Tate and the Royal Television Society, and in 2018 was appointed as Chairman of the Creative Industries Council.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tate.org.uk/about-us/board-trustees/tim-davie-cbe|title=Tim Davie CBE|last=Tate|website=Tate Etc.|access-date=5 October 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://bbc.com/aboutthebbc//whoweare/tim-davie|title=Tim Davie CBE|publisher=BBC|access-date=5 October 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/davie-appointed-new-chair-of-creative-industries-council|title=Tim Davie appointed new chair of Creative Industries Council|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|access-date=5 October 2019}}

Previously, he has been on the boards of Freesat, Digital UK and Children in Need.

Davie is married and has three sons.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/nov/11/bbc-crisis-tim-davie-appointment|title=BBC crisis: appointment of Tim Davie greeted with surprise|date=11 November 2012|access-date=12 November 2012|author=Thorpe, Vanessa|location=London|work=The Guardian}} He is a keen runner.

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• {{IMDb name|id=6307308|name=Tim Davie}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Director-General of the BBC|years=2020–present}}

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Category:1967 births

Category:Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge

Category:People from Croydon

Category:BBC executives

Category:BBC Board members

Category:Living people

Category:People educated at Whitgift School

Category:Directors-general of the BBC

Category:Conservative Party (UK) people

Category:British marketing people

Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire