Tim Davie CBE

Tim Davie was the 17th Director-General of the BBC, a role encompassing both CEO and Editor-in-Chief, from 2020 to 2026. It is one of the highest profile public roles in the UK, and in the international media industry. Prior to the BBC, Tim worked at Proctor & Gamble and PepsiCo, providing a unique combination of senior level US corporate and UK public organisation experience.

As editorial, operational and creative leader, Tim had responsibility for the global strategy of the BBC, as well as a large workforce running services across television, radio and online. Prior to becoming DG, Tim was Chief Executive of BBC Studios, the corporation's principal commercial subsidiary, responsible for creating and distributing content globally. He is recognised as having delivered significant transformation, driven commercial growth, and maintained the relevance of the BBC through the deployment of a clear strategy. Throughout his career at the BBC, Tim has navigated the complexities of organisational culture, public scrutiny, influence and crisis whilst leading the world’s most trusted media organisation.

Tim explores the current challenges facing leaders as they seek to drive change and lead transformation. He looks at how to make tough choices while displaying kindness and how to deal with the pressure and fatigue of leading change. He focuses on the necessity of clear decision-making and accountability, while being guided by a clear sense of values, and he addresses resilience both as an individual and organisation, including the need to take time and retain a sense of perspective when leading under pressure. 

An authentic, engaging leader who combines creative instinct with operational rigour, Tim epitomises a leadership style that is curious, direct, detail-driven and committed to developing and supporting those around him. He reflects on his lessons in managing complex, demanding relationships at the highest levels across public, private and regulatory environments. In particular, he concentrates on energising aligned, motivated teams believing that high performance is all about building trust, strategic clarity and operational excellence, while maintaining our humour and humanity. As a leader that has both reacted to and driven significant changes in media and broadcasting, he also considers the impact of digital, social and AI on everything from income to strategy, disinformation to creativity.

Tim previously served as acting Director-General. He also held the role of Director of Audio and Music, with overall responsibility for the BBC's national radio output, the BBC's orchestras and The Proms. Prior to that, he was Director of Marketing, Communications and Audiences. Before joining the BBC, Tim was Vice President of Marketing and Franchise at PepsiCo Europe. He began his career at Procter & Gamble after reading English at Cambridge University. He has served as an Executive Board member of the European Broadcasting Union, the world's leading alliance of public service media organisations, and was a trustee of both the Tate and the Royal Television Society, and is a former chair of Comic Relief.  He is an ultra runner who has completed the Marathon des Sables twice as well as numerous other races. 

Tim is currently involved in building a number of businesses and has been appointed as Co-Chair of the UK Creative Industries Council.