Arora began his TV career on the BBC's trainee assistant producer scheme. After directing documentaries for BBC and Channel 4, he went to Paris on a media scholarship before landing a job as programme executive in the documentary commissioning department of Arte - the European public channel in Strasbourg - working with independent producers around Europe.

Returning to London after four years in France, he joined Antelope Productions as producer before setting up his own fledgling indie in 1999. In 2001, he rejoined the BBC as commissioning executive for independents in Specialist Factual and for the past four years has been developing and executive producing projects across BBC's four channels in the history, science and arts areas.

"It is great to be given the chance to continue my work with the indie sector and build on the considerable achievements of Elaine Bedell as the BBC's first independent executive. Now is a time of fantastic opportunity for both producer and broadcaster, and I relish the opportunity to further integrate the energy and creativity of indies into a rapidly-changing BBC," Arora says.