BBC set to name Matt Brittin as new director-general

LONDON: The BBC is poised for a leadership reset, with former Google executive Matt Brittin expected to be confirmed as its next director-general, according to a report by Reuters.

Sources cited in the report say Brittin’s appointment was approved at a BBC board meeting on Thursday, with an official announcement likely in the coming days. If confirmed, he would step into one of British media’s most scrutinised roles at a time of shifting audiences and sharper public debate.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the report, while the BBC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The move follows the planned exit of current director-general Tim Davie, who is set to step down on April 2. In the interim, the broadcaster’s director of nations, Rhodri Talfan Davies, will take over as acting chief until a permanent appointment is formalised.

Davie announced his resignation in November amid criticism of the BBC’s news coverage, particularly over the misleading editing of a video clip involving U.S. President Donald Trump.

For Brittin, if the reports hold true, the job comes with both prestige and pressure. Steering the BBC has never been a quiet gig, and this latest chapter promises no less noise, only higher stakes.