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BBC Worldwide hires Fleshman as SVP Consumer Digital Technology
MUMBAI: Former Financial Times CTO and CIO Michael Fleshman has taken up a new role within BBC Worldwide’s Consumer Digital business, overseen by MD and EVP of Digital, Daniel Heaf.
Fleshman is tasked with developing the technology needed to drive a further step change in BBC Worldwide’s digital revenue. He’ll take responsibility for the technology delivering all BBC Worldwide’s commercial digital businesses including Global iPlayer, TopGear.com and BBCShop.com.
His appointment further indicates BBC Worldwide’s commitment to becoming a leader within the digital sphere and building its reputation and presence within international markets.
Fleshman is based in the UK and will work with teams in the UK, New York, Singapore and Oakland, who together will execute BBC Worldwide’s Consumer Digital strategy to delivery digital experiences to all consumers across multiple devices and across multiple brands
Heaf said, �Our digital business is growing fast and now represents 12.8 per cent of revenue to the business, up from 8.1 per cent during 2010/2011. While this is a fantastic achievement, we recognise there is much more to do. Michael is a highly respected and experienced technology professional with success in building global digital businesses at scale. I’m delighted to have him on board to support our
ambitions.�
Fleshman said, �I have always had a great respect for the BBC Worldwide brand and am a great believer in its potential in the digital space. I am extremely excited that they have allowed me to play a part in building the business at this pivotal time for digital and look forward to working with Daniel and the team to execute our strategy.�
Fleshman joins BBC Worldwide with over 20 years of experience in technology and product development across media, publishing and telecommunications. Prior to his appointment, Fleshman was CTO and CIO for the Financial Times, responsible for the technology strategy, architecture, development, and programme and portfolio management. He also oversaw technology operations and corporate IT systems for online, print and corporate technology functions, and had started work on unifying the historically separate �IT’ and �online’ functions at the FT. Fleshman also held similar roles at Nickelodeon Online/MTV Networks and AOL France.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
