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BBC appoints ex-Google chief Matt Brittin as director general

The BBC on Wednesday named Matt Brittin, a former Google executive with no television or journalism experience, as its next director general.
The appointment to the…

By Samantha Johnson / March 25, 2026

The BBC on Wednesday named Matt Brittin, a former Google executive with no television or journalism experience, as its next director general.

The appointment to the high-profile role comes as the under-fire British broadcaster faces drastic shifts in the media landscape and a US$10 billion lawsuit brought by US President Donald Trump.

“The BBC board has today appointed Matt Brittin as the 18th director general of the BBC. Matt, former president Google EMEA, will take over the role on May 18,” the BBC said in a statement.

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Chairman of the BBC board, Samir Shah said: “Matt brings to the BBC deep experience of leading a high-profile and highly complex organisation through transformation.”

Brittin’s name has been circulating in the UK media for weeks, after the current director general, Tim Davie resigned in November over the editing of a documentary about Trump.

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The Times daily wrote ahead of Brittin’s appointment that appointing a tech executive with no direct experience of television or journalism would be a “significant shift” and “raised some eyebrows”.

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