The expected appointment of Matt Brittin (57) as BBC director general has been met with cautious optimism so far. Photograph: BBC/PA WireThe BBC has named former Google executive Matt Brittin as its new director general, as the public broadcaster faces challenges to its funding model, a lawsuit from US president Donald Trump over a misleading edit and a steady exodus of talent. And he will need to steer the BBC through likely changes to its funding model. That mixed remit, rare for a commercial leader at Google, made Brittin a frequent punching bag of the powerful, often unpopular Silicon Valley titan. “Google’s success in Europe was not predestined,” said DJ Collins, a former Google vice president who is now co-founder of the health-tech start-up Early.

Source: The Irish Times March 25, 2026 18:14 UTC