John Smith (BBC)
Encyclopedia
John Smith is the Chief Executive Officer
of BBC Worldwide
.
in Derby
. He later went to the Harvard Business School
. He worked for British Rail Engineering Limited, Sealink
, Seaspeed Hovercraft
, and other companies owned by the BR Group
.
He joined the BBC in 1989, becoming the BBC's Finance Director in 1996. In April 2000, he became Director of Finance, Property & Business Affairs, adding Property, Procurement and Programme Rights to his portfolio. In June 2004, he became the BBC's Chief Operating Officer.
He undertook the Commercial Review of all the BBC's commercial activities and was responsible in 2004 for the sale of BBC Technology to Siemens Business Services, and in 2005, he led the sale of BBC Broadcast to Creative Broadcast Services Limited, a Macquarie Company. This company became Red Bee Media
.
In July 2004, John Smith took the helm at BBC Worldwide and was confirmed as CEO
in March 2005.
He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
(RSA). He was a Council Member between 1996-9 and became a vice-president of the Royal Television Society
(RTS) in January 2006. He was a non-executive director of Severn Trent plc and of Vickers PLC, and Chairman of their Audit Committees. He won the Accountancy Age
Financial Director of the Year Award in 2001. He was a Member of the Accounting Standards Board
, and the HM Treasury
Public Services Productivity Panel. In 2004, he received an honorary Fellowship from the Royal Institute of British Architects
(in the same year as John Prescott
).
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2010 it made a profit of £145m on a turnover of £1.074bn. The company had made a profit of £106m...
.
Biography
Smith attended the Shelton Lock school (which became Merrill CollegeMerrill College (UK)
Merrill College is a secondary school and Sixth Form for students 11-19 years of age and is located in Alvaston, Derby, England. In September 2006 the school opened a new building which was PFI Funded and cost approximately £15m to build....
in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. He later went to the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
. He worked for British Rail Engineering Limited, Sealink
Sealink
Sealink was a ferry company based in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1984, operating services to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight and Ireland....
, Seaspeed Hovercraft
Hoverspeed
Hoverspeed, formed in 1981 by the merger of Seaspeed and Hoverlloyd, was a ferry company that operated on the English Channel from 1981 until 2005....
, and other companies owned by the BR Group
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
.
He joined the BBC in 1989, becoming the BBC's Finance Director in 1996. In April 2000, he became Director of Finance, Property & Business Affairs, adding Property, Procurement and Programme Rights to his portfolio. In June 2004, he became the BBC's Chief Operating Officer.
He undertook the Commercial Review of all the BBC's commercial activities and was responsible in 2004 for the sale of BBC Technology to Siemens Business Services, and in 2005, he led the sale of BBC Broadcast to Creative Broadcast Services Limited, a Macquarie Company. This company became Red Bee Media
Red Bee Media
Red Bee Media Limited is a media management company.Headquartered in west London, United Kingdom at the Broadcast Centre, with international offices in Scotland, Australia, France, Germany and Spain, Red Bee Media has 1500 employees worldwide including homeworkers and revenues of £153m in...
.
In July 2004, John Smith took the helm at BBC Worldwide and was confirmed as CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
in March 2005.
He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
Founded in 1904, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants is the global body for professional accountants offering the Chartered Certified Accountant qualification . it is one of the largest and fastest-growing global accountancy bodies with 147,000 members and 424,000 students in 170...
and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(RSA). He was a Council Member between 1996-9 and became a vice-president of the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
(RTS) in January 2006. He was a non-executive director of Severn Trent plc and of Vickers PLC, and Chairman of their Audit Committees. He won the Accountancy Age
Accountancy Age
Accountancy Age is a trade magazine for accountants and financial staff in the United Kingdom. After running from 1969 to 2011 with a circulation of over 60,000 in print, it changed with effect from May 2011 to an online-only publication.-History:...
Financial Director of the Year Award in 2001. He was a Member of the Accounting Standards Board
Accounting Standards Board
The role of the Accounting Standards Board is to issue accounting standards in the United Kingdom. It is recognised for that purpose under the Companies Act 1985...
, and the HM Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
Public Services Productivity Panel. In 2004, he received an honorary Fellowship from the Royal Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
(in the same year as John Prescott
John Prescott
John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott is a British politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Born in Prestatyn, Wales, he represented Hull East as the Labour Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010...
).