“The BBC is, without doubt, one of the greatest contributions we have made to global culture and one of our strongest calling cards on soft power,” says Dr Samir Shah, set to take charge as the public broadcaster’s first British Indian Chair.
He added: “If I am able to put what skills, experience, and understanding of public service broadcasting I have built up during my career to help this brilliant organisation meet the complex and diverse challenges it faces over the coming years, it would be an honour.
“The BBC has a great place in British life and a unique duty to reach a wide audience right across the country and I will do all I can to ensure it fulfils this in an increasingly competitive market.”
Shah, awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2019 for services to television and heritage, was named as the government’s preferred candidate is to be quizzed by the Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee for scrutiny before his appointment is approved.
UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “With a career spanning more than 40 years in TV production and journalism, Dr Shah has a wealth of experience to bring to the position of BBC Chair. He has a clear ambition to see the BBC succeed in a rapidly changing media landscape, and I have no doubt he will provide the support and scrutiny that the BBC needs to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.
“His knowledge of the BBC and his belief in its role as a national broadcaster alongside his extensive work to promote diversity in broadcasting will be invaluable in helping to ensure that the BBC reflects, represents and serves communities across the whole of the UK.”
Shah was born in Aurangabad in western India before moving to England in 1960 and building an illustrious career as a media professional and race relations expert. He is the CEO and owner of Juniper, an independent television and radio production company, and before that he was head of current affairs and political programmes at the BBC.
In 2022, the RTS (Royal Television Society) awarded him its top honour: Outstanding Contribution to journalism. Shah was a Non-Executive Director of the BBC (2007-2010), Chair of the Museum of the Home (2014-2022) and was a trustee then Deputy Chair of the V&A (2004-2014). He was Chair of the Runnymede Trust (1999-2009). He is currently Chair of One World Media and sits on the Arts and Media Honours Committee.
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He was previously made an OBE in the 2000 New Year’s Honours List and elected a Fellow of the Royal Television Society in 2002. He was appointed Visiting Professor of Creative Media at Oxford University in 2019 and the University of Nottingham appointed him to a Special Professorship in the Department of Post Conflict Studies.
Recently, Dr Shah was named on a three-member panel set up by the government to independently review the unrest that took place in the city of Leicester last year. Once confirmed as BBC Chairman, Dr Shah will be responsible for upholding and protecting the taxpayer funded licence fee operated public broadcaster and ensuring it fulfils its mission to “inform, educate and entertain”.
His predecessor, Richard Sharp, was forced to step down amid controversy surrounding the nature of his interactions with former prime minister Boris Johnson.
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