BBC Studios’ interim CEO Tom Fussell has been appointed to the post permanently, the studio revealed today.
He will also join the BBC’s executive committee.
Fussell was appointed interim CEO of the BBC’s commercial production and distribution arm in September 2020. He replaced Tim Davie, who left the post to become director general of the BBC.
At the time, Fussell was understood to have told colleagues he didn’t intend to apply for the permanent role.
Before joining the BBC in 2016, as chief financial officer of BBC Worldwide, Fussell was the CFO of Shine Group and held commercial and finance director roles at publishing houses Harper Collins and Random House. Before then, he worked in a variety of financial roles at the BBC from 1997 and 2007.
After rejoining the BBC, he became CFO of BBC Studios in 2018 and is also chair of BBC StudioWorks. He also sits on the BBC Commercial Holdings Board.
Fussell will oversee BBC Studio’s “ambitious” plans for global expansion, its focus on employee engagement and wellbeing as well as diversity, inclusion and sustainability.
“In the last year, Tom has proven himself an outstanding leader for BBC Studios, steering the company through its most difficult times with both conviction and compassion, and delivering strong results,” said the BBC’s general director, Tim Davie. “We share immense ambition for the business: making bold and brilliant content for audiences everywhere, and taking world-class British programmes and journalism to the world in new ways. I’m delighted that Tom will be leading the BBC Studios’ team to achieve this vision.”
“I’m honoured to be heading up BBC Studios for the future,” said Fussell. “BBC Studios is a core part of the BBC Group, and increasingly supports across all its strategic priorities from unique high priority content and impartiality to online and, of course, commercial income. With ambition to serve both British and international audiences in new ways, my role is to work with everyone in BBC Studios to strengthen and transform all we do for the future.”