John Smith, the chief executive of BBC Worldwide, is a rarity at the Beeb. He lives and breathes corporate news, always looking out for the next potential media deal and regularly eyeing the share price of the corporation’s commercial rival I
A business mind is crucial to his success. BBC Worldwide is a separate company that exists to maximise the value of the corporation’s assets for the benefit of the licence payer. It is his job to find deals and take BBC formats into new territories.
Mr Smith took the helm at BBC Worldwide in July 2004 and was made its chief executive in March 2005. He is responsible for the leadership and development of BBC Worldwide’s six businesses around the world: global channels, global television sales, magazines, home entertainment, content & production and digital media. BBC Worldwide has 1,600 staff based in 18 offices worldwide.
Mr Smith was the BBC’s chief operating officer and, during an 18-year career at the corporation, his other senior executive roles included director of finance, property & business affairs and finance director.
In 2004, he led the review of all the BBC’s commercial activities and was responsible for the sale of BBC Technology to Siemens Business Services and the sale of BBC Broadcast to Creative Broadcast Services.
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Greg Dyke, the BBC’s former director-general, referred to Mr Smith in his biography Inside Story as one of his closest confidants during his his time at the BBC.
Mr Smith’s strong relationship with Mr Dyke led to him being an element in the latter’s plans for ITV had his approach for the broadcaster succeeded two years ago.
Mr Smith, a father of three, earns £460,000 a year. He left school after his O-levels and qualified as an accountant. He did not go to university until the BBC sent him on a management course at Harvard Business School in the United States.
A non-executive director of Severn Trent, Mr Smith is also a director of the Henley Festival and vice-president of the Royal Television Society. He was a member of the Accounting Standards Board for three years until November 2004 and won the Accountancy Age Financial Director of the Year award in 2001.
His favourite holiday destination is Cornwall, where he has a home.