What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Try one thing every day that will make a difference. Some things will make a difference to you, some will make a difference to others. Some will be small, some will be big, but if you don’t try, you won’t know!
What is the most important thing you’ve learnt in your career?
Keep your eyes wide open and never stop learning. This sector is so dynamic and the pace of change is incredible. It means I have learned and then relearned almost everything I know more than once across my career so far.
Which area of innovation excites you most and why?
Innovations that make me smile are those with the potential to delight viewers, have universal reach and nurture an empowered and joined up society. Bridging demographic, social, economic, physical and cognitive divides. Of course, our work is far from done as we embrace the technologies needed to address challenging new Sustainable Development Goals, carbon neutrality and well-being.
The best innovations are also fun!
What is the one change you think is critical for the industry?
The trust and relationships we have as a sector and continue to nurture. No business can, nor will, thrive alone.
What makes this industry special?
Universal adoption and far-reaching impact. It all comes back to that. The world looks to us, the UK, as a paragon of TV excellence; retaining that position over the next 10 years and beyond is where the challenge, and the opportunity, lies for all of us.
What key skills do you think are needed for your role?
Staying humble. I know it’s a cliché but I stand on the shoulders of giants every day, those who have gone before, are around now and the ones I have yet to meet.
What do you think is the biggest challenge that the industry needs to address?
Extensible innovation. Brilliant minds ensured colour TV was backwards compatible with black and white TV. Similarly, future generation TV platforms need to be enablers and drivers of yet further innovation.
What is your desert island luxury item?
The complete archive of BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time. It’ll remind me of the remarkable world we live in and the people that helped make it.
What is your all-time favourite film or tv show?
Cinema Paradiso. The story, the passion for the viewing experience, and most of all the music. In fact, we entered our wedding to the main theme from the film…
What do you do to unwind?
I walk my Weimaraner, Hendricks. Despite living in a global city, we Londoners are so lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing green spaces. Exploring all of those around me definitely kept me sane during lockdown!
