Dr Samir Shah | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1952-01-29)29 January 1952 (age 73) Aurangabad, India |
| Education | |
| Occupation |
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| Known for |
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| Office | Chair of the BBC |
| Term | 4 March 2024 |
| Predecessor | DameElan Closs Stephens |
| Relatives | Mohit Bakaya (half-brother), Controller ofBBC Radio 4 |
| Awards | _Ribbon.png) CBE |
Samir Shah,CBE (born 29 January 1952), is an Indian-British television and radio executive, who has been theChair of the BBC since March 2024.[1] He has worked in the past for the BBC andLondon Weekend Television, and was chief executive of Juniper TV.[2] In 2021, he co-authored the UK government'sCommission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report.[3]
Shah was born in 1952 inAurangabad, India, to Amrit Shah and Uma Bakaya; the family moved to England in 1960. His half-brother, with whom he shares the same mother, isMohit Bakaya, who became controller of BBC Radio 4.[4]
Shah attendedLatymer Upper School, adirect grant school at the time of Shah's attendance, which became anindependent school in 1976. It is based in West London. He earned aBSc ingeography at theUniversity of Hull.[5][6] In 1979, he obtained aDPhil in anthropology and geography atSt Catherine's College, Oxford. His thesis was "Aspects of the geographic analysis of Asian immigrants in London".[7]
Shah joinedLondon Weekend Television in 1979,[8] where he was to work with two major figures in his career,John Birt, later director-general of theBBC, andMichael Wills, from whom he was to purchase Juniper TV,[9] both of whom becamelife peers. In 1987, he was appointed BBC's head of television current affairs and from 1994 to 1998 was head of the BBC’s political journalism programmes.[2] Shah has said that his decision to leave the BBC for the commercial world was influenced by a very long and expensive executives' residential course given by theLondon Business School which was "incredibly useful and covered proper, grown-up things"; "the importance of obvious stuff like talking to the people who work for you"; and "it is perfectly possible to make better programmes for less cost".[10] The downside was that, having experienced a feel for the commercial world, the course was "quite significant" in his choosing to move on from the BBC.[10]
In 1998, Shah purchased Juniper TV from Wills on the latter's election as amember of parliament,[9] since when he has operated as its CEO and creative director.[11] Juniper's programmes have been broadcast on theBBC,Channel 4,National Geographic,Discovery,TLC andNetflix.[12]
Shah's appointment as one of the then three non-executive directors of the BBC in 2007 led to a potential conflict of interest, as Juniper was supplying programmes to the BBC, with Greenslade in 2007 reporting that Shah "steps out if the board touches on any area that might affect his business expertise in broadcasting is considered".[13] Shah was involved in advising director-generalSir Mark Thompson over theCrowngate affair which resulted inBBC1 controllerPeter Fincham resigning from the BBC.[13] Shah was reported as claiming in 2008 that "One BBC ethos" presented a "monolithic posture that makes it appear anti-competitive".[14]
As of 2024[update], Bakaya is controller of BBC Radio 4.[15]
On 4 March 2024, Shah commenced his role as chair of the BBC's non-executive board, undertaking a four-year term until March 2028.[16] In his role, he receives a salary of £160,000 per year.[16]
In August 2024, Shah received a letter from around 200 individuals employed by the BBC calling for an investigation into alleged institutionalantisemitism at the corporation. Shah dismissed these calls for an investigation, praising the BBC for having an "inclusive" environment.[17][18][19]
Shah was appointed anOBE "for services to equal opportunities in broadcasting" in 2001,[11] and elected aFellow of theRoyal Television Society in 2002. He was promoted to aCBE "for services to heritage and television" in 2019.[8]
Referred to byThe Guardian in June 2008 as "one of the most successful figures in modern British broadcasting",[23] in February 2022 he received an Outstanding Contribution Award from theRoyal Television Society for services over 40 years and commitment to diversity in television journalism.[24]
| Media offices | ||
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| Preceded byas Acting Chair of theBBC Board | Chair of theBBC Board 4 March 2024 – | Incumbent |
