Tim Davie appointed new chair of Creative Industries Council
CEO of BBC Studios appointed Industry chair of Creative Industries Council.
Tim Davie CBE has been appointed industry chair of the Creative Industries Council (CIC), a joint forum between the sector and government to help make sure the nation’s world-leading creative industries continue to thrive. The Council is co-chaired by Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Davie, the CEO of BBC Studios, will succeed Nicola Mendelsohn as industry chair on Tuesday 12 June.
Davie is responsible for the commercial subsidiary of the BBC which produces and distributes content in the UK and around the world and makes significant financial returns to the BBC - allowing additional investment in content for BBC’s audiences. Davie has also acted as co-chair of the Sector Advisory Group which focuses on helping the UK’s creative industries grow overseas. He is chair of Comic Relief, a trustee of the Tate and the Royal Television Society, and previously served on a number of boards including Freesat, Digital UK and Children in Need.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock, said:
I would like to thank Nicola for her outstanding contribution to UK creative industries in this role and welcome Tim Davie who I am sure will continue her fantastic work in the future to maintain Britain’s lead in these vibrant sectors. Tim has a wealth of relevant experience and brings first-hand knowledge of running a hugely successful creative business with a global reach.
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark, said:
The UK’s exceptional creative industries continue to receive global recognition and success, and through our modern Industrial Strategy we are supporting this powerhouse to ensure this legacy continues.
The sector contributes more than £90 billion to the UK economy and I look forward to working closely with Tim Davie to build on our strengths and implement the ambitions we set out in the Creative Industries Sector Deal earlier this year.
The Creative Industries Council first met in July 2011. It has focused on access to finance, intellectual property protection, supporting innovation and skills. It represented industry through the successful negotiation of the recently published Creative Industries Sector Deal and will now focus on delivery of the deal and building on its progress. Nicola Mendelsohn has been industry chair of the CIC since 2012 and during this time she successfully launched the Sector Deal and championed Createch, an annual celebration which brings together leaders in the technology and creative sectors.
Council members are pioneers from across the creative and digital industries including TV, computer games, fashion, music, arts, publishing and film.
Nicola Mendelsohn, co-chair of the Creative Industries Council, said:
It has been an honour and privilege to serve as co-Chair of the Creative Industries Council over the last six years. I’m deeply proud that during this time we have moved the creative sector to the centre of the government’s industrial strategy, marked by the publication of the first sector deal for the creative industries earlier this year. I’d like to congratulate Tim Davie on his appointment and wish him every success, and I look forward to seeing the important work of the Council thrive and continue.
Tim Davie, Co-Chair Designate of the Creative Industries said:
It is a real privilege to be appointed Co-Chair. The Creative Industries Council has always provided a vital forum for Government and industry to collaborate. Nicola has done a fantastic job of building the recognition the sector so richly deserves for its contribution to the UK economy and steering us through the landmark Sector Deal.
Now is a crucial moment for the UK creative industries to build on their existing strengths and seize the opportunities negotiated within the Sector Deal. I’m delighted to continue delivering this important work and look forward to working closely with Government and industry members.