Moore, Bulford upped in major BBC restructure

Anne Bulford has become the BBC’s first female deputy director general, while channels chief at the UK pubcaster, Charlotte Moore, has been named director of content and sport.

The changes were announced to staff internally this morning as part of major restructuring aimed at cutting costs that will reduce top level management from 16 to eleven.

This comes after the BBC negotiated its latest Charter agreement with the British Conservative government, while cutting costs to the tune of £150 million (US$194.2 million) a year.

These latest changes will see the creation of a director of nations and regions role, meaning the BBC’s directors of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will no longer be part of the executive management team. They, along with regional England bosses, will now report to the new director.

Alice Webb, meanwhile, will now lead BBC North on a day-to-day basis as well as her current role as director of BBC Children’s.

BBC Studios director Mark Linsey and BBC Worldwide CEO Tim Davie will remain in their posts, as will director of news and current affairs James Harding.

Bulford’s promotion positions her to become the BBC’s first female director general when current incumbent Tony Hall steps down. She is the BBC’s first deputy director general since Mark Byford left in 2011.

In effect, former managing director of finance and operations Bulford (above left) now controls all functions away from the BBC’s channels and screens, including marketing, audience and a new centraliased commercial rights group. She will oversee distribution of all content and look into further cost-saving measures.

For Moore (right), meanwhile, her promotion continues her fast rise within the Coporation’s ranks. In January, she was upped from BBC One chief to controller of TV channels and iPlayer, and she will remain in charge of BBC One in her new post.

Moore had replaced Danny Cohen at BBC One in 2013 when he was upped to director of television. Cohen left the BBC last year and recently remerged at new TV and film fund Access Entertainment.

BBC director general Hall said: “The leadership changes I am making today can help ensure that the BBC is best equipped to do this. We must never stand still. We must always be looking to innovate and change. The new executive will lead this process of creative renewal to ensure the BBC remains the most creative force in the world.

“On a practical level, these changes are also about creating a simpler BBC with fewer layers and clear lines of accountability. Much has already been achieved, but this process must now be accelerated.”

The executive team will now look at “immediate layers below to identify further headcount and savings”.