Mark Thompson, Director-General (2004-2012)

• Mark was Chief Executive and editor-in-chief of the BBC, appointed by the BBC Chairman.
• He was Chair of the BBC Executive Board.
• He was Chairman of BBC Worldwide.
• Mark was leader of the BBC's creative and strategic objectives.
• He was also the champion of the BBC's commitment to Public Service Broadcasting and its responsible and effective use of licence fee revenue.
• Mark Thompson was replaced as Director-General on 17 September 2012. 

The salaries and total remuneration of the Executive Board are published as part of the BBC's Annual Report and Accounts 2011/12.

Salary: £613,000
Total remuneration: £622,000

Salary includes a 1 month pay surrender and total remuneration represents the annual salary, taxable benefits and other remuneration received during 2011/12. 



Last updated September 2012

Mark Thompson left the BBC on Friday 14 September 2012. 

Previously he was appointed Director-General of the BBC in May 2004 and is responsible for the Corporation's services across television, radio and online and for a global workforce of 20,000 that provides over 400,000 hours of content each year.

As Director-General Mark re-shaped the BBC to meet the challenge of the digital age, ensuring it remained a leading innovator with the launch of services such as the domestic and global BBC iPlayer, while at the same time making the Corporation more efficient and offering greater value for money.

In the summer of 2009 Mark announced a review of the BBC's strategy, looking at how the organisation could best continue to serve audiences and deliver the highest quality content in the face of advances in technology and a rapidly changing media landscape.

In October 2010, he agreed a new licence fee settlement which will deliver stable funding until 2016/17. Following the agreement of this new settlement, Mark launched Delivering Quality First (DQF) to deliver 16 per cent savings and 4 per cent reinvestment over the four years to the end of the Charter Period in order to meet the Corporation's new obligations, as well as the editorial priorities which are at the heart of the BBC mission.

In August 2010 Mark delivered the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture at the MediaGuardian International Television Festival.

Throughout his tenure, Mark has been committed to spreading the benefits of the BBC across the whole of the UK to better reflect licence fee payers, overseeing the construction of a world class digital production centre in Pacific Quay, Glasgow, and spearheading the biggest ever initiative to support broadcasting outside London. The move to BBC North started in May 2011. The new, world-class base at MediaCityUK, Salford, will be the new home for the BBC in the North of England, and help foster a creative community together with other private and public organisations.

In his capacity as Director-General, Mark took on the role of Chairman of BBC Worldwide in March 2012.

In an announcement made to all staff in March 2012, Mark announced his intention to step down from the role of Director-General in the autumn of the same year. 

He has overseen the successful launch jointly with ITV of Freesat, as well as the BBC's involvement in YouView, a joint venture with ITV, Channel 4, Arqiva, TalkTalk, and Five that will offer subscription-free digital TV and the UK's leading video on-demand services.

Mark joined the BBC in 1979 as a production trainee. He helped launch Watchdog and Breakfast Time, was an output editor on Newsnight, and was appointed Editor of the Nine O'Clock News in 1988 and of Panorama in 1990.

As Controller of BBC Two from 1996 to 1998, he saw the channel win acclaim for strong programming such as Our Mutual Friend, The Royle Family and Storyville. He was the BBC's Director of National and Regional Broadcasting from 1999 to 2000. In 2000, he became the Director of Television.

Mark was Chief Executive of Channel 4 from 2002 to 2004.

Mark was educated at Stonyhurst College and Merton College, Oxford.

Expenses are costs incurred by BBC staff on behalf of the BBC and claimed through the BBC's expenses system (e-expenses). Central bookings are costs incurred on behalf of the BBC and booked through the BBC's central bookings system. Both expenses and central bookings are published every three months.

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To open a PDF file you need Adobe Reader software, which you can download free via BBC WebWise.

• Mark Thompson's e-expenses Q2 2012-13 PDF (24KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q2 2012-13 PDF (19KB)
• Mark Thompson had no e-expenses paid in Q1 2012-13
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q1 2012-13 PDF (21KB)
• Mark Thompson's e-expenses Q4 2011-12 PDF (155KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q4 2011-12 PDF (90KB)
• Mark Thompson's e-expenses Q3 2011-12 PDF (125KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q3 2011-12 PDF (32KB)
• Mark Thompson's e-expenses Q2 2011-12 PDF (74KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q2 2011-12 PDF (51KB)
• Mark Thompson's e-expenses Q1 2011-12 PDF (107KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q1 2011-12 PDF (58KB)
• Mark Thompson's e-expenses Q4 2010-11 PDF (144KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q4 2010-11 PDF (33KB)
• Mark Thompson's e-expenses Q3 2010-11 PDF (11KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q3 2010-11 PDF (42KB)
• Mark Thompson's e-expenses Q2 2010-11 PDF (39KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q2 2010-11 PDF (46KB)
• Mark Thompson's e-expenses Q1 2010-11 PDF (95KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q1 2010-11 PDF (73KB)
• Mark Thompson's expenses Q4 2009-10 PDF (139KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q4 2009-10 PDF (55KB)
• Mark Thompson's expenses Q3 2009-10 PDF (285KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q3 2009-10 PDF (27KB)
• Mark Thompson's expenses Q2 2009-10 PDF (293KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q2 2009-10 PDF (55KB)
• Mark Thompson's expenses Q1 2009-10 PDF (201KB)
• Mark Thompson's central bookings Q1 2009-10 PDF (95KB)
• Mark Thompson's expenses 2008/09 PDF (44KB)
• Mark Thompson's expenses 2007/08 PDF (44KB)
• Mark Thompson's expenses 2006/07 PDF (44KB)
• Mark Thompson's expenses 2005/06 PDF (46KB)
• Mark Thompson's expenses 2004/05 PDF (46KB)

Gifts and hospitality may only be accepted in line with BBC policy. Information about gifts and hospitality is published every three months.

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• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q2 2012-13 PDF (31KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q1 2012-13 PDF (25KB) 
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q4 2011-12 PDF (30KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q3 2011-12 PDF (26KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q2 2011-12 PDF (42KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q1 2011-12 PDF (38KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q4 2010-11 PDF (47KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q3 2010-11 PDF (32KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q2 2010-11 PDF (33KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q1 2010-11 PDF (28KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q4 2009-10 PDF (30KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q3 2009-10 PDF (52KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q2 2009-10 PDF (46KB)
• Mark Thompson's Gifts and Hospitality Register Q1 2009-10 PDF (57KB)

Executive Board members must make a declaration of their personal and business interests, including any memberships or directorships of public or industry bodies, and any shareholdings, as well as any interests that their immediate families may also have.

A summary is published where there is something to declare and where there is nothing to declare. Occasionally an individual will have something to declare but due to the personal nature of the declaration we do not publish details as to do so would breach the Data Protection Act.

This information is published annually, although if any amendments are made during the year an updated summary will be published if necessary as soon as it is available.

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• Mark Thompson's Declaration of Personal Interests 2011 PDF (34KB)