The Secretary of State has appointed Jay Hunt as Chair of the British Film Institute for a term of four years commencing 16 February 2024
Jay Hunt
Appointed from 16 February 2024 until 15 February 2028.
Jay Hunt OBE is the Creative Director for Apple TV+ in Europe and has been a Governor of the BFI since 2020. She also served on the Board of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. Before joining Apple, she was Chief Creative Officer of Channel 4, responsible for Channel 4, E4, More 4 and the Film 4 channel. She is the only person to have run three terrestrial broadcast channels, also serving as Controller of BBC One and Director of Programmes at Channel 5. Her commissions include global hits Bad Sisters, Slow Horses, Luther, Sherlock, Black Mirror, Derry Girls, Catastrophe and Gogglebox.
She started her career at BBC News working on Newsnight and Panorama before becoming Editor of both the One O’Clock and Six O’Clock News. In 2023 she was named one of the Top Twenty Most Powerful Women in Global Entertainment by The Hollywood Reporter.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:
“Film is at the heart of the UK’s thriving creative industries, and the BFI plays an important role maximising the potential of our world-leading screen sectors. Jay’s wealth of experience championing British content makes her an exceptional Chair to lead the BFI in the years ahead.”
On her appointment, Jay Hunt, BFI Chair Designate said:
“The BFI plays such a vital role in supporting great British storytellers and I’m delighted I’ll be chairing the organisation at such an exciting and challenging time. I’m passionate about the quality and range of film and TV we produce in the UK and look forward to championing it on the world stage.”
Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive said:
“I’m thrilled that Jay has been appointed Chair of the BFI. As a BFI Governor, Jay has been a passionate advocate for both the BFI and the UK film sector. With her incredible breadth of experience in leadership across broadcasting and global streaming, she steps into this role with a very rare combination of an innate understanding of the power and potential of what public service organisations can deliver as well as being acutely commercial. I’m really looking forward to working with her and am confident she will take us boldly into the future, holding us to our commitments in Screen Culture 2033 to transform access to our programmes, screen culture and jobs across the UK.”