{{short description|British businessman (born 1968)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}} {{For|the South African rower (born 1987)|Matthew Brittain}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Matt Brittin | image = Matt Brittin, 2018 (cropped).jpg | caption = Brittin in 2018 | office = Director-General of the BBC | term_start = 18 May 2026 | term_end = | predecessor = Tim Davie | birth_name = Matthew John Brittin | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1968|9|1}}<ref name=whoswho/> | birth_place = Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England | spouse = {{marriage|Katherine Betts|1995}} | children = 2 | education = Hampton School | alma_mater = Robinson College, Cambridge (MA)<br>London Business School (MBA) }}

'''Matthew John Brittin''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born 1 September 1968)<ref name=whoswho>{{Who's Who | title=BRITTIN, Matthew John | id = U249890 | volume = 2014 | edition = online Oxford University Press}}</ref> is a British businessman who was president of EMEA business & operations for Google until the start of 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/7872237/Google-UK-chief-Facebook-is-not-the-only-successful-social-network.html |work=Daily Telegraph |date=5 July 2010 |location=London |first=Emma |last=Barnett |title=Google UK chief: Facebook is not the only successful social network}}</ref><ref name=twitter>{{twitter|MattBrittin}}</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/mar/18/matt-brittin-google-uk-trinity-mirror Former Trinity Mirror executive Matt Brittin to run Google's UK operation ], The Guardian, 18 March 2009</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/1f625176-bcf5-11e4-a917-00144feab7de |work=Financial Times |date=25 February 2015 |location=London |first=Murad |last=Ahmed |title=Last updated: February 25, 2015 8:03 pm Google shakes up European units in face of tougher rules}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lamontagne |first=Coral |date=2025-01-20 |title=Matt Brittin to join Guardian Media Group board |url=https://newsworks.org.uk/news-and-opinion/matt-brittin-to-join-guardian-media-group-board/ |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=Newsworks |language=en-GB}}</ref> On 25 March 2026, Brittin was announced as the new director-general of the BBC and he took up his post on 18 May.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/whoweare/matt-brittin|access-date=2026-05-18 |title= Matt Brittin 18th Director-General of the BBC }}</ref>

==Early life== Brittin was born in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. He was educated at Hampton School and Robinson College, Cambridge, where he received a Masters degree in Land Economy and Geography in 1990.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-12 |title=Alumnus Matt Brittin OLY Awarded CBE in King’s New Year Honours List |url=https://cubc.org.uk/2026/01/12/alumnus-matt-brittin-oly-awarded-cbe-in-kings-new-year-honours-list/ |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=Cambridge University Boat Club |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-11-04 |title=Google vice-president returns to Hampton School |url=https://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/10024458.google-vice-president-returns-to-hampton-school/ |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=Richmond and Twickenham Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Brittin Awarded CBE in King's New Year Honours {{!}} Robinson College |url=https://www.robinson.cam.ac.uk/news/matt-brittin-awarded-cbe-kings-new-year-honours |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=www.robinson.cam.ac.uk}}</ref> Brittin rowed in The Boat Race three times, from 1987 to 1989, representing the University of Cambridge. He rowed for Great Britain from 1985 to 1989, winning a bronze medal at the World Rowing Championships in 1989.<ref>{{World Rowing|1415|Matthew BRITTIN}}</ref> He received an MBA from London Business School with distinction in 1997.<ref name=whoswho/>

==Career== He began his career as a chartered surveyor with Connell Wilson, where he stayed for six years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Brittin - Speakers - Brussels Economic Forum 2012 - Economic and Financial Affairs - European Commission |url=https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/brussels-economic-forum/2012/speakers/matt-brittin/index_en.htm |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=ec.europa.eu}}</ref>

Shortly after completing his MBA, he joined McKinsey & Co as a consultant, and stayed for six years.<ref name="businessinsider.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-googles-emea-president-matt-brittin-europe-2015-2 |title=Everything you need to know about Google's EMEA president Matt Brittin |publisher=Business Insider |access-date=12 February 2016}}</ref>

Referring to his time at McKinsey and how it influenced his management style, he told ''Management Today'' in 2017: "I liked it there very much but the most I learned, the stuff I use every day, I learned from rowing. Bringing people together into collaboration around a vision of what you're trying to achieve with a sense of purpose. That's what I most enjoy. McKinsey taught me clarity of thinking – breaking big problems down into pieces and communicating clearly. I enjoy doing the stuff myself rather than writing reports."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Google's Matt Brittin on tax, Brexit and the future of the internet |url=http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/article/1424601?utm_source=website&utm_medium=social |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=www.managementtoday.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>

In 2004 he became commercial director at Trinity Mirror, owner of ''The Daily Mirror''. Two years later he was promoted to director of strategy and digital.<ref name="businessinsider.com" />

===Google=== Brittin joined Google in January 2007, becoming managing director of Google UK in 2009, taking over from Dennis Woodside.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/891561/ |title=Matt Brittin takes up top Google UK role as Dennis Woodside moves to US |first=Fiona |last=Ramsey |publisher=Brand Republic |date=18 March 2009 |access-date=29 January 2015}}</ref> In September 2011 he became Google's vice-president for Northern and Central Europe. In December 2014, Google reorganised its structure in Europe and consolidated its European divisions under Brittin's management as president of EMEA Business and Operations. He apologised in 2017 over Google's ad placement next to illegal content.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Davies |first=Rob |date=2017-03-20 |title=Head of Google Europe apologises over ads on extremist content |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/mar/20/google-ads-extremist-content-matt-brittin |access-date=2026-03-25 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=March 21 2017 |first=Daniel Farey-Jones |title=Google's Matt Brittin apologizes to industry over ad placement |url=https://www.campaignlive.com/article/1428043?utm_source=website&utm_medium=social |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=www.campaignlive.com |language=en}}</ref>

Brittin stepped down from his position at Google in early 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lamontagne |first=Coral |date=2025-01-20 |title=Matt Brittin to join Guardian Media Group board |url=https://newsworks.org.uk/news-and-opinion/matt-brittin-to-join-guardian-media-group-board/ |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=Newsworks |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Other roles=== Brittin sits on the boards of The Climate Group (since 2009), Media Trust (since 2010) and is a non-executive director of Sainsbury's.<ref name="businessinsider.com"/> He became a non-executive director of the Guardian Media Group in February 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |last=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |first= |date=2025-01-17 |title=Matt Brittin to join Guardian Media Group board |url=https://www.theguardian.com/gnm-press-office/2025/jan/17/matt-brittin-to-join-guardian-media-group-board#:~:text=Matt%20Brittin%20has%20been%20appointed,the%20Middle%20East%20and%20Africa. |access-date=2025-01-29 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

===BBC=== In March 2026, Brittin was named as the new director-general of the BBC, and he assumed the role on 18 May 2026.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/whoweare/matt-brittin|access-date=2026-05-18 | title= Matt Brittin 18th Director-General of the BBC }}</ref>

==Public Accounts Committee== Brittin was first called before the UK Public Accounts Committee on 12 November 2012 to explain how Google had generated billions of pounds of profit from its UK operations but paid almost no corporation tax.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite news |author1=Simon Bowers |author2=Rajeev Syal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/may/16/google-told-by-mp-you-do-do-evil |title=MP on Google tax avoidance scheme: 'I think that you do evil' |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=12 February 2016}}</ref> On 16 May 2013 Margaret Hodge MP, the chair of the committee, accused Google's UK division (managed by Brittin) of being "calculated and unethical" over its use of highly contrived and artificial distinctions to avoid paying billions of pounds in corporation tax owed by its UK operations.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Hodge said to Brittin: "We're not accusing you of being illegal; we are accusing you of being immoral."<ref name="theguardian.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/nov/12/amazon-google-starbucks-tax-pac |title=A highly taxing session with the public accounts committee &#124; Simon Hoggart's sketch |newspaper=The Guardian |date=13 March 2014 |access-date=12 February 2016}}</ref>

Brittin was called repeatedly to the committee, and said that Google does not "sell" in the UK, even though UK staff are paid incentives to "encourage" potential customers to spend money with Google. Reports from former staff contradicted his statements.<ref>{{cite web |last=Williams |first=Christopher |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/10030167/Google-faces-fresh-grilling-by-MPs-over-tax.html |title=Google faces fresh grilling by MPs over tax |work=The Telegraph |date=1 May 2013 |access-date=12 February 2016}}</ref> He did not clarify his definition of "selling", but he "... admitted 'sales' staff based in Britain are paid commission for reaching targets, further contradicting his statement. It was also revealed that Google often advertised UK-based 'sales' jobs."{{citation needed|date=March 2026}}

In response, Brittin said to ''Management Today'' about the committee: "I think it's reasonable for companies to undergo scrutiny. And it's right for people to show up to answer questions. But they didn't let me get my answer out. The real numbers are exactly the reason people get angry. They misrepresent the way the tax system works. Companies pay tax on profits. Companies do not pay profits on sales. We went through a six-year HMRC audit. At the end of that, they said exactly what we should pay and we did. We are happy to pay our fair share which is determined by rules."<ref name=":0" />

In 2015, the UK Government introduced a new law intended to penalise Google and other large multinational corporations' artificial tax avoidance.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31942639 |title=Budget 2015: 'Google Tax' introduction confirmed |work=BBC News |date=18 March 2015 |access-date=12 February 2016}}</ref>

On 11 February 2016, in response to the committee asking how much he earned, Brittin said he did not know how much he was paid, a response that was widely ridiculed.<ref>{{cite web |last=Riley |first=Ben |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/12151599/Watch-live-MPs-question-Google-bosses-over-UK-tax.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160212014252/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/12151599/Watch-live-MPs-question-Google-bosses-over-UK-tax.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 February 2016 |title=Video: Google boss admits he does not know his own salary as MPs grill executives |work=The Telegraph |access-date=12 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Rajeev Syal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/11/google-matt-brittin-salary-public-accounts-committee-tax-deal-grilling |title=Google boss claims he does not know his salary in Commons grilling |newspaper=The Guardian |date=11 February 2016 |access-date=12 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Jon Stone |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/google-tax-avoidance-doesnt-know-what-he-gets-paid-salary-matt-brittin-hmrc-a6866991.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/google-tax-avoidance-doesnt-know-what-he-gets-paid-salary-matt-brittin-hmrc-a6866991.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Google tax avoidance: European president tells MPs he doesn't know how much he's paid |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=12 February 2016}}</ref> Google were not legally obliged to tell even their shareholders what his salary was.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/feb/11/google-europe-boss-salary-returned-no-results-matt-brittin |title=Your search – 'Google Europe boss's salary' – returned no results |first=John |last=Crace |work=The Guardian |date=11 February 2016}}</ref> Brittin said that Google had "...wanted the international tax system reformed." This was met with robust criticism by Stewart Jackson who said: "You sort of pose as an enlightened helper to the public debate ... And that the wicked awful tax system across the world somehow just happened to Google, whereas actually you've made a choice to avoid tax and set up structures specifically so to do"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bergin |first=Tom |date=11 February 2016 |title=UK lawmakers tell Google to come clean on tax |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/technology/uk-lawmakers-tell-google-to-come-clean-on-tax-idUSKCN0VK1SR/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-18}}</ref>

==Personal life== Brittin married Katherine Betts in 1995 and has two sons (born in 1999 and 2001).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/google-boss-eric-schmidt-may-snub-david-cameron-over-companys-house-of-commons-grilling-8622138.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/google-boss-eric-schmidt-may-snub-david-cameron-over-companys-house-of-commons-grilling-8622138.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Google boss Eric Schmidt may snub David Cameron over company's House of Commons grilling |work=The Independent |first=James |last=Cusick |date=19 May 2013 |access-date=22 March 2016}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

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{{s-start}} {{s-media}} {{s-bef|before=Tim Davie}} {{s-ttl|title=Director-General of the BBC|years=2026&ndash;}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brittin, Matt}} Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Robinson College, Cambridge Category:Cambridge University Boat Club rowers Category:Stewards of Henley Royal Regatta Category:People from Walton-on-Thames Category:British chief executives Category:Google employees Category:Sainsbury's people Category:McKinsey & Company people Category:BBC Board members Category:BBC executives Category:Directors-general of the BBC