BBC appoints first director of diversity & inclusion

Chinny Okolidoh

UK pubcaster the BBC has appointed Chinny Okolidoh as director of diversity and inclusion.

The new role will combine BBC Workforce and Creative Diversity responsibilities to ensure strategic oversight of all the BBC’s diversity commitments.

Okolidoh will be responsible for ensuring that the corporation accurately reflects the audiences it serves, both in front of and behind the camera.

Leading the BBC’s diversity and inclusion team, Okolidoh will collaborate with directors and their teams across the BBC, including in content, news, studios and the nations, to drive best practice.

She will also oversee the development and implementation of initiatives related to on-air and production talent representation, commissioning guidelines, diversity and inclusion training programmes and metrics to measure progress.

Okolidoh, who will take up her position at the BBC later this year, currently serves as director of diversity, equity & inclusion at cosmetic company L’Oréal (UK & Ireland. strategies at a range of organisations.

“Ensuring the BBC truly reflects the public we serve – both on and off screen – has never been more important. I know Chinny’s experience and passion will help us to expertly build on the progress we’ve already made to improve representation across the industry,” said BBC COO Leigh Tavaziva.

“I look forward to building on the great work that has been done so far and continuing to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything the BBC does to inform, educate and entertain millions of people in the UK and around the world,” added Okolidoh.