Richard Eyre

Non Executive Director

His career began buying TV spots for advertisers in 1975.  He spent 16 years in advertising, ending up as the first Media Director of BBH. During 1991, Richard became Chief Executive of Capital Radio plc. leading the move to acquire radio companies outside London and building the industry’s revenue share.  He was recruited to be Chief Executive of ITV in 1997, tackling a declining network.  He published aggressive audience targets and built a new network team to achieve them. In February 2000 he became Chairman and CEO of Pearson Television, producing TV programmes in 35 countries.  Within 6 months the business was merged with Bertelsmann’s TV and Radio assets to found RTL, the largest broadcasting company in Europe.  He became a director of the newly merged company where he was responsible for Content and
Strategy.
 
Richard is now a full-time non-executive director with board and advisory roles for a range of organisations from mobile and internet start-ups to the Eden Project.  He is Chairman of the Internet Advertising Bureau, RDF – a major independent production company, and Deputy Chairman of GCap Media, the UK’s largest radio group.

He writes a weekly column for Media Week.