John Birt

He was awarded Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire before being awarded a Life Peer (Lord or Baron) in the 2000 Queen's Millennium Honors List for his services to broadcasting.

The BBC I leave has never been creatively stronger, it has never been better managed, we are a global force, we understand the future. I am very proud of that. When people complain about management of the BBC, I am unashamed. We are better managed, we are much more efficient, we are much more effective, we have a better understanding of the environment in which we operate, and no broadcasting operation in the world is better positioned for the digital age than the BBC - and that is because we are better managed. I entered the BBC a passionate believer in it and I leave the BBC a passionate believer in it.