Focus on BBC Finance director John Smith.

Helping to balance the objectives of a public service broadcaster and continuing the financial reforms of the 1990s make BBC finance director John Smith’s role one of the most challenging jobs around.

This week AccountancyAge.com features an interview conducted by our sister publication Financial Director with a man who holds strong opinions on accountancy, outsourcing and the internal market.

Smith has been working at the BBC since 1989, a time of escalating financial crisis, which he refers to as the missing millions.

After imposing a tougher financial regime on the BBC’s creative minds Smith will now be taking on the corporation’s administrative costs, which new director – general Greg Dyke wishes to cut from 24% to 15% – a task to which Smith is fully committed. ‘We have pressurised our direct costs down fantastically, now we can move on a level and cut the administration,’ he said.

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