Fifth BBC grandee is made head of an Oxbridge college
A BBC grandee has been appointed master of an Oxbridge college – the fifth former executive at the corporation to do so.
Alan Bookbinder, 61, is to be master of Downing College, Cambridge, from October next year after working at the BBC for 26 years.
He served as the head of religion and ethics at the broadcaster from 2001 to 2006 following a number of other producer and editorial roles.
His appointment may prompt further speculation about Oxford and Cambridge becoming a club for liberal media veterans. Mark Damazer, 62, a former Radio 4 controller, runs St Peter’s College, Oxford, while former Radio Five Live controller Roger Mosey, 59, is master at Selwyn College, Cambridge.
The master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, is ex-BBC correspondent Bridget Kendall, also 61.
And Tim Gardam, 61, former editor of BBC2’s Newsnight, was until April this year principal of St Anne’s College, Oxford.
Meanwhile, former Observer editor Will Hutton, 67, is principal at Hertford College, Oxford, while The Guardian’s Alan Rusbridger, 63, is principal of Lady Margaret
‘Unusual breadth of experience’
Hall. Jackie Ashley, president of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, is a former Guardian columnist and political editor of the New Statesman.
Mr Bookbinder is a self- confessed agnostic whose controversial appointment running religious programmes at the BBC was greeted with dismay by some prominent Christians.
In 2003, he commissioned a series on atheism which argued the case for non-believers.
Following his departure from the BBC in 2006, Mr Bookbinder served as the director of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. The 17 trusts make up the largest family philanthropic body in the UK. A graduate of Oxford University, having studied history and modern languages, and Harvard University, Mr Bookbinder also served as a Harkness Fellow for two years. In an email to students at the college, vice-master Paul Millett said that Mr Bookbinder intends to continue in his trustee and non- executive roles at the National Theatre and Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission.
Mr Bookbinder is taking over from Geoffrey Grimmett, a mathematician who has served as master since 2013.
In a statement to student newspaper Varsity, Professor Grimmett said: ‘I am delighted that the Fellows of Downing have chosen Alan Bookbinder as Downing’s next Master. Alan has an unusual breadth of experience which will serve well our students, staff, and fellows over the years to come, and he will bring wise counsel to the University.
‘I wish him the very best in this exciting and demanding post.’
Other heads of Oxbridge colleges include Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, who is now master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.