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Howard Stringer being touted as potential head of BBC Howard Stringer being touted as potential head of BBC
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Sir Howard Stringer hired David Letterman for US network CBS and was the first non-Japanese national to run electronics group Sony. Now the Welsh-born Stringer, one of Britain's most successful overseas businessmen, is being touted as a potential head of the BBC.Sir Howard Stringer hired David Letterman for US network CBS and was the first non-Japanese national to run electronics group Sony. Now the Welsh-born Stringer, one of Britain's most successful overseas businessmen, is being touted as a potential head of the BBC.
Stringer emerged as the early frontrunner to succeed Lord Patten as chairman of the beleaguered BBC Trust after the former Hong Kong governor announced on Tuesday that he was stepping down a year earlier than expected after undergoing major heart surgery. He emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Lord Patten as chairman of the BBC Trust after the former Hong Kong governor announced on Tuesday he was stepping down a year earlier than expected after undergoing major heart surgery.
Stringer, a Vietnam war veteran who was knighted in 1999, is already inside the corporation, if only for a few months, after he was appointed as one of its non-executive directors to toughen up the BBC's governance following a string of scandals, from the Jimmy Savile abuse to multimillion-pound executive payoffs.Stringer, a Vietnam war veteran who was knighted in 1999, is already inside the corporation, if only for a few months, after he was appointed as one of its non-executive directors to toughen up the BBC's governance following a string of scandals, from the Jimmy Savile abuse to multimillion-pound executive payoffs.
It is not the first time he has been linked with a top job at the BBC, having been approached to be its chairman in 2010, a year before Patten landed the post, and its director general in 1999 when he – along with the current man filling the role, Tony Hall – lost out to Greg Dyke. It is not the first time he has been linked with a top BBC job, having been approached to be its chairman in 2010, a year before Patten landed the post, and its director general in 1999 when he – along with the current man filling the role, Tony Hall – lost out to Greg Dyke.
Now aged 72, Stringer was asked during one interview for the director general role in 1999 if he was a little too old for the job. "I'm only six weeks older than I was when you asked me to apply," Stringer replied.Now aged 72, Stringer was asked during one interview for the director general role in 1999 if he was a little too old for the job. "I'm only six weeks older than I was when you asked me to apply," Stringer replied.
If he is known for his straight talking, then he also has a reputation for ruthlessness, cutting costs and slashing 20,000 jobs early in his tenure as the first foreign chief executive of Sony.If he is known for his straight talking, then he also has a reputation for ruthlessness, cutting costs and slashing 20,000 jobs early in his tenure as the first foreign chief executive of Sony.
But he could not stop the company plunging into the red reeling from attacks by computer hackers, the tsunami of 2011 and next-generation PlayStation delays, once complaining that the company had been hit by "everything but toads and pestilence". He could not stop the firm plunging into the red, reeling from attacks by computer hackers, the tsunami of 2011 and next-generation PlayStation delays, once complaining the company had been hit by "everything but toads and pestilence".
One former colleague said: "He survived, and thrived as the first westerner to run Sony, which is no mean feat, and if he can handle that he can handle the BBC. A former colleague said: "He survived and thrived as the first westerner to run Sony, which is no mean feat, and if he can handle that he can handle the BBC.
"He is as comfortable with the floor workers as he is with politicians, he started out as a journalist, something that should hold him in good stead with the BBC. He is a team player and a good communicator.""He is as comfortable with the floor workers as he is with politicians, he started out as a journalist, something that should hold him in good stead with the BBC. He is a team player and a good communicator."
Before joining Sony in 1997, Stringer was president of CBS, where he persuaded Letterman to join the broadcaster from rival network NBC and produced Dan Rather's programme on CBS News. "Sure, I'd like to run a TV network the way it was in the 1970s," he once said. "You had a problem with revenues, you just jacked up the ad rates and went out for a martini."Before joining Sony in 1997, Stringer was president of CBS, where he persuaded Letterman to join the broadcaster from rival network NBC and produced Dan Rather's programme on CBS News. "Sure, I'd like to run a TV network the way it was in the 1970s," he once said. "You had a problem with revenues, you just jacked up the ad rates and went out for a martini."
"He is very well versed in the TV industry," says a source. "The only hesitation people might have is that he has been based in the US for a long time and how familiar is he with the British TV landscape." "He is very well versed in the TV industry," says a source. "The only hesitation people might have is the fact he has been based in the US for a long time and how familiar is he with the British TV landscape."
He began at Sony as president of its US operation and went on to become chairman and chief executive in June 2005, overseeing the entire business, including Sony's media, film studio, music and electronics subsidiaries. He stood down in 2012.
Once described as a lifelong liberal, Stringer has made donations to the Labour party in the past and received his knighthood during Tony Blair's first term in office.Once described as a lifelong liberal, Stringer has made donations to the Labour party in the past and received his knighthood during Tony Blair's first term in office.
If that suggests he is unlikely to appeal to the coalition government, which will make the appointment, it should be noted that Stringer also served on a business panel advising David Cameron on economic policy. Stringer's Oxfordshire home is about 30 miles from that of the prime minister.If that suggests he is unlikely to appeal to the coalition government, which will make the appointment, it should be noted that Stringer also served on a business panel advising David Cameron on economic policy. Stringer's Oxfordshire home is about 30 miles from that of the prime minister.
A friend of former director general Mark Thompson, Stringer is also close to public relations executive, Matthew Freud.A friend of former director general Mark Thompson, Stringer is also close to public relations executive, Matthew Freud.
Born in Cardiff – his father a sergeant in the RAF, his mother a Welsh schoolteacher – the family moved to Aylesbury when he was a small boy and he won a scholarship to Oundle school before studying modern history at Oxford.Born in Cardiff – his father a sergeant in the RAF, his mother a Welsh schoolteacher – the family moved to Aylesbury when he was a small boy and he won a scholarship to Oundle school before studying modern history at Oxford.
He has been a director at TalkTalk, which partnered the BBC in the on-demand TV service YouView, since 2012.He has been a director at TalkTalk, which partnered the BBC in the on-demand TV service YouView, since 2012.
One factor determining whether he takes the role may be the enthusiasm with which Stringer will regard a four-day a week role paying £110,000 a year, which Patten described as "10 times harder" than he expected. Another source said Stringer, a chair of the Said Business School in Oxford, had recently rebuffed approaches for another full-time role. One factor determining whether he takes the role may be the enthusiasm with which he will regard a four-day a week role paying £110,000 a year, which Patten described as "10 times harder" than he expected. Another source said Stringer, a chair of the Saïd Business School in Oxford, had recently rebuffed approaches for another full-time role.
But Stringer has never been one to shirk a challenge, choosing to serve in Vietnam so he could stay in the US after moving to New York in the 1960s. But he has never been one to shirk a challenge, choosing to serve in Vietnam so he could stay in the US after moving to New York in the 1960s. "I think I'm a bit prone to new adventures," Stringer once said. "The same damned impulse that got me in trouble by sending me to America in the first place compels me to take challenges when offered them."
"I think I'm a bit prone to new adventures," Stringer once said. "The same damned impulse that got me in trouble by sending me to America in the first place compels me to take challenges when offered them."