BBC has appointed Uzair Qadeer as its Chief People Officer effective February 27, 2023.

Qadeer will report to Leigh Tavaziva, Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility to oversee global human resources capabilities across the BBC Group and for driving the BBC’s employee experience, cultural transformation, and organisational change. 

He will be responsible for shaping the organisation’s people strategy and fostering an inclusive BBC in line with its ten-point Diversity and Inclusion plan.

Qadeer joins the BBC from Carbon Health, a US healthcare provider, where he was the organisation’s Chief People Officer. Prior to joining Carbon Health, he was the first Chief Diversity Officer at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, where he was also a member of the company’s executive committee. At Alexion he built a global function that elevated employee engagement, created an inclusive environment, and drove innovation for customers.

He has held numerous other leadership roles, including in Deloitte’s Human Capital Consulting practice where he advised clients across a range of industries, and at Bristol Myers Squibb Company where he worked in various roles in both the US and Italy.

Qadeer will sit on the BBC Executive Committee, the Operations Committee, and he will also be a key advisor to the Board Remuneration Committee. He will also oversee Children in Need, the independently run and governed charity of the BBC.

“I believe that by curating a world-class employee experience at the BBC, we can effectively drive our ambitious Value for All strategy and unleash breakthroughs for our audiences. I am thrilled and honoured to work alongside our passionate and global teams at the BBC, an organisation that I tremendously admire,” Qadeer said.

“Uzair’s appointment is an important step as we continue to implement our Value for All strategy and build on our plans to enhance our employee experience. He has an impressive track record of placing people at the heart of an organisation’s success and strives to bring fresh thinking, innovation and a focus on customers to the teams he leads. I am delighted to welcome him to the BBC,” added Leigh Tavaziva, BBC Chief Operating Officer.