Tony Hall

Tony Hall has been Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden since 2001. He was educated at Birkenhead School and Keble College, Oxford, where he studied PPE. He joined the BBC as a trainee after graduating. He was awarded a CBE in 2005, and is married with two children. After joining the Royal Opera House, Tony set up ROH2, as a department devoted to supporting new artists and developing new audiences.

Since then, Tony has set up new initiatives to widen access to the Opera House - including big screen relays to locations across the UK, Paul Hamlyn matinees, and other low-price ticket schemes.

During his career at the BBC, Tony oversaw the launch of BBC Parliament, Radio 5 Live and the editing of the 9 O'Clock News at the early age of 34. He was previously director of News and Current Affairs Television at the BBC (1990-1993) and, combining TV and radio, became Director of News for the BBC in 1993.

He is the founder Chair of the Sector Skills Council for the Creative and Cultural Industries.