Dan McGolpin, Director of BBC iPlayer and Channels, Inspires Students

Year 12 students had the privilege of hearing from Dan McGolpin, Director of BBC iPlayer and Channels, who has worked at the BBC for 25 years. His talk offered invaluable insights into career paths for economics graduates and the business side of television.

Mr McGolpin shared three key principles for success: work hard, don’t fear failure, and always seek opportunities to acquire new skills. He spoke about his journey, from reading economics at university to working as a business consultant at Arthur Andersen where he worked with a range of clients: the F.A. Premier League, BT and the BBC before leaving to join the BBC full-time. At Arthur Anderson, Mr McGolpin took the opportunity to train to be a chartered accountant and succeeded. His career spanned senior roles in long-term strategy across the BBC.

He also provided a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the media industry, explaining how live events like tennis matches often require quick decisions about scheduling. Finally, he discussed the role of artificial intelligence, encouraging students to embrace it as an opportunity to learn new skills and stay competitive in the future job market. Mr McGolpin’s talk was a motivating and insightful experience for all.