Sir Roly Keating

Over a long career, Roly Keating has held some of the most senior roles in both broadcasting and the cultural sector, including Chief Executive of the British Library and Controller of BBC Two. Roly began his career as a producer-director at the BBC specialising in arts programmes and documentaries, before moving to the BBC’s commercial channels business UKTV as part of its launch team in 1997. He devised and launched the cultural channel BBC Four in 2002, and served as Controller of BBC Two from 2004 to 2008, where he oversaw the launch of such popular long-running series as Dragons’ Den, The Apprentice and Springwatch. As Chief Executive of the British Library from 2012 to 2024 Roly transformed the Library’s visibility and impact across the UK and internationally, initiated major capital projects in London and Yorkshire, and revitalised the cultural programme with landmark exhibitions on subjects as diverse as Magna Carta, Harry Potter and the history of Black British Music. Roly now has a portfolio of roles including serving as a Governor of the Southbank Centre in London, a Trustee of Sheffield DocFest and a board member of the arts leadership training organisation Clore Leadership. He is a former Board member of Channel 4, the Barbican Arts Centre and Turner Contemporary in Margate. Roly was knighted in the 2023 New Year Honours List for services to Literature.