Mark Byford

Mark Byford (1958 - ) was acting Director-General of the BBC after the departure of Greg Dyke at the end of January 2004. He was replaced by new Director-General Mark Thompson on June 22 2004. He had become deputy Director-General in December 2003.

Son of the High Court judge Sir Lawrence Byford , he was educated at Lincoln School and Leeds University, and has spent his entire career in the BBC since 1979, having been Director of Regional Broadcasting and Head of the World Service. He is a practicing Catholic and lives in Winchester.