Gibbo

Head down from Broadcasting House, across Oxford Street, and down Argyll Street, and you'll find another potential candidate to replace James Harding as BBC Director of News. At the London offices of Buzzfeed (with views of the London Palladium) you'll find Janine Gibson, flitting between meeting rooms named after biscuits - Hobnob, Bourbon, Jammie Dodger, etc.

Janine, 45 (Walthamstow Hall, Sevenoaks and St John's College, Oxford), was a strong favourite to succeed Alan Rusbridger at The Guardian, but lost out in the staff vote to Kath Viner. After 17 Guardian years, she departed for  Buzzfeed in 2015. The site is now regularly featured in the Today review of papers and websites. The London operation has close to 200 staff - BBC News has just under 7,000. Buzzfeed collaborated with Newsnight on investigations into Kids Company, and with BBC News on allegations of match-fixing in tennis.

Whilst running the Guardian's online presence in the USA, Janine worked with Glenn Greenwald on the National Security Agency leaks from computer analyst Edward Snowden.  She was tapped up by former DG Mark Thompson to head up digital stuff for the New York Times - Thommo parted company with editor Jill Abramson in the ensuing row. Has Lord Hall now come calling ?