Bal exit

Another long-time operator is leaving the BBC. Bal Samra, 54 ( Aveley School, Essex and Diploma in Business Studies from Thurrock Management Centre) departs at the end of March.  

After short spells with Ford, Unilever and GEC Marconi, he joined the BBC in June 1990. His first big gig was minding money for Jenny Abramsky in the launch of Radio 5 Live - then it was onwards and upwards, often to jobs with titles that seemed to have been created around him (or by him ?).  

He built on his sporting reputation - England amateur boxer - and played five-a-side with the likes of Peter Salmon. He was there for launches and deals - some great, some not so. He played hardball as the BBC needed to acquire talent rights for new digital enterprises. He let the indies into tv through the Window of Creative Competition.  He was there at the conception of the doomed DMI project. He may have been in the room when the BBC lost Bake Off.  He's wrangled with the shape-shifting IR35 regulations. He's seen BBC Store come and go.

For some time he's been among the BBC's top earners - currently on £328,000.  For a period, I dubbed him 'King of the Kabs', claiming £2k's worth in just one three month period. 

Bal is also the Chairman of Freesat; he's been a non-executive with Comic Relief; he's a trustee of the National Film & Television School and a trustee of Ormiston Academies Trust, which sponsors 30 academy schools across the UK.