Peter Horrocks

London

Founder & Honorary Chair

Peter Horrocks CBE is the Founder of the Balkan Free Media Initiative. A broadcast executive and former Vice-Chancellor (chief executive) of The Open University, he enjoyed a distinguished 33-year career with the BBC, culminating in five years as Director of the BBC World Service. His other BBC roles included editor of the flagship BBC programmes Newsnight and Panorama, Head of Multimedia, Head of TV News and Head of BBC Current Affairs.

Horrocks now sits on the Content Board of Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator. His commitment to independent journalism in transition democracies, and to the role of free media in the Western Balkans in particular, was the founding impulse behind BFMI in 2021. He continues to guide the Initiative's strategic direction from London.