Jessica Cecil, Director, BBC Trusted News Initiative

Jessica is a senior leader in the BBC, currently heading the BBC’s response to disinformation, the Trusted News Initiative. Previously, she led the initiative focusing the BBC’s digital services in the UK and worldwide. She is a former Controller of BBC Make it Digital which inspired a new generation to get creative with digital technology. With partner organisations, BBC Make it Digital developed a codeable computer, the BBC micro:bit, and gave it free to one million 11 and 12-year-olds across the UK, with a further four million now in the hands of children in 50 countries, from Finland to Singapore. Before this, she was Chief of Staff to four BBC Director-Generals. She is an Emmy-nominated programme maker and senior journalist, and was Assistant Editor of BBC Newsnight. She is a Trustee of the University of Bristol, on the advisory boards of Rand Europe and IntoUniversity, on the International Committee of the Wallace Collection and is a former non-executive Director of the London Ambulance Service.