Thompson, Mark (1957– )

English broadcasting executive. He worked for the BBC 1979–2002, served as chief executive of Channel 4 2002–04, and returned to the BBC as director-general in 2004.

He edited several news programmes before becoming BBC director of television in 2000. In 2004 he replaced Greg Dyke, who had resigned in the aftermath of the Hutton Report, as director-general.

He was born in London and grew up in Hertfordshire. After graduating from Merton College, Oxford University, he joined the BBC as a production trainee in 1979.