Richard Deverell

Richard George Deverell^[1] became Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in September 2012.^[2] He was previously Controller of CBBC, the department within the BBC responsible for output aimed at children.^[2]

Early life

Deverell was born in 1965.^[1] He graduated in biological sciences from Cambridge University.^[2]

Career history

Deverell worked for several years in management consultancy before joining the BBC, where he was Head of Strategy and Marketing and on the Board of BBC News, as Head of News interactive.

After taking up his post as CBBC Controller in 2006, Deverell re-aligned CBBC towards a target audience of 6–12 years. Several popular series were revised or cancelled outright; Byker Grove ended in 2006 after 18 series, the last being broadcast solely on the digital CBBC Channel. The other teenage darama series, Grange Hill, was removed from BBC One in 2007 in favour of exclusive scheduling on CBBC and ceased in 2008, with its last series concentrating on the early years of secondary school in order to fit in with CBBC's new brief.^[3]

In May 2006, Deverell promised there were no plans to alter the format of Grange Hill.^[4] He commissioned the very popular In the Night Garden.

The BBC's new programming strand for older children and teenagers launched in the autumn of 2007, but CBBC was criticised for not continuing to provide for this age range until the new service was up and running.

In March 2009 Deverell was named chief operating officer of the BBC's new broadcasting and production centre in Salford Quays.^[5]

As director of The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Deverell unveiled unprecedented job cuts in almost all departments. In 2014 he announced job losses of approximately 125 posts across the organisation.

Personal life

Deverell is married with three children.

References

1 2 "Richard George Deverell". Company Check. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
1 2 3 Dowell, Ben (13 June 2012). "Richard Deverell to become director of Kew Gardens". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
↑ E-mails from Richard Deverell to Grange Hill Online, July and August 2007
↑ CBBC head defends Byker decision – CBBC Newsround Online, May 2006
↑ Hemley, Matthew (4 March 2009). "Deverell announced as chief operating officer of BBC North". The Stage. Retrieved 12 March 2009.

Directors of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

William Aiton William Townsend Aiton Sir William Hooker Sir Joseph Hooker Sir William Thiselton-Dyer Sir David Prain Sir Arthur Hill Sir Geoffrey Evans (acting) Sir Edward Salisbury Sir George Taylor Jack Heslop-Harrison Professor Patrick Brenan Professor Arthur Bell Sir Ghillean Prance Sir Peter Crane Professor Stephen D. Hopper Richard Deverell

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