Saul Nassé

Saul Nassé (born 1965) is a former television producer for the BBC and current chief executive of Cambridge Assessment.[1][2][3] At the BBC he was successively Editor of Tomorrow's World, general manager of BBC Worldwide Productions in Mumbai and Controller of BBC Learning.[1][2][4]

Early life

Saul Nassé was born in 1965 and educated at Bedford Modern School between 1974 and 1983.[5] At the age of seven his interest in science was inspired by Raymond Baxter, the first presenter of Tomorrow's World on the BBC.[4] After school he read Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge where he earned a Master of Arts. Thereafter, he spent three years as a research student at Cranfield University before ending his PhD to join the BBC in 1990.[1]

Career

Nassé joined the BBC Science Department where he worked on factual programming.[6] In 1997, following in the footsteps of Raymond Baxter who had inspired his interest in science, Nassé was made editor of Tomorrow's World, the youngest person to have held that position during the programme's near forty-year history.[4][7][8] He also oversaw the launch of its website, one of the first websites that the BBC created.[3]

In 2001, Nassé was made Editor, Youth at the BBC World Service Trust.[9] During this time he produced a successful reality television show in India, Haath Se Haath Milaa, designed to increase awareness of AIDS.[9][10] In 2004, he was made the BBC's Acting Head of Religion and Ethics producing programmes across all media and including coverage of the death of Pope John Paul II.[6][9]

In 2007, Nassé became general manager of BBC Worldwide Productions in Mumbai.[6] During this time he produced the Indian versions of Strictly Come Dancing and Baby Borrowers.[6][11]

Nassé was appointed Controller of BBC Learning in 2010, responsible for all the BBC's formal learning content including Bitesize, the free online educational support service for children.[12] He was also charged with leading the move of BBC Learning to its new offices in Salford.[12] During this time he was responsible for the BBC Domesday Reloaded project and for the BBC's role in creating the Your Paintings website, a project with Art UK to exhibit online the United Kingdom's entire collection of publicly owned oil paintings.[13][14][15][6] An avid fan of Doctor Who, he was also the inspiration behind Death Is the Only Answer in 2011 and the online learning product iWonder.[2][16][17]

In 2014, Nassé left the BBC and was appointed Chief executive of Cambridge Assessment English.[2] On his appointment, Nassé commented: ‘Digital is transforming the way people learn, making it a really exciting time to lead Cambridge English’.[2] In 2018 he was promoted to become Group Chief Executive of Cambridge Assessment.

Family life

Nassé was a Governor of the University of Sunderland and a Trustee of the Teaching Awards Trust.[18] He is married with a daughter.[16]

References
  1. "Saul Nassé". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  2. "New Chief Executive for Cambridge English Language Assessment". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  3. "BUILA / Cambridge English Language Assessment appoints new CEO". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  4. "Mr. Saul Nassé". wise-qatar.org. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  5. Millennium Eagle, Magazine of Bedford Modern School, Winter 1999, reprinted (with amendments) August 2004, p.42
  6. "BBC – Saul Nassé, Controller, BBC Learning – Inside the BBC". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  7. Millennium Eagle, Magazine of Bedford Modern School, Winter 1999, reprinted (with amendments) August 2004, p.42
  8. "BBC – Archive – Tomorrow's World – How television tried to predict the future of science". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  9. "Learning Without Frontiers – Confirmed Speakers". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  10. "Haath Se Haath Milaa". The Communication Initiative Network. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  11. "BBC – Press Office – BBC Worldwide Productions India wins Baby Borrowers commission". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  12. "Saul Nassé named BBC Learning chief". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  13. "BBC – Your Paintings: Masterpieces in Schools – Media Centre". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  14. "Your Paintings project lights up Norwich Castle". BBC News. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  15. Keepthinking – Qi CMS. "Art UK – About Organisation – History". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  16. "BBC – Saul Nassé – BETT show – Media Centre". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  17. "Death Is The Only Answer". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  18. "Board of Governors". Retrieved 3 March 2016.
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