Previously he was the Chairman and Chief Executive at Pearson Television, alongside Lord Stevenson, another Friend of Tony. In 1998 he was paid £768,000. His personal wealth is estimated at £14 million.
He made most of his money in a director's share scheme at London Weekend Television (where he was Chief Executive) in the early 1990's. On joining the BBC he sold Granada shares worth £6 million and made £800,000 from his Pearson shares. He has a second home in Dorset with its own stables, swimming pool and football pitch.
He is one of a number of important Labour Party figures who worked at LWT, including Peter Mandelson, Lord Bragg, Trevor Phillips, Gerry Robinson and Charles Leadbetter (DEMOS).
Before being installed at the BBC, Blair put him in charge of the Government's NHS Charter Advisory Group. In his first speech at the BBC he told his staff that if they didn't like what he was going to do, "don't stay at the BBC and moan...go somewhere else!". Gavyn Davies is the Chairman of the BBC.