Austin stepping down as BBFC CEO
September 4, 2026



The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has announced that David Austin OBE will retire as Chief Executive following 23 years with the organisation, including the last 10 years as CEO. Austin will step down from his responsibilities in July 2027 and will continue to support the BBFC as a member of its Board.

Austin joined the BBFC in 2003 as an Examiner, now known as Compliance Officers, following a career in the Diplomatic Service, with postings in South Asia, Central Africa and the former Yugoslavia. He became Assistant Director, Policy and Public Affairs at the BBFC in 2011, before taking up the Chief Executive role in March 2016.


Under his leadership, the BBFC continued to expand beyond traditional cinema classification, establishing self-rating partnerships with major streaming platforms including Netflix, Prime Video and HBO Max. He also drove the organisation’s engagement with emerging technology, including the use of AI to support classification work, culminating in an agreement with HBO Max to develop and deploy an AI tool to support BBFC Compliance Officers in the classification of the streaming service’s entire content library.

The BBFC Board will begin a recruitment process for a new Chief Executive immediately, with the successful candidate expected to be in post by July 2027. Austin will continue to serve as Chief Executive until that time to ensure a smooth and orderly transition and will take up a Board position in July 2027. In his Board capacity, David will continue to be one of the BBFC’s four Statutory Classifiers.

Austin commented: “Leading the BBFC has been the privilege of my career. I am incredibly proud of everything we have achieved together over the past 23 years, including my last 10 as Chief Executive, and I am deeply grateful to the many people who have supported our work and to the UK audiences who place their trust in the BBFC every day. What began as a curious fascination with film and classification, born out of my love of horror, has grown into a deep love for the BBFC. There is no other organisation quite like it, and I could not have imagined dedicating so much of my career to anything else. What has made my time here so special is not only the importance of our mission to protect children and help audiences make informed viewing choices, but also the exceptional people I have had the pleasure of working alongside.

“I know the BBFC is in a strong position for the future. It is a dynamic and innovative organisation with a clear purpose, talented people and a strong foundation on which to build. As the content landscape continues to evolve, there remains important work to do, and I am confident the BBFC will continue to play a vital role in supporting UK audiences. While the credits may be rolling on my time as Chief Executive, this is far from my final scene at the BBFC. I will continue to support the organisation as a member of the Board, and look forward to seeing it continue to evolve and thrive in the years ahead,” continued Austin.

Natasha Kaplinsky OBE, President of the BBFC, added: “David has made an outstanding contribution to the BBFC and to audiences across the UK. His leadership, vision and commitment have helped ensure the BBFC remains one of the most trusted and respected classification bodies in the world. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank David for his exceptional service and dedication over the past 23 years. We are delighted that he will continue to contribute to the organisation as a member of the Board.”