Tony Hall was appointed Director-General of the BBC in November 2012. Prior to this, Tony was Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House from April 2001 until April 2013. He first joined the BBC in 1973 and during a 28-year career at the Corporation he held roles including Senior Producer at World at One, Assistant Editor of the Nine O’Clock News, Output Editor for Newsnight, culminating as Chief Executive of BBC News from 1996 to 2001. While at the BBC he launched Radio 5 Live, BBC News 24, BBC News Online and BBC Parliament. He was appointed a CBE in 2005 and in 2010 was made a life peer with the title Baron Hall of Birkenhead.