Jul 2018 – Nov 2018 · 4 mos

• Lead the BBC's 'Beyond Fake News' project in India. This included:
• Commissioning a season of digital content in 7 languages (English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi)
• Organising six conferences in six cities across India
• Developing a curriculum and training material for schools and colleges on how to spot fake news and understand how it spreads
• Organising a 'fake news hackathon', in collaboration with the BBC's News Labs and Connected Studios team and Google
• Commissioning pan-India research to better understand how fake news spreads, with funding partnership from Twitter and Google.
• Piloting a collaboration of news organisations to fact-check the Rajasthan state election
• Speaking and presenting at industry events to help shape the wider conversation and solutions to combatting the spread of misinformation

Jul 2017 – Jun 2018 · 11 mos

• Heading up social media and digital strategy, training, digital production processes and journalism projects for the BBC's expanded Delhi bureau, incorporating new digital news services in Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati and Punjabi.
• Overseeing all aspects of the digital launches online, on social and with third party digital distribution partners.

May 2017 – Jul 2017 · 2 mos · Cambridge, Massachusetts

• Studied voice-enabled AI technology and its impact on journalism, content discovery and distribution and it's potential to connect the next billion digital users in emerging markets. I organised and hosted an industry event in New York, bringing together a dozen digital media organisations and tech companies leading in AI, which was the first time such a forum had been convened. I subsequently wrote an industry analysis of the opportunities and threats of Voice AI for the Nieman Labs blog. More info here: http://www.niemanlab.org/2017/09/the-future-of-news-is-humans-talking-to-machines/

Jan 2016 – Mar 2016 · 2 mos

• As digital strategist on the 'World Service 2020 Project', I help lead thinking and implementation of digital strategy for the roll out of new language services across Russia, Africa, South and East Asia.
• Working on the India work stream of the project, I lead on collaboration and partnerships with Indian education and technology institutions, digital and technology companies and engagement with Indian audiences and diaspora communities. The India work stream will focus on the expansion into several new language news services as well as helping to re-organise the existing BBC News India operation in the country.
• As mobile lead on the Digital work stream of the 2020 project, I'm developing new workflows and systems for transforming all 28 existing, as well as new, World Service language operations to become be digital-first operations, with mobile and video at their core.
• The 2020 project is part of the British government investment into the expansion of BBC World Service from 2016-2020 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34902244), to help build the global reach of the World Service to half a billion people and increase access to news and information.

May 2015 – Jun 2017 · 2 yrs 1 mo

• The role took a strategic view of the development of new mobile services (including apps), innovative formats and related workflows across BBC World Service Group. In addition, I led BBC News innovation globally in the field of mobile messaging applications, or chat apps, building on previous success with new services on Whatspp, Line, Viber, BBM, WeChat and other platforms.
• Key areas of the job included:
• Working with the Director of Digital Development and Mobile Editor at BBC News to develop a strategic plan to increase reach and engagement via mobile development for World Service.
• To be a main point of contact in World Service for BBC Future Media/Digital to develop mobile products (responsive and apps) that are appropriate to emerging markets
• To drive forward the roll-out of “ mobile first” workflows in Language hubs, including new short-form formats in audio, video and text
• Collaborate with mobile and tech companies, instant messaging platforms and wider industry to create new innovative digital mobile products for BBC News
• Use analytics to ensure that content is engaging the audience, increasing reach and engagement
• To ensure that content on mobile platforms coverage adheres to the standards of excellence and efficiency required of BBC News output, and complies fully with the BBC's editorial guidelines and objectives
• Provide editorial leadership for journalists creating content for mobile and running mobile services
• Be fully aware of latest technological developments as they affect our services, understanding industry trends and leading the editorial teams in the adoption of new techniques and technology.
• Direct, plan and shape mobile coverage on major stories and events

Jul 2014 – Apr 2015 · 9 mos

• As the first Apps Editor for BBC World Service/Global News, I drove strategy for the development of our in-house news apps and key mobile products on third party platforms. My portfolio encompasses ‘chat apps’ - the instant messaging platforms that include WhatsApp, WeChat, Line, BBM and Viber, among others. I also focused on other emerging opportunities in text messaging and low-cost mobile distribution and management of our in-house apps. The role also involved developing the BBC's expertise in the mobile and social platforms for the “connected generation” aged 18-34
• Key areas of the job included:
• A combination of editorial, product and managerial expertise
• Spearheading the development of WS apps, on platforms including iOS, Android, iPlayer and partner sites
• Working with the World Service group to help drive an increase in its global reach and engagement
• Drive rapid innovation in digital editorial products
• Working with Editorial on changes to news output, social media strategies, training opportunities and product improvement
• Developing editorial partnerships and collaborations with messaging app companies and mobile operators
• Working with Business Development on new syndication and revenue-generation opportunities
• Advising senior management on industry trends, editorial best practice, training needs and technical strategy
• To support the development of Visual Journalism, SEO, brand defence and circumvention strategies on language sites, working with Product, Marketing and Audiences, Distribution, Editorial, Legal and Visual Journalism teams to implement key improvements
• Deputising, as and when required, for the Director of Digital for World Service & Global News

Jan 2014 – Jul 2014 · 6 mos · London, United Kingdom

• Secondment focusing on BBC News engagement on mobile platforms with younger audiences, low-tech mobile markets and regions, researching and testing mobile products and initiatives.
• Among my key achievements in this role was to launch the world's first news service inside WhatsApp for the Indian elections.
• My brief included:
• Exploring opportunities for BBC Global News in text messaging and other emerging low-cost mobile distribution technologies
• Identify market-leading platforms, by region and language
• Understanding the extent to which mobile text services supplement or replace SMS
• Analysing and engaging with messaging services available to users in emerging markets who have entry-level mobile phones which cannot access the internet
• Package and present findings to relevant editorial, product and business stakeholders

Sep 2013 – Jul 2014 · 10 mos · London, United Kingdom

• Managing a hub of 20 producers and journalists in the heart of the 'Social Newsroom' operation of BBC News. The UGC and social media hub focusses on 'social media newsgathering' and sourcing and producing user generated content for online, radio and TV.
• The role also involves working on developing aspects of the social media and digital strategy for BBC News.
• I also lead on innovation of new tools and services for social/digital content. Im currently developing realtime story trends analysis alerts for the newsroom, which involves using a range of social media measurement tools and services to compile a twice daily report to key programme and newsroom editors.
• I've also initiated 'UGC social media labs' - to rapidly test and assess new tools, services and technologies in the social, UGC and digital space.
• I regularly research and assess third party social media products, making recommendations to BBC News management on new tools that can help develop the BBC's performance in these areas.
• I also present and speak to conferences on latest social media trends and practices and on the latest uses of UGC and social newsgathering techniques in the news industry and more broadly across the digital space.

Jun 2010 – Jun 2013 · 3 yrs · London, United Kingdom

• Managing a team of 20 producers in the heart of the BBC Newsroom to source user generated content directly from BBC News audiences and the wider web through social media.
• Developing social media strategy for BBC News. I was part of the core team that launched BBC News' first high-profile accounts on Twitter (@BBCBreaking, @BBCWorld and @BBCNews), the BBC News Facebook account and Google+ page. I also managed the rollout of the first genre and reporter/correspondent social media accounts for BBC News..
• I regularly assess new third party products related to social media newsgathering and publishing and make recommendations to BBC News management on new tools that can help develop the BBC's performance in these areas.
• In 2012/13 I managed the UGC hub's move from Television Centre to New Broadcasting House in central London, which involved devising new ways of working with the rest of the BBC News operation to maximise the impact across our digital spaces.

Jun 2013 – Aug 2013 · 2 mos · London, United Kingdom

• Secondment working for Global News Ltd, the commercial arm of BBC News. Focussing on:
• Auditing of existing social media activities
• Ensuring consistency in cross-promotion of social and digital properties across global news output
• Liaising with marketing and audience teams to improve analytics and social monitoring
• Assessing business value of social and digital activity in international markets
• Making recommendations on new approaches and activities that can benefit the business internationally, bringing increased engagement, audience reach and commercial income
• Presenting BBC News social media brand activity to advertising and commercial clients

Nov 2001 – Jun 2010 · 8 yrs 7 mos

• Digital Election Editoral Lead for 2010 General Election, User Generated Content and Social Media, BBC newsroom. Previous lives at the BBC include output editor on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC radio field producer on international stories (working at bureaus in Paris, Strasbourg, Jerusalem, Gaza and Delhi) and producer on the BBC World News TV channel.

Jan 1998 – Oct 2001 · 3 yrs 9 mos

• Working on political stories for the newspaper, working under the Political Editor, Associate Editor (politics), Chief Political Correspondent and Economics Editor