BBC’s tech boss flicks channel to Intel

The BBC’s tech guru Erik Huggers is to quit his post at the corporation next month and take on a new role focusing on home entertainment at Intel.

Huggers has been a key player behind online TV projects such as the iPlayer and IPTV consortia that was dubbed Project Canvas before branching out as YouView. Now, he will serve as corporate vice president and general manager of Intel’s Digital Home Group.

“Erik Huggers’ proven track record of managing a variety of digital media businesses will be an extraordinary asset to Intel’s digital home initiative,” said Intel president and CEO Paul Otellini. “Erik’s background and vision for delivering new platforms, interactive content and services to consumers are an outstanding fit.”

The move will be soured to an extent by today’s news that YouView’s launch will be delayed by six months, but Huggers is no stranger to controversy having sparked a fierce debate about the BBC’s role in open software and adopting HTML5.

Huggers, who joined the BBC from Microsoft in 2007 and has been responsible for the BBC’s research and development as well as digital content delivery, would have had significant dealings with Intel during his work on the set-top box designs for YouView.

The new role is expected to further Intel’s long term goal of pushing its technology into the living room and networked home. Huggers said he would be building “a new business for silicon, software and services for connected media”.