Our Team

Chief Executive and Creative Director

Samir Shah was appointed a CBE for services to Television and Heritage, in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list 2019. After completing a doctorate at Oxford, following a short detour in the Home Office Intelligence Unit, Samir joined LWT in 1979.  In 1987, he went to the BBC to head its television current affairs and, later, ran the BBC’s political journalism department at Millbank. In 1998, Samir left the BBC to take over Juniper.

Samir has established a track record for high-quality journalism and excellent documentaries on wide-ranging subjects. He is not afraid to tackle sensitive subjects and has built up a reputation for insightful, powerful and journalistically demanding factual programmes ranging from politics, contemporary history, drama docs to issues surrounding race. He is highly regarded as an executive producer by both the BBC and commercial channels. He has worked with many talented writers, directors and politicians over the years.

Apart from Juniper, his other media commitments include being a member of the Future of public service broadcasting (2021).  He is a Fellow of RTS; Board member of BAFTA and the Chair of One World Media (2019 -). In February 2022, Samir was bestowed with the Outstanding Contribution Award by the Royal Television Society for services of over 40 years and commitment to diversity in television journalism.

He was the Chair of the Museum of the Home and Deputy Chair of the V&A. Chair of the Runnymede Trust,  member of the Cultural Recovery Board (2020-2021); and of the Heritage Advisory Board  (2020). Samir was the 2019 Visiting Professor of Creative Media, Oxford University.  Samir was appointed an OBE in the 2000 New Year’s Honour’s list.