Sir John Tusa is a British arts administrator, and radio and television journalist. Born in ZlÍn, Czechslovakia, Tusa moved to England with his family in 1939.
Tusa was educated at St Faith’s School, before moving onto Gresham School in Holt, Norfolk and then Trinity College Cambridge, where he gained a first class degree in History.
John Tusa joined the BBC as a management trainee in 1960. From 1979-86 he was a founder/presenter of BBC2’s “Newsnight” programme. In 1986 he became Managing Director BBC World Service and held that position until 1992. After a few months as President of Wolfson College, Cambridge he became Managing Director of the Barbican Centre from 1995-2007. Thereafter he was Chairman of University of Arts London and Executive Chairman of the Clore Leadership Programme. His memoir, “Making a Noise” was published in February 2018.
Tusa received an honorary doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 1993, and awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s birthday honours list in June 2003.
