John joined Classic FM as a producer in its first year, going on to run the station's international programming operations in New York and Amsterdam.  After a spell as a news editor at the Press Association, he joined Jazz FM where as programme director he guided the London station to its highest audience figures, introducing  "smooth jazz and soul" to the UK .

He ran the Classic Gold network for UBC Media for three years, then became one of Global Radio's team of managing directors, before joining the BBC in 2009.

A former Commercial Radio Programmer of the Year, and a Fellow of The Radio Academy, John has three sons and lives in Berkshire.