Evan Davis (journalist)

Evan Harold Davis (born April 8, 1962 in Ashtead, Surrey) is a British economist, journalist and presenter for the BBC. In October 2001, Evan took over from Peter Jay as the BBC's economics editor. He is currently on sabbatical from this post and is a presenter on BBC Radio Four's "Today" programme. Evan Davis is also the presenter for the BBC venture-capitalist programme Dragons' Den.

Background

Davis attended Dorking County Grammar School, which in 1976 became The Ashcombe School, Dorking, and later studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St John's College, Oxford from 1981 to 1984, before obtaining an MPA at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. While at Oxford University, Davis edited "Cherwell", the student newspaper.

Before joining the BBC as an economics correspondent in 1993, he worked as an economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies from 1986 to 1988 and again from 1992 to 1993. Between 1988 and 1992 he worked at the London Business School. He worked as economics editor on BBC Two's "Newsnight" programme from 1997 to 2001.

Writing

In 1998, Davis released a book, "Public Spending", published by Penguin. In it he argued for the privatisation of public services as a means to increase efficiency.

BBC work

While the BBC's economics editor, Davis was responsible for reporting and analysing economic developments on a range of programmes on BBC radio and television, particularly the "Ten O'Clock News". He also had a role in shaping the extensive BBC coverage of economics across all the corporation's outputs, including online.

Davis also wrote a blog for the BBC website entitled Evanomics in which he "attempts to understand the real world, using the tool kit of economics". Subjects he discussed included road pricing, care for the elderly, Gordon Brown's Budget and how to choose wine.

Davis has won several awards including the "Work Foundation's Broadcast Journalist of the Year" award in 1998, 2001 and 2003, and the "Harold Wincott Business Broadcaster of the Year" award in 2002. He has made several appearances on the quiz show, "Have I Got News For You", and presents "Dragons' Den" on BBC 2.

In 2005, he was one of a handful of BBC personalities who broke strike picket lines. BBC staff were striking over announced job cuts. [cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2005/may/23/broadcasting.bbc2|title=TV stars: why we crossed BBC picket line|publisher=The Guardian|date=May 23, 2005|accessdate=2007-07-18]

In summer 2007, Davis was a guest presenter on the "Today Programme" for two weeks. In April 2008 he stood down as BBC Economics Editor for 12 months and joined the "Today" Programme as a full-time presenter, replacing Carolyn Quinn. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7107004.stm BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Dragons' Davis joins Today team ] ] [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/nov/21/bbc.radio BBC economics editor Evan Davis joins Today programme as presenter | Media | guardian.co.uk ] ]

Personal life

Davis lives with Guillaume Baltz, a French landscape architect. [Carole Cadwalladr. [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1635181,00.html "'Think of me as a man of mystery'"] . "The Observer". 6 November 2005.] He is noted for conducting congenial interviews with contestants both successful and unsuccessful, following their intense session with the Dragons. Because of this and his round, almost cartoon-like features, he was described by Charlie Brooker as "the world's biggest Teddy Bear".

Davis is known by the nickname "Tinsel Tits" by his BBC colleagues. [cite newspaper|title=How come only women and gay men get nicknames at the BBC?|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/apr/07/women.bbc|publisher=The Guardian|date=2008-04-07|author=Lucy Mangan] [cite newspaper|publisher=The Sunday Telegraph|date=2007-07-01|title=Evan tempered television thanks in part to his role in 'Dragons' Den', Evan Davis is the first BBC economics editor to enjoy something approaching cult status he may be open about some aspects of his private life, but will he show Nigel Farndale what's under his shirt?|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/07/01/svevan101.xml&page=1|author=Nigel Farndale|accessdate=2008-08-08]

Bibliography

* Davis, E "Public Spending" Harmondsworth:Penguin Books 1998 ISBN 0-14-026446-9

Footnotes

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/newswatch/ukfs/hi/newsid_3900000/newsid_3907200/3907249.stm BBC Newswatch profile]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/evandavis/ Evanomics] - Davis's BBC blog
* [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1635181,00.html Observer Review article] 6 November 2005