David Smith, Director of Screen Scotland, will take up the role of Interim Executive Director of Screen Scotland, when the current Executive Director, Isabel Davis, leaves to join the BFI on Friday 2 October 2026.
About David Smith
David was appointed as Director of Screen Scotland in late 2019, following a career working within film and television, in the festivals/exhibition sector and in unscripted television production.
He began his working life as a projectionist and film programmer at Eden Court, Inverness before heading to Edinburgh for a law degree and working at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Qualifying as a solicitor with Edinburgh law firm Tods Murray W.S., training in media law, before joining documentary producer Wark Clements & Co. in 2003.
In 2009, David formed Glasgow-based production company Matchlight with Ross Wilson and Jacqui Hayden and ran the documentary focused indie for a decade. A former PACT Council member and BAFTA Scotland Committee member, David also worked with Glasgow City Council on its successful bid to secure the Channel 4 hub for the city.
Since joining Screen Scotland in 2019 David has co-authored Screen Scotland’s Strategy to end 2030/31 (with Isabel Davis) and commissioned the Economic Value research that evidences the impact of the screen sector within Scotland’s economy every two years.
Alongside Isabel and Fi Milligan-Rennie (Head of Education) he instigated and supported the introduction of Film & Screen as an expressive arts subject within Scotland’s national curriculum, and working with colleagues across Screen Scotland, Northern Ireland Screen and Creative Wales he helped secure a 33% increase in Channel 4’s production quota for new TV programmes commissioned by C4 to be made “outside of England”.
David supported the recovery and reopening of the Filmhouse in Edinburgh, working closely with Sambrooke Scott (Head of Audience Development) and the Filmhouse team to ensure the cinema’s successful reopening in 2025.
David is an advocate for reform of the UK’s approach to regional television commissioning and production. He has also championed the economic and cultural importance of Gaelic broadcasting and the role of BBC ALBA within Scotland’s wider screen ecosystem.
