The Federal Government will soon begin a selection process for a new SBS chair after George Savvides advised he would not seek reappointment after his second term concludes in July next year.
Savvides was appointed chair in July 2020, having served as deputy chair from February 2017.
During his tenure, SBS delivered numerous initiatives to ensure that non-English speaking Australians and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had access to culturally appropriate resources to stay informed and safe during the pandemic.
He also guided a strategic initiative to embed and leverage SBS as an essential piece of cultural and communications infrastructure – working constructively with governments at all levels.
Savvides cited a desire to rebalance his professional and family commitments as the reason for his decision.
“I am proud to have been the chair and deputy chair of SBS during this critical period, noting, in particular, the proactive work of SBS to collaborate across a range of areas to deliver better social and economic outcomes for all the communities we serve, and supporting participation in all facets of life in this country,” he said.
“It has been a pleasure to work with my talented and committed SBS Board members, who will continue to serve and support the great role that SBS plays in Australia.
“Being the chair of an organisation with such a high-performing management team at SBS and led so ably by our managing director James Taylor is a privilege. Their passion and commitment to SBS and the communities we serve is second to none.”
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland described Savvides as a “champion of diversity” who had been instrumental in positioning the SBS as a “distinct, contemporary public broadcaster for today’s Australia”.
“Under his stable leadership the SBS continues to deliver multilingual and multicultural broadcasting and digital media services reflecting our society, fostering social cohesion, and celebrating and respecting Australia’s diverse way of life,” she said.
“Savvides navigated our multicultural public broadcaster through a challenging time that included the COVID-19 pandemic, and demonstrated that the role of the SBS in our nation is as vital as ever, and I want to thank and recognise him for his outstanding service to SBS and the community in this role.”
The government will now begin a merit-based selection process to appoint the next chair, conducted by the independent Nomination Panel for Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and SBS board appointments, and supported by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.