Matthew Hancock.
SBS has promoted Matthew Hancock to general manager of SBS On Demand from his current role as head of priorities and planning for the TV and online content division.
The move comes as the on-demand platform has surpassed eight million registered users and earlier this year was the first in Australia to offer in-language login and navigation in Simplified Chinese and Arabic, with more languages to come.
Hancock, who joined SBS in 2016 from Screen Producers Australia, where he was manager, strategy and operations, takes over from Abigail Thomas, who moved to the corporate strategy team.
Marshall Heald, SBS director of TV and online content, said: “Matt brings a unique mix of strategic experience and analytical skill from extensive experience working in the sector along with a deep understanding of our audiences and the evolving streaming environment we operate in.
“Matt is well placed to further develop and drive our strategy, taking SBS On Demand into its next phase as we continue to evolve the platform and improve our offering for audiences.”
Hancock, who starts in the new role on Monday, added: “SBS On Demand is Australia’s most distinctive streaming destination, with more than 9,000 hours of content in over 50 languages for free.
“I’m thrilled at being able to collaborate with a passionate team of specialists that put audience first, dedicated to building a world-class user experience that connects our viewers with a unique, compelling and evolving content proposition unlike any other.”
The exec has spent more than 20 years in the media industry in production, funding policy and broadcasting strategy roles, including senior analyst at Screen Australia.