Multicultural broadcaster SBS has appointed a former ABC executive director, Michael Ebeid, as their new CEO and managing director.
He takes up the position on June 13.
Ebeid, formerly ABC’s corporate strategy and marketing executive director, will take over from Shaun Brown who is going into retirement.
After a long international search, SBS chairman Joe Skrzynski said Ebeid was well-suited to lead the broadcaster.
“Mr Ebeid brings to SBS a special set of personal and professional skills, with the right blend of operational and strategic experience from his 24 years in the Media, Telecommunications and IT technology sectors which represent the three arms of the convergence changing the entertainment and information landscape in Australia,” he said in a statement.
Ebeid, who was born in Egypt and moved Down Under when he was three, said he would ensure SBS continued to grow with its “relevance and reach at a time when the media landscape and audience habits are fundamentally changing”.
“SBS is an organisation that can and does make a difference, and it is an honour to lead it.”
Skrzynski made special mention of Brown, who, during his reign, helped established SBS’ new free to air digital channels and contributed to the many awards and rating successes of many programs.
One of the network’s most acclaimed shows, East West 101 – which earlier this week won an Award of Excellence at The Accolade Competition in Los Angeles – starts its final season on April 20 at 8.30pm.
SBS is watched by more than seven million viewers per week.