The SBS Board of Directors, consisting of the Managing Director and non-executive Directors, is responsible for deciding the objectives, strategies and policies to be followed by SBS in performing its functions. It also ensures that SBS performs in a proper, efficient and economical manner, and with the maximum benefit to the people of Australia.

The duties of the Board, as set out at section 10 of the SBS Act, are to:

• Maintain the independence and integrity of SBS;
• Develop and publicise SBS’s programming policies;
• Ensure, by means of SBS’s programming policies, that the gathering and presentation by SBS of news and information is accurate and is balanced over time and across the schedule of programs broadcast;
• Ensure that SBS does not contravene: this Act or any other Act; or any directions given to, or requirements made in relation to, SBS under this Act or another Act;
• Ensure the efficient and cost-effective functioning of SBS;
• Ensure that SBS seeks to co-operate closely with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to maximise the efficiency of the publicly funded sectors of Australian broadcasting;
• Be aware of, and responsive to, community needs and opinions on matters relevant to the Charter;
• Develop and publicise SBS’s policies on the handling of complaints;
• Ensure that the pursuit by SBS of its subsidiary functions does not detract from SBS fulfilling its Charter responsibilities; and
• Develop codes of practice relating to: programming matters; and, if SBS has the function of providing a datacasting service, that service; and to notify those codes to the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Dr Bulent Hass Dellal AO

Chair (until 2 June 2020)

Appointed 3 June 2010, re-appointed 3 June 2015 for three years, and appointed as Chair 9 February 2017, Dr Hass Dellal AO has been the Executive Director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation since 1989 and is Deputy Chair of the Australian Multicultural Council. In addition to this work, Hass serves on the Boards of a wide range of multicultural organisations, including as Chairman of the Centre for Multicultural Youth and of the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies Consultative Committee, Co-Chair of the Victoria Police MultiFaith Council, and a board member of the European Multicultural Foundation and the Scanlon Foundation.

Hass has also held member positions with the Multicultural Arts Advisory Council Victoria, Adult Multicultural Education Services and the Police and Community Multicultural Advisory Committee. He was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1997 for service to multicultural organisations, the arts and the community.

In 2015 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to the multicultural community through leadership and advisory roles, to the advancement of inclusiveness and social harmony, to youth, and to the broadcast media. Hass was a member of the SBS Board Remuneration Committee until April 2019 and concluded his ten years of service on the SBS Board on 2 June 2020.

George Savvides AM

Deputy Chair (Acting Chair from 3 June 2020)

Appointed as Deputy Chair on the SBS Board of Directors on 23 February 2017, George Savvides AM has extensive management and board experience working in government-owned enterprises and not-for-profit organisations.

With 30 years' experience in the Australian and New Zealand health care sector, he was CEO of two IPO listings on the ASX, Sigma in 1999 and Medibank Private in 2014, and served as the CEO of Medibank, for 14 years until 2016. He served on the Board of World Vision Australia from 1998 to 2018, and was Chair from 2013-2018. He is a former Chair of Kings Group Ltd and Macquarie University Hospital. He is currently a board member of Insurance Australia Group Limited and NZX listed Ryman Healthcare, and Chair of Next Science Limited (ASX: NXS).

Born in Sydney of Greek Cypriot parents, he moved to Melbourne with his family in 1992. He has an honours degree in Industrial Engineering from UNSW and a Master of Business Administration from University of Technology Sydney and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

George was made a member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community, to charitable groups and to business, in January 2020.

During his service on the SBS Board, George has been Chair of the SBS Board Remuneration Committee, a member of SBS’s Community Advisory Committee, and served as Acting Chair of SBS from 3 June 2020 before being formally appointed as the new SBS Chair on 9 July, 2020.

James Taylor

Managing Director

James Taylor has 20 years’ experience across the media and telecommunications sectors, and was appointed Managing Director of SBS in October 2018.
Prior to his appointment as Managing Director, James was SBS’s Chief Financial Officer for more than six years, having joined the organisation as Head of Corporate Finance in June 2012. During his time as CFO, James had oversight of the Finance, Corporate Strategy, People and Culture, SBS Media, Legal and Corporate Services teams. He has been central to the ongoing strategic direction, digital innovation and efficient operations of the public broadcaster.

Prior to SBS, James was Director of Strategy Consulting at Deloitte, Head of Strategy and Corporate Development at British Telecom and Director, Corporate Development at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Peeyush Gupta AM

Non-executive Director

Appointed 17 October 2014, Peeyush Gupta AM is the Chairman and non-executive Director on a range of commercial, public sector and not-for-profit boards including as Chair of Charter Hall Long Wale REIT and Charter Hall Direct Property Management Ltd, and as a Director of National Australia Bank, SBS, Link Administration, Insurance and Care (NSW), Quintessence Labs, Western Sydney University and the Bank of New Zealand Life Insurance. Peeyush was the co-founder and inaugural CEO of IPAC Securities, a wealth management firm providing financial advice and institutional portfolio management in Australia and internationally.

Peeyush holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Australian Graduate School of Management, University of NSW, and is also an alumnus of Harvard and the London Business School. He was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in January 2019 for significant service to business and the community through governance and philanthropic roles. Peeyush chairs the SBS Board Audit and Risk Committee.

Daryl Karp AM

Non-executive Director

Appointed 30 June 2011, Daryl Karp is Director of the Museum of Australian Democracy. She combines extensive experience in broadcast and digital media, with a focus on content, strategy and governance. Daryl’s previous positions include CEO and Managing Director, Film Australia, Head of Factual Programs (Television), Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and Head of Science and Documentaries/ Science and Features at the ABC. She is Chair of the Council of Australian Museum Directors.

Daryl has an arts degree from Tel Aviv University, is a graduate of Wharton Business School's Advanced Management Program and is a Fellow of the Institute of Company Directors (FAICD). She was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in June 2019 for significant service to the arts, particularly to the museum and galleries sector. Daryl is a member of the SBS Board Codes Review Committee and the Audit and Risk Committee.

William (Bill) Lenehan

Non-executive Director

Appointed 15 November 2012, Bill Lenehan has 44 years’ experience in the television industry in Australia, holding many positions in the Ten Network from management, administration and broadcast operations. He currently runs his own consulting business, Bilinda Pty Ltd, specialising in media, marketing and business administration.

Bill has held previous board positions with the National Australia Day Council, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, The Queensland Harness Racing Board, Thorough Vision Pty Ltd and the Royal Queensland Agricultural and Industrial Society. Bill is a member of the SBS Board Audit and Risk Committee and the Remuneration Committee.

Prof. Sally Walker AM

Non-executive Director

Appointed 23 February 2017, Prof. Sally Walker AM is a lawyer by training. After practising law for some years, she joined the Law School at the University of Melbourne where she developed new courses in Media, Communications and Information Technology Law. She is the author of The Law of Journalism in Australia.

Sally was later appointed as Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Melbourne. She left that role to take up an appointment as Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University, a position she held from January 2003 to July 2010.

In 2005, Sally received the Judges’ Award in the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Awards. In 2011 she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of her contribution to education, to the law as an academic and to the advancement of women. She is a Professor Emeritus of Deakin University and of the University of Melbourne Law School.

Since leaving Deakin University, Sally has undertaken consultancy projects for State and Federal Governments and for a range of non-government organisations. From 2013 to 2017 she worked in the higher education consulting section of Deloitte in Melbourne. She now holds a number of non-executive Director roles. Sally chairs the SBS Board Codes Review Committee.

Dorothy (Dot) West

Non-executive Director

Appointed 15 November 2012, Dot West has worked in the media industry for the last 30 years in various capacities. Dot has served on numerous boards including the Inaugural Vice-Chairperson of NITV, Screenwest, Australian International Documentary Conference and the National Indigenous Radio Service, her current tenure as a Director of Goolarri Media Enterprises in Broome and Ramu Productions, in addition to the Chair of the peak body First Nations Media Australia (formally the Indigenous Remote Communications Association).

Dot works freelance as a scriptwriter, accredited trainer and consultant in Indigenous media, and sits on the Screenwest Industry Advisory Group and serves on WA’s Screen Industry Diversity and Inclusion leadership group. In 2014, Dot was awarded an honorary doctorate with Swinburne University for her work in the media sector, and in 2019 was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural First Nations Media Awards. Dot is a member of the SBS Board Codes Review Committee and Chair of the Community Advisory Committee.

Christine Zeitz

Non-executive Director

Christine Zeitz serves as General Manager, Asia Pacific region, for Northrop Grumman Corporation. In this role, Christine is responsible for all aspects of growth, program awards and the execution and financial performance in Asia Pacific.

With a diverse background in program management, operations, strategy, business development, contracts and finance in the defence and security sector, Christine offers experience, guidance and advice on complex programs, risk management, cyber security, workplace relations and government relations.. Christine joined Northrop Grumman in July 2020 from Leidos Australia where she served as Chief Executive Officer Australia, responsible for strategic growth in Australia and the Asia Pacific region. Prior to that role, Christine spent 25 years at BAE Systems in various roles of increasing scope and responsibility, culminating in her position as president, North East Asia.

Christine earned a Bachelor of Accounting (Economics) from the Flinders University of South Australia as well as a Graduate Certificate of Management from the International Graduate School of Management, University of South Africa. Christine is active in a number of economic, defense and community councils and boards including the South Australia Premier’s Economic Advisory Council and the Centre for Defense Industry Capability Board.

Christine is a member of the SBS Board Remuneration Committee.