SBS’ chief content officer Helen Kellie has passed away, after losing her battle to cancer.
Kellie first joined the broadcaster in 2012 as marketing director, before taking on the role of chief content officer in 2014.
Kellie had been with SBS since 2012
Before joining SBS, Kellie was working in the UK as chief marketing officer for BBC Worldwide and marketing director for the BBC for almost nine years.
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In her time with BBC, she worked on brands including Top Gear and Doctor Who.
When she was promoted to the role of chief content officer at SBS in 2014, Kellie was tasked with uniting the SBS content and marketing teams.
In her time with the broadcaster, she worked on broadcast events including First Contact and The Eurovision Song Contest, and controversial documentary Struggle Street, which she was forced to defend in 2015.
Kellie passed away on December 23 aged 52.
Michael Ebeid, CEO of SBS Australia described Kellie as a “true leader”.
“Our much-loved colleague and one of the most remarkable people I’ve had the privilege of working with, Helen Kellie, passed away just before Christmas from an incurable cancer.
“Our thoughts and prayers have, and continue to be, with Helen’s family during this incredibly heartbreaking and difficult time,” he said.
“To say that we will miss Helen does not go any way to doing justice to the impact she had on many of us as individuals and on the organisation we are today. Helen was a true leader, innovator and creative who shared her skills and knowledge with all she worked with, and a generous and inspiring colleague, friend and mentor to many. The SBS family is mourning her passing.”