SBS farewells chair George Savvides

SBS chair George Savvides departs the organisation today, having steered the broadcaster through significant challenges and commercial growth.

Savvides joined the SBS board in February 2017, as deputy chair, before being appointed chair in July 2020. Current SBS deputy chair Christine Zeitz will serve as acting chair until a new chairperson is appointed by the Federal Government. Mumbrella sought clarification from SBS on when a new chair would be appointed, and was referred to the minister’s office.

Savvides immediately came under pressure on taking up the chair in mid 2020, with former SBS cadet journalist Kodie Bedford accusing the organisation of racism. The allegations of Bedford and others were followed by criticism of the SBS board for not being sufficiently racially diverse.