SBS Appoints New Chief Content Officer
The Australian broadcaster is restructuring its leadership team to consolidate digital and content operations.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in People
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SBS has appointed Kathryn Fink as chief content officer, tasking her with overseeing television, audio, digital, and marketing departments. The broadcaster also promoted Matthew Hancock to director of digital and named Stig Bell as chief people officer as part of a wider organisational restructure.
Why it matters
The leadership changes and reporting restructure aim to support integrated planning as digital platforms continue to reshape how Australian audiences engage with content. These moves align with shifts in consumer behaviour regarding how content is found and consumed across the SBS network.
SBS On Demand currently hosts 15,000 hours of content and maintains 16.9 million registered users. This digital footprint supports shows like Alone Australia, which is now entering its fifth season.
The players
Kathryn Fink
She is the new chief content officer at SBS who oversees television, audio, digital, and marketing.
Matthew Hancock
He is the new director of digital at SBS who has been with the organisation since 2016.
Stig Bell
He is the chief people officer at SBS and has served the organisation for over a decade.
SBS
The Special Broadcasting Service is a national Australian public broadcaster providing multilingual and multicultural media.
The details
The restructure consolidates reporting lines for television, audio, digital, and marketing under a single chief content officer. Directors of audio, language, marketing, and audiences will now maintain dual reporting lines to ensure cross-departmental collaboration.
Timeline
2013: Stig Bell joined the broadcaster.
2016: Matthew Hancock joined the SBS team.
July 2024: Matthew Hancock began his role as general manager of streaming.
2026: SBS broadcast the FIFA World Cup coverage.
21 October 2026: The new executive appointments took effect.
Market Landscape
The move aligns with the industry-wide trend toward integrated digital-first content strategies seen across global public media. SBS is positioning its leadership team to remain competitive against rival streaming platforms and traditional broadcasters.
Viewers and listeners can expect more integrated digital planning, which may lead to improved experiences on the SBS On Demand platform. Users should see better content curation as the broadcaster streamlines how it manages its 15,000-hour library.
The takeaway
Organisational restructures in public media often signal a deeper transition toward digital-first engagement models. Readers should watch for updates to digital platforms as these new leadership teams align their strategies with changing consumption habits.
What happens next
SBS is currently in the process of recruiting a new director of audio and language content.
Further reading
For more on the latest leadership changes in the industry, visit the Australia People section.
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