11 May 2018
The Turnbull Government has appointed Mr Joseph Gersh AM to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Board and Mrs Christine Zeitz to the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) Board as non?executive directors for a period of five years.
Both appointees bring exceptional skills, background and expertise to the ABC and SBS Boards.
Joseph Gersh is based in Victoria and has significant business experience with a range of public and private companies. He is the founder and Executive Chairman of Gersh Investment Partners Limited. He was previously a senior partner and Chairman of the Management Committee of Arnold Bloch Leibler.
Mr Gersh has also held numerous board positions in the arts community including Chair and Board Member of Artbank, Chair of the National Institute of Circus Arts and Deputy Chair of the Australia Council for the Arts. He was the inaugural Chairman of the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation, in addition to serving on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Payment Systems Board and as a director of the Federal Airports Corporation.
His community contributions also include previously serving as President of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and as Vice-President of the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council. He is a current director of the Sydney Institute and a Life Councillor of Mount Scopus Memorial College. In recognition of his services to business, government, the arts and the community, Mr Gersh was made a Member of the Order of Australia.
Christine Zeitz is based in South Australia and possesses strong and relevant skills and experience which will strengthen the SBS Board. She is currently the Chief Executive of Leidos Australia and has more than 25 years’ experience with BAE Systems in a variety of senior roles in Australia and the UK, including most recently as President of the North-East Asia region in Tokyo.
Mrs Zeitz is currently a Board member of the Institute for Regional Security, the Centre for Defence Industry Capability and the Flinders University Council. Previously, she was a Member and Co-Chair of the South Australian Premier’s Council for Women, a Member of the American Chamber of Commerce of Japan, Women in Leadership Committee and a Member of the CEO Insights Executive group, where she founded the CEO Ladies Forum.
These appointments are made consistent with the selection process for ABC Board and SBS appointments set down in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 and the Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991. This process involves consideration of potential candidates by an independent Nomination Panel for ABC and SBS Board Appointments. Mrs Zeitz was recommended by the Panel for appointment and Mr Gersh was shortlisted.
The Government thanks the Nomination Panel for its work undertaking the selection process and providing a list of nominees for the Government’s consideration.
I congratulate Mr Gersh and Mrs Zeitz on their appointments and look forward to seeing the valuable contributions they will make to the ABC and SBS Boards.
Authorised by Senator the Hon Mitch Fifield, Liberal Party of Australia, Parliament House, Canberra.