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SBS content chief Helen Kellie passes away

Chief content officer and former CMO passes away of incurable cancer; MD honours her work
Helen Kellie

Helen Kellie

The SBS has honoured chief content officer and former marketing leader, Helen Kellie, who passed away before Christmas of cancer.

Kellie relocated from the UK to join the broadcaster as director of marketing in 2012. In June 2014, she was promoted to the newly created role of chief content officer, overseeing both content and marketing teams.  

Kellie passed away on 23 December of an incurable cancer.

In a statement, SBS managing director, Michael Ebeid, described Kellie as one of the “most remarkable people” he has had the privilege of working with.

“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,” he said. “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.”

During her tenure as content chief, Kellie was responsible for spearheading a number of high-profile programs including Struggle Street and First Contact.

Prior to joining SBS, Kellie was CMO of BBC Worldwide for four years, and spent 12 years in the UK broadcaster’s marketing function managing properties such as Top Gear, Doctor Who and leading CRM and social media strategies. She also held a number of brand and marketing roles at Reckitt Benckiser for the previous 13 years.

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