SBS newcomer Katrina Rathie eyes more diversity in media

The federal government has appointed a former top-tier law firm partner and experienced executive to the SBS board.

Sydney lawyer Katrina Rathie has been appointed to the SBS board for a five-year term.

Intellectual property and media lawyer Katrina Rathie said she has “lived experience of being part of an ethnically, linguistically, diverse community”, and recognises the value that a national multicultural broadcaster brings to a country such as Australia.

The former partner at King & Wood Mallesons has been appointed to the SBS board for five years and said the broadcaster remained a vital part of the lives for many culturally diverse Australians.

Born in Sydney, Ms Rathie’s grandparents migrated to Australia from southern China in 1937 in a bid to seek better opportunities for their family.

“I well remember my grandmother without much English looking for something to watch that would bring a bit of home back for her,” she told The Australian. “I grew up in Australia during the White Australia policy so it was really unusual to have someone with my background when I went to school.

“My role combines my passion for the media, broadcasting and digital communications with my skills in law, business leadership and governance.”

Ms Rathie is the only Asian-Australian woman to have led a top-tier law firm, and replaces Professor Sally Walker, whose tenure on the board ended in February.

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said Ms Rathie would bring extensive knowledge to the board as she already has roles on many other boards including in the education, sport and charity sectors.

“She will strengthen the already diverse skills available to SBS’s leadership team,” he said.

Ms Rathie is also a member of Media Diversity Australia’s advisory board, which she joined in July 2018, and said there remained a lack of diversity in many Australian media companies at both board and presenter level.

“The media boards are quite stubbornly white,” she said.

Ms Rathie is also a non-executive director at Bubs Australia, Starlight Children's Foundation, NSW Rugby Union/Waratahs Rugby, and is Cranbrook School vice-president and chairwoman of the Cranbrook Foundation.

Ms Rathie was partner in charge at King & Wood Mallesons for seven years and also led the firm’s media and entertainment practice. She departed in March last year.

She has worked with many large media outlets in her role as a lawyer including Seven, Nine, Sky News Australia and Fairfax and “often toyed with the idea of being a journalist”.

The SBS board has nine members and is led by chair George Savvides, deputy chair Catherine Zeitz, and also includes managing director James Taylor. Non-executive directors include Vic Alhadeff, Peeyush Gupta, William Lenehan, Dorothy West and Warren Mundine.