Clare O'Neil appointed new SAARF chair

Clare O’Neil

O'Neil is the co-owner and director of integrated outdoor solutions company, MMAP and a member of the SABC board. O'Neil, a player in the industry for the past 30 years, spent several years with M-Net where she rose through the ranks to become GM of marketing at Oracle Airtime Sales.

She further entrenched her name in the TV arena when she joined the Midi Consortium and its bid for a free-to-air TV broadcasting licence in 1997. As commercial sales director of e.tv, O'Neil was one of the eight people who set up the country's first private free-to-air channel.

She went on to become MD of media agency, Initiative Media, before joining the SABC as GM: television sales and marketing, in 2001. Upon her departure from the SABC in 2005, O'Neil consulted in the media and broadcasting sector, including at the two satellite TV licensees, Telkom Media and ODM.

In January 2010, O'Neil was appointed by President Jacob Zuma to serve as a non-executive director on the SABC board, representing the advertising and marketing industries. She is also chairperson of the SABC Board's public commercial services sub-committee, and gives direct oversight to the SABC's commercial enterprises division (advertising sales).