David Hill (businessman)

David Hill
Born	(1946-06-20) June 20, 1946 Eastbourne, England
Occupation(s)	Business executive, writer
Years active	1978–present
Known for	Chairman and managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation; author of Australian history books; advocate for child migrants and repatriation of Elgin Marbles

David Hill (born 20 June 1946) is a business executive and writer, originally from England and now based in Australia.

Background and early career

Hill was born out of wedlock in Eastbourne in 1946 to a family facing financial hardship. Alongside his twin brother, he spent part of his childhood in a Barnardo's children's home located in Barkingside.

He began his education at Bourne Junior Primary School before emigrating to Australia in April 1959 with his older brother and twin, traveling aboard the SS Strathaird. Their mother joined them several years afterward. Prior to departing England, the brothers were enrolled at Fairbridge Farm School in Molong, New South Wales.

Hill has written a book detailing the experiences of child migrants. The 2009 documentary The Long Journey Home, which aired on ABC TV, explored the history of Fairbridge Farm School. He has been an outspoken proponent for official acknowledgment of the abuses suffered by child migrants.

Before establishing himself in business leadership, Hill undertook a wide array of occupations including hardware assistant, sandwich cutter, construction labourer, garbage collector, gardener, tennis coach, salesperson, bartender, waiter, pub security officer, delivery driver, university tutor, journalist, investment banking staff member, accountant, and head of the NSW Government Ministerial Advisory Unit.

Career

In 1978, Hill was named Associate Commissioner of the Public Transport Commission. By 1982, at the age of 36, he ascended to chief executive of the State Rail Authority, a position he held until 1987. He continued serving as a director there until 1997. From 1987 to 1995, Hill was chairman and managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. His leadership roles also included heading Soccer Australia, chairing Sydney Water, and directing the Australian National Airlines Commission. Additionally, he chaired CREATE, an organization representing youth in institutional care. A former junior player for North Sydney rugby league, Hill served as president of the North Sydney Bears Rugby League Football Club between 1989 and 1992 and was instrumental in eliminating cigarette sponsorship within the sport.

Hill is a strong supporter of returning the Elgin Marbles to Greece. He established and currently chairs the International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures and actively participates in the British campaign group Marbles Reunited.

In politics, Hill ran unsuccessfully as a Labor candidate for the Division of Hughes during the 1998 federal election.

As an author, Hill has produced several non-fiction works focused on Australian history, including subjects such as the First Fleet, early colonial times in New South Wales, and the Australian gold rush era.

Personal life

In 1998, Hill wed Stergitsa Zamagias. The couple has one son and lives in Sydney.

Selected published works

• The Forgotten Children: Fairbridge Farm School and Its Betrayal of Britain's Child Migrants to Australia (2007, Random House)
• 1788: The Brutal Truth of the First Fleet (2008, Random House)
• Gold - The Fever That Forever Changed Australia (2010, Random House)
• The Great Race: The Race Between the English and the French to Complete the Map of Australia (2013, Random House)
• The Making of Australia (2014, William Heinemann)
• First Fleet Surgeon: The Voyage of Arthur Bowes Smyth (2015, National Library of Australia)
• Australia and The Monarchy (2015, William Heinemann)
• The Fair and the Foul: Inside Our Sporting Nation (2017, Penguin Random House Australia)
• Convict Colony: The Remarkable Story of the Fledgling Settlement That Survived Against the Odds (2019, Allen & Unwin)
• Reckoning: The Forgotten Children and Their Quest for Justice (2022, William Heinemann Australia)