Bunya Entertainment has announced that Sophia Zachariou will soon be departing the company after her five-year tenure as Co-Managing Director.
Bunya Entertainment is one part the Bunya Group of companies and was established by Sophia Zachariou, David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin in 2019 when Sophia joined the Group.
Bunya Entertainment’s vision has been to create internationally focused television drama and comedy and Sophia leaves Bunya Entertainment with a strong production and development slate. Sophia is currently in post-production on The Office (Amazon) and Ladies in Black (ABC) and will deliver these series before she departs the company. Other productions from Bunya Entertainment include the 6 x half-hour sketch comedy series The Moth Effect (Amazon) and prior to that the comedy series Nice Shorts.
In 2020 Sophia also created the Bunya Talent Indigenous Hub in partnership with Netflix and Screen Australia which funded and developed 10 First Nations writers and directors to further develop their TV projects. The Hub was later extended to include a partnership with SAFC, Screen NT and Screen NSW to develop emerging First Nations talent.
David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin will continue as co-Managing Directors of Bunya Entertainment. The separate Bunya Group entities, Bunya Productions (Mystery Road, Sweet Country, Limbo) and the distribution company Dark Matter, will remain under their stewardship.
Sophia Zachariou said:
“I’m so proud of what Greer, David and I have all built together at Bunya Entertainment over the last five years and I feel like now is the right time to step aside and pursue other challenges. Bunya’s reputation as a ground-breaking and unique production company with diversity at its core was what first attracted me to join the company and I feel that I leave it now with an exciting slate of productions that will continue to entertain and engage audiences around the world.”
Greer Simpkin and David Jowsey said:
“As Co-Managing Director, Sophia was absolutely integral to the launch of our company Bunya Entertainment. Sophia brings an energy, a confidence and an intelligence to everything she does, and we have loved her vibrant contribution over the past five years. She leaves the company in great shape, with a strong production and development slate. We wish Sophia every success with her future endeavours.”
