Mayor Bilal El-Hayek was re-elected unopposed as Mayor on Tuesday 15 October 2024.

Clr El-Hayek was elected to the newly merged City of Canterbury Bankstown in September 2017 and served two terms as Deputy Mayor before being elected Mayor on Thursday 11 May 2023.

He lives in Greenacre with his wife and four children and proudly represents the Bankstown/Darani Ward.

After leaving Lebanon in 1999, Mayor El-Hayek arrived in Australia at just 12-years-old, unable to speak a word of English. He attended an intensive English school before enrolling at Belmore Boys High and finishing his senior years at Noor al Houda school at Strathfield.

His passion is to serve the community and give a voice to those with no voice.

One of his first jobs included becoming a youth coordinator at the Bankstown Police Citizens and Youth Club, managing, and mentoring many youth, and facilitating family programs.

During his term as Mayor, Clr El-Hayek hosted a Domestic Violence Summit which brought together more than 140 community leaders and representatives.  He also holds an annual Mayor’s Light’s Out Sleepout, to raise funds for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Mayor El-Hayek is also a proud White Ribbon Ambassador who participates in the annual local White Ribbon Day march and was awarded the Premier’s Harmony Medal in 2018 for his involvement in Harmony Day activities.

He is passionate about the City he lives in and is determined to continue to build on the great work Council is doing in providing the services the community expects and maintaining the investment in our parks, roads, libraries, and community facilities.