Australia – The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) will welcome the new year with its first woman managing director from Google Asia Pacific.
Singapore –based Michelle Guthrie, regional head of agency at Google APAC, will take over as the head of ABC in May 2016, succeeding Mark Scott, who was paid about $800,000 for the role.
Guthrie held the top role at Google for five years. She began her career as a media lawyer in Sydney and has worked with a range of media companies in Australia and abroad, including Foxtel, BSkyB, and the Asian-based STAR television network. In 2007, she was appointed Managing Director for Providence Equity, a global investment firm focused on media, entertainment, communications and technology.
Guthrie will officially join the ABC in early April for a month-long handover with Scott. She will receive a salary package of $900,000pa and will retain ultimate responsibility for all editorial content.
The Chairman of the ABC, James Spigelman, said she is ideally credentialed to lead the national broadcaster in the digital era.
“The ABC Board made this appointment following a thorough local and international search that produced an outstanding field of candidates. Michelle is an exceptional media professional with strong content, operational and board experience within internationally-respected media companies.
“Michelle brings a unique local and global view to the role, having grown up in Sydney and worked at senior levels here and around the world. She brings to the ABC her business acumen, record in content-making across an array of platforms, a deep understanding of audience needs and corporate responsibility for promoting issues like diversity.
“We have no doubt she is the right person to succeed Mark Scott next year and to lead the Corporation in its broadcasting and digital work as both are defined by the ABC Charter.”
Guthrie said it was an honour to be chosen by the ABC Board to serve as the next managing director.
“Having grown up with the ABC and having been a professional observer of it over the last three decades, I have profound respect for the important role the national broadcaster plays throughout Australia and internationally.”
