Michelle Guthrie to succeed Mark Scott as Managing Director of ABC Australia

The ABC board is set to appoint the first female Managing Director in the broadcaster’s history, with Google executive Michelle Guthrie expected to succeed Mark Scott in 2016.

Appointing Ms Guthrie would signal an even deeper push into digital innovation by the ABC, which has expanded its online operations dramatically over recent years.

Based in Singapore, Ms Guthrie manages Google’s relationships with marketing and advertising agencies across Asia. 

Ms Guthrie, who was born in Sydney and studied arts/law at the University of Sydney, began her career as a lawyer specialising in media and technology. She went on to senior roles at Foxtel and News International in Britain before running News Corporation’s Asian television empire.

She also served as Managing Director of private equity firm Providence Equity Partners. She regularly features on lists of the most influential women in the media and technology.