By Stephen Brook and Kishor Napier-Raman
Speculation about who will run the ABC is, for newspaper columnists, what speculation about an election date is for political editors: an old and faithful friend.
Former Nine chief executive Hugh Marks.Credit: James Brickwood
Nevertheless, CBD has learnt that former Nine Entertainment chief executive Hugh Marks has emerged as a contender for the role of managing director of the ABC, which David Anderson is vacating just one year into his second five-year term.
Spencer Stuart are the head-hunters and are casting the net far and wide in ABC chair Kim Williams’ search for the right stuff – even as far as Google.
Marks led Nine (owner of this masthead) from 2015 to 2021, and left after revealing he was in a relationship with another Nine executive. He later denied knowing anything about complaints of alleged harassment by former head of news Darren Wick. Wick left the company with a large payment earlier this year, prompting a cultural review which caused much angst among staff.
Marks then set up Dreamchaser, a production house with Carl Fennessy, the former boss of Endemol Shine Australia, and this gig has taken him everywhere from Japan to the Commissioner’s Room at the AFL grand final at the MCG, where he was last spotted by CBD. Alas, Marks, who is overseas at the moment, did not want to comment.
Meanwhile, another name in the frame, SBS managing director James Taylor was approached by the headhunters but is not interested, we heard on the media grapevine. And why would he be? Why upgrade your salary and stress levels to run the ABC and face the parliamentary head-kickers at Senate Estimates in search of clickbait. In his SBS role Taylor can, like his SBS predecessor Michael Ebeid, treat estimates much like a gathering of the parliamentary friends of Eurovision fan club. Taylor declined to comment.
And just to show that CBD is a column with both length and depth, our other tip (for the federal election, that is) is April 12.
Out of favour in Africa
Peter Holmes a Court is out of Africa. Or more precisely, out of The Latitude Hotels group, the swanky accommodation chain he joined a few years back as deputy chairman.
Sacked, he says.
Peter Holmes a CourtCredit:
The son of late corporate raider Robert Holmes a Court and philanthropist and arts patron Janet Holmes a Court – older brother of impact investor and teal-wave enabler Simon Holmes a Court – lives in Nairobi, Kenya, with his second wife Alissa Everett.
He moved to Africa a while back after being a former part owner of NRL side, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, running a theatrical production company as well as heading Australia’s largest cattle farm.
The Latitude Hotels, which operates several award-winning luxe accommodation venues in Africa, can’t have been thrilled when the businessman republished the press release announcing his appointment on LinkedIn with a massive red “TERMINATED” across it.
He wrote he could “outline thirteen concerns relating to financial malfeasance, systemic abuse of African employees”, and a cover-up of abuse but was instead sacked.
“The issues I raised were significant enough for me to report my concerns to the Ugandan authorities but they may also relate to potential violations of English law, under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, Greenwashing provisions caught in the Company’s Act 2006, in the Finance Act 2021 and Criminal Finances Act 2017.”
Holmes a Court told CBD he declined to comment ahead of a meeting with lawyers this week. Latitude did not respond to requests for comments.
Exit interview
“When they go low, we go high,” the sage Michelle Obama once told supporters.
Joe Gianfriddo in April this year.Credit: Joe Armao
But it’s a lesson yet to be learnt by the former mayor of Stonnington Joe Gianfriddo, who lost his seat at the local government elections and lost his sense of decorum in his parting words to voters, a 800-word fingernails-on-the-blackboard screech about local government.
“Thank you to everyone in Malvern Valley and across Stonnington City Council whom I have had the absolute privilege to meet and more importantly, serve.
“Serving the community is one of the most rewarding things anyone can do. It was indeed my honour.”
But he then took aim at his perceived enemies in the community on the Facebook post and CBD is here to furnish readers with some of the edited high(low)lights: “Fearmongering garbage … selfish agendas … betrayal of Malvern Valley … deplorable tactics … nasty games of self-gratification … appalling racists ... quite literally the biggest dirty pig within Stonnington … extremely potty mouth.”
Gianfriddo then promised to reveal more about the “TRUTH”. “Grab the popcorn, I am just getting started.
“With sincere appreciation. Joe x.”
CBD tracked the former mayor to an overseas holiday. “I stand by every word said in that post,” Gianfriddo told CBD from an undisclosed location, where he escaped with his partner, council activist Dean Hurlston, who runs the Joe-supporting Stonnington Council Watch Facebook group. (The Elon to his Donald, you might say.)
Politics is a blood sport, but our mind was drawn to the musings of Roman statesman Cicero, Rome’s greatest orator, who was decapitated by his enemies in 43BC, but not before this advice in his final Philippic. “Brief is the life given us by nature; but the memory of a life nobly resigned is everlasting.”
Will Sky get its guy?
Meanwhile, outgoing 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley continues his dance with Foxtel and Sky News Australia, getting them all excited.
Daily Mail Australia reported the big fella recently spent an hour “in deep conversation” with Sky News chief executive Paul Whittaker and head of programs Mark Calvert.
Think of it – your own TV show, plus all those NRL games to call.
Radio broadcaster Ray Hadley.Credit: James Brickwood
“Despite what might have been written, I have not signed a deal with anyone,” Hadley told us.
Not even a handshake? “No.”
But life can spin on a dime, and if Hadley does sign up, who in the vaunted After Dark line-up is going to move aside? That would be a right royal Game of Thrones scenario involving Sharri Markson, Peta Credlin, Andrew Bolt, Chris Kenny and Paul Murray.
As GoT OG Cersei Lannister once put it: “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”
And should Sky News ever extend its remit to Westeros, CBD would like to think Lannister herself would be a shoo-in for a prominent After Dark presenting slot. Maybe Sundays at 8pm.
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