News Corp Australia has appointed Michael Ford as its new chief financial officer

The former group CFO of QBE Insurance and deputy chief financial officer of CBA to join the media company.

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News Corp Australia has appointed Michael Ford as its new chief financial officer, and will join Foxtel’s board as the media group’s representative.

Executive chairman Michael Miller said Mr Ford is a “well-respected executive and director with more than 30 years’ experience in strategy and finance roles”.

“He is a former group chief financial officer of QBE Insurance and deputy chief financial officer of Commonwealth Bank,” Mr Miller said in a note to staff on Wednesday.

Mr Ford is currently working at Equilibrium Group, which he co-founded and provides senior executive coaching and consulting. He has also launched a digital leadership program in banking.

Mr Miller also thanked outgoing CFO Stacey Brown for her “dedication and guiding hand through a period of dramatic change in our industry”.

“I will miss her but deeply respect her decision to move on,” he said.

Mr Ford will join News Corp Australia, which publishes The Australian and owns 65 per cent of Foxtel, on February 17. He will formally take over from Ms Brown, who will prepare the 2021 budget, in April.

“After that she will continue her relationship with News in an advisory capacity and be our representative on the board of Hi Pages,” Mr Miller said.