Nine Entertainment’s former chief executive Hugh Marks has been appointed to the top job at the ABC by the public broadcaster’s chair Kim Williams.

Marks left Nine in 2021 after five years, most notably steering the company through the largest media merger of the past decade, bringing together Fairfax and Nine in a $4 billion deal.

He replaces managing director David Anderson, who announced his departure in August after six years, and just one year after being handed a second contract in the top job. The day after his decision, Anderson urged the ABC to correct its record on women in leadership roles.

Anderson’s decision to resign afforded Williams, who was appointed ABC chair earlier this year, the opportunity to appoint his own managing director, arguably the most important decision a chair of the public broadcaster will make.

Last year, this masthead revealed former chair Ita Buttrose had moved to reappoint Anderson prematurely to a second five-year contract, more than a year before his contract was up for renewal.

The ABC has only ever had one woman lead the broadcaster, Michelle Guthrie, who was sacked as managing director after two years. The ABC currently has men leading its three key divisions, News, Content and Audio, while the chair and current and future MD are also men.

Nine’s value has halved since Marks left the company, which was run by Mike Sneesby until his departure in September.

Marks announced his departure from Nine on the same day a column in The Sydney Morning Herald revealed he was in a relationship with Alexi Baker, the company’s formal commercial boss. He later said the relationship forced his resignation, despite the board having been made aware of it.

Marks’ tenure at Nine has since come under scrutiny, with the results of an independent cultural review finding extensive bullying, harassment and abuses of power of staff, those surveyed over a five-year period, some of which encompasses his time as chief executive. In May, Marks confirmed a former on air presenter had raised concerns about leaking confidential information about them with him directly.

A former lawyer, he has an extensive history on the content side of Australia’s media industry. A former chief executive at television studio Endemol, then-known as Southern Star, also once run by Williams.

After leaving Nine, Marks returned to the content industry, founding his own studio Dreamchaser alongside fellow executive Carl Fennessy.

The top job at the ABC pays significantly less than its commercial counterparts. Anderson’s total remuneration was $1.16 million in the 2024 financial year. Marks’ full package in his final full year as Nine chief was $2.16 million, down from $4.96 million the year prior.

The ABC’s board met for the final time in 2024 in the first week of December, signing off on the decision.

The Federal Government announced additional funding for the ABC on Monday evening, as well as a move to legislate both public broadcasters moving to five year funding terms.

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