ABC executive Chris Oliver-Taylor behind Antoinette Lattouf sacking departs; Hugh Marks; Kim Williams
One of the ABC’s most senior executives, chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor, is leaving the broadcaster months after his responsibilities were reduced in a restructure.
Oliver-Taylor was involved in the sacking of fill-in broadcaster Antoinette Lattouf, a decision that has plagued the broadcaster for a year and will be scrutinised in a Federal Court trial next month.
News of Oliver-Taylor’s decision comes shortly after ABC managing director David Anderson announced his departure, with both expected to leave the organisation before the arrival of new managing director Hugh Marks.
Oliver-Taylor was hired with an expansive remit in 2023, however, this was reduced in late 2024, as the broadcaster’s chair, Kim Williams, spun its audio assets back out into its own division, led by executive Ben Latimer, who had previously reported to Oliver-Taylor.
Journalist Antoinette Lattouf; and former ABC chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor.Credit: The Age
Oliver-Taylor was a central player in the decision to sack Lattouf in December 2023, after she posted material to social media about the Israel-Gaza war.
The ABC has positioned Oliver-Taylor as the key decision-maker behind the decision as part of its defence, according to a statement made by the broadcaster’s barrister Ian Neil, SC in October.
Loading
It has also rejected Lattouf and her team’s updated allegation that both Anderson and former chair Ita Buttrose were key players. Both sides made attempts to settle but after failing to reach an agreement, the trial will go ahead.
Buttrose was replaced by Williams in March last year, with Anderson’s decision to resign in August one of a number of changes to hit the ABC in the time since.
