One of the ABCโs 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-Taylorโs 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 broadcasterโs 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 broadcasterโs barrister Ian Neil, SC in October.
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It has also rejected Lattouf and her teamโs 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 Andersonโs decision to resign in August one of a number of changes to hit the ABC in the time since.
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