An outsider might look at the C-suite strata in Australian media and wonder whether the talent is concentrated in a not particularly large pool.
Executives come, they go. It all seems quite circular.
They slide their Italian loafers or Jimmy Choos under one desk in Surry Hills or Ultimo, North Ryde or North Sydney, Pyrmont or Eveleigh, and stay for a bit. Before you know it, you’re hearing that one of them has jumped ship and will now be devoting their energies to crushing what they once loved.
ChannelNews reported this week on 20-year media executive Peter Tonagh (Foxtel, REA Group, News Corp Australia), who quit as a director of the ABC on Christmas Eve – 18 months shy of the end of his five-year term – only to resurface within a couple of weeks as a director for Nine.

Peter Tonagh.
In December it was former Nine boss Hugh Marks, who was announced as the new Managing Director of the ABC, replacing David Anderson, who quit before his contract’s end date.
The latest to depart the scene is Stan boss Martin Kugeler (pictured at top).
In a staff email Nine acting chief executive Matt Stanton unveiled plans for the broadcaster and publisher.
Nine will be split into three divisions, and there is no room for Kugeler. Stan will come under the leadership of Dan Taylor, Stan’s Chief Financial and Strategy Officer.
Also, former Foxtel executive Amanda Laing will lead Nine’s combined Streaming & Broadcasting division (radio, TV, 9Now and Stan).

Liana Dubois leaving Nine.
Nine’s Chief Marketing Officer Liana Dubois is also leaving Nine.
She joined Nine in 2013 as Director of Sales – Sydney, and has most recently held the role of Director of Powered, Nine’s “full-service creative team which crafts content for advertisers across its print, digital, social and TV assets”.
According to her Nine biography, still online on Thursday, Dubois held strategy, sponsorship and sales roles at Network 10, and marketing and promotions roles at Southern Cross Austereo.