The ABC will welcome television executive Toni Skaife in the newly created role of chief partnerships and negotiation officer.
Skaife joins the broadcaster from Paramount ANZ, where she headed up commercial negotiations, partnerships, and internal productions across the company’s Australian scripted and non-scripted content slate.
Before this, she was the head of production and business affairs at Network 10, a role she held for more than 12 years.
As part of her new position, she will be responsible for driving international partnerships to support new content initiatives, developing rights strategies, and leading commercial content deal negotiations, locally and abroad.
Working under ABC chief content officer, Chris Oliver-Taylor, she is part of a team that also includes Mike Fitzpatrick, Ben Latimer, Susie Jones, and Rachel Okine.
Skaife said she was committed to sustaining and growing a diverse and strong Australian production industry.
“It’s an honour to be joining the ABC and to be offered this brilliant opportunity to work with Chris Oliver-Taylor and the content team in this newly-created role,’’ she said.
“I have an immense respect for our national broadcaster and the sheer quality and volume of content that is delivered on a daily basis. As an advocate of homegrown talent, stories, and content I couldn’t be more excited to commence the next chapter of my career in this way – with a clear strategic objective to expand content partnerships that aim to serve all Australians and to be a part of the very talented content team at the ABC.”
Oliver-Taylor described Skaife’s appointment as “a real coup” for the broadcaster.
“The ABC will always evolve to suit our audience needs and the complexity of the ABC’s vast content output across screen, audio, and digital needs significant leadership,” he said.
“Joining the ABC’s content leadership team, Toni is the perfect person to help our continued transformation to a digital-first organisation for the benefit of all Australians.”
Skaife starts in her new role at the ABC in May.