Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott has been nominated to join Fox Corporation’s board of directors, a day after Rupert Murdoch announced his retirement.
The nomination will be considered by shareholders at the media giant’s annual meeting in November, a media statement released on Sept. 22 (Sept. 23 AEST) confirmed.
Nominated alongside Mr. Abbott was technology executive Peggy Johnson.
Lachlan Murdoch welcomed the nominations in one of his first moves since being announced as Fox Corp’s chief executive officer and executive chair.
“I welcome Peggy Johnson and Tony Abbott’s nominations to the Board,” Mr. Murdoch said in the statement.
“They bring skills, experience and perspectives that will contribute to the Board and benefit FOX.”
The statement noted Mr. Abbott’s service as Australia’s 28th prime minister and stints as leader of the Liberal Party from 2009 to 2015, as well as being an advisor to the UK Board of Trade since 2020.
Mr. Abbott lost his seat of Warringah at the 2019 federal election after 25 years in parliament.
The Fox Corporation board has eight members with Jacques Nasser and Anne Dias set to step down following the next annual meeting.
Other board members include former Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan and ex-Formula 1 chairman Chase Carey.
Rupert Murdoch will become chairman emeritus of Fox Corp while his son Lachlan takes the reins of the family empire.
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull lashed the 92-year-old media mogul’s “shocking” legacy, saying he had created an “anger-tainment ecosystem” and left America the most divided it’s been since the Civil War.
Mr. Abbott has been contacted for comment.
