News loyalist, Kim Williams will no longer head Rupert Murdochs operation in Oz.
News Corp Australia CEO Kim Williams has resigned his post held since December 2011.
The news comes a day after Foxtel announces increase in subscribers, revenues.
The reasons for his departure are unclear. Williams is to be replaced by ex-News exec Julian Clark, chairman of The Herald & Weekly Times in Melbourne, reports The Australian, and cited more changes to follow.
Previously, Williams was CEO of Foxtel for ten years.
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In a statement Williams said, he is confident that “I leave the company in a strong position and with good foundations for the future.It has been a privilege to work for News Corp across almost 20 years, and I have no doubt it will remain the most memorable element in my professional commercial life.”
News Corp executive chairman Rupert Murdoch thanked Williams for his “nearly two decades of service to News Corp; but more importantly, for his loyalty and friendship to me and my family all of these years.
“From the early days when we opened Fox Studios Australia, to his tenacious work building Foxtel and FOX SPORTS into the powerhouse it is today, Kim has always operated with great integrity and skill.
“Kim has been a steady and courageous leader at a time when our businesses have faced unprecedented pressure and economic challenges,” he said.
Williams was appointed CEO of News Corp Australia in 2011 after John Hartigan stepped down.
He previously was CEO of the Australian Film Commission, Southern Star Entertainment and Musica Viva Australia, and served as a Senior Executive at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
In an email to News staff, Williams said: “An action like this is always taken with a heavy heart and a mixed bag of feelings and reflections on a wide range of experiences with News Corp across almost 20 years.
“It is certainly not a decision made lightly, or without an awareness of the impact decisions like this inevitably have.”
