Telstra appoints Cynthia Whelan as new Chairman for Foxtel

Media Release, 30 January 2017

Telstra today announced Group Executive New Businesses, Cynthia Whelan, as the new Chairman of the Foxtel pay-TV business.

Telstra CEO, Andrew Penn, said Ms Whelan would replace former Telstra executive Robert Nason who had served as Foxtel Chairman since June 2012.

Under the terms of the Foxtel partnership with News Corporation, Telstra has the right to appoint the Chairman. Ms Whelan has been a member of the Foxtel Board since September 2016.

“Cynthia Whelan is an ideal Chairman for Foxtel and will provide suitable leadership for the organisation as it navigates a period of intense competition and technological evolution. She has significant experience in Australia and overseas in senior management and Director roles,” Mr Penn said.

“We are very grateful that Robert stayed on as Foxtel Chairman after retiring from Telstra in 2015 and he has been a steady hand in the role for almost five years.”

The transition will be effective on 17 February 2017. Telstra is also represented on the Foxtel Board by Chief Financial Officer Warwick Bray and will soon appoint a third Director to replace Mr Nason.
 

About Cynthia Whelan

Cynthia Whelan has been the Group Executive responsible for Telstra’s New Businesses portfolio, including Telstra Health, Home and Premium Services, Energy and Connected Business, since October 2015. She is also the Chair of Telstra Ventures. Ms Whelan joined Telstra in August 2013 as Group Managing Director Strategic Finance covering Corporate Strategy, Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Development, Treasury and Investor Relations and was responsible for Telstra’s international operations during 2015-2016. She is a former Director of Sensis and the Chinese automotive website Autohome from its listing on the New York Stock Exchange in December 2013 until mid 2016, including serving as Chairman in 2016.

Prior to joining Telstra, Ms Whelan had a career spanning more than 20 years in investment banking in the Asia-Pacific region and her last role was the Chief Executive for Barclays in Australia/New Zealand. She was a member of Barclays' Asia Pacific Executive Committee and a Director of the Australian Financial Markets Association and Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association. She has previously held roles at Merrill Lynch and UBS.

Ms Whelan holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and has completed the Oxford Strategic Leadership Program.