Mark Scott (businessman)

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Mark Scott

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AO}}

| image = Mark Scott (2023) 3.jpg

| caption = Scott in 2023

| occupation = University administrator
public servant

| title1 = 27th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney

| term_start1 = {{start date|2021|07|19|df=y}}

| term_end1 =

| chancellor1 = Belinda Hutchinson

| predecessor1 = Stephen Garton

| successor1 =

| title2 = Secretary of NSW Department of Education

| term_start2 = {{start date|2016|09|01|df=y}}

| term_end2 = {{end date|2021|04|23|df=y}}

| predecessor2 = Michele Bruniges

| successor2 = Georgina Harrisson

| birth_name = Mark Walter Scott

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|10|09|df=y}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, United States

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Australian

| citizenship = United States

| other_names =

| known_for =

| alma_mater = {{plainlist|

| spouse = Briony Scott

| children =

| footnotes =

}}

Mark Walter Scott {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AO}} (born 9 October 1962) is an Australian and American public servant and academic administrator who serves as the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney.

Scott had previously held a senior role at Fairfax Media, responsible for the editorial content of the group's major newspapers, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age. He was the managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 2006 to 2016.{{cite web |title=Mr Mark Scott |url=http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/scott.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717082422/http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/scott.htm |archive-date=17 July 2012 |accessdate=23 October 2010 |work=Our people |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}} In June 2016, Scott was appointed Secretary of the New South Wales Department of Education.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/education/new-education-boss-told-to-review-controversial-sexed-course/news-story/9355918a93cd331318e94a75da08c423 |title=New education boss told to review controversial sex-ed course |author=Urban, Rebecca|date=12 December 2016|work=The Australian|accessdate=12 September 2016}}

Personal life

Scott was born on 9 October 1962 in Los Angeles. He holds dual Australian and United States citizenship.{{cite news|last1=Kissane|first1=Karen|title=The ABC goes forth into a brave new world|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-abc-goes-forth-into-a-brave-new-world-20100312-q4g6.html|accessdate=16 September 2015|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=13 March 2010}} He is a grandson of Sir Walter Scott AC, who was responsible for the introduction of decimal currency in Australia. His father Brian reviewed the NSW Department of Education in the 1980s.[https://www.smh.com.au/national/scott-of-the-abc-a-family-affair-of-service-20060523-gdnlkg.html Scott of the ABC: a family affair of service] Retrieved 14 April 2019.

He attended Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga, New South Wales.{{Cite news |last=Rolfe |first=John |date=2024-08-16 |title=Sydney Power 100: Where the city's most powerful people went to school |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-power-100-where-the-citys-most-powerful-people-went-to-school/news-story/26070c3338d0a8cdfa6b34e32a027e80 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-08-17 |work=The Daily Telegraph}} Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Diploma of Education and a Master of Arts from the University of Sydney, and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.{{Cite web |title=Mark Scott - Occasional speeches - UTS: Graduations |url=http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/graduation/speakers/2009/mark-scott.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202104037/http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/graduation/speakers/2009/mark-scott.html |archive-date=2 February 2014 |access-date=29 January 2014 |df=dmy-all}}

Scott is married to Briony Scott, the principal of Wenona School, a private day and boarding school for girls.{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Jordan |date=2019-03-01 |title=Mark and Briony Scott: on a learning curve - just don’t mention NAPLAN |url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/mark-and-briony-scott-on-a-learning-curve-just-don-t-mention-naplan-20190227-p510hl.html |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}

Career

Scott worked for the New South Wales Greiner Liberal government, as chief of staff to the Education Minister, Virginia Chadwick, and as a senior adviser to education minister, Terry Metherell.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/national/scott-of-the-abc-a-family-affair-of-service/2006/05/22/1148150189178.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1|title=Scott of the ABC: A family affair of service|date=22 May 2006|work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}

In 2010, he was appointed to a second five-year term as the ABC's managing director.{{cite news| url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/mark-scotts-abc-contract-extended/story-e6frg996-1225945114469 | first=Amanda | last=Meade | title=Mark Scott's ABC contract extended | date=29 October 2010|work=The Australian}} His time at the ABC was marked by extensive change, including the creation of ABC Me, a digital TV channel for children, and the 24-hour news channel ABC News, as well as a major expansion into digital and on-line technology and an expansion of quality drama.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.abc.net.au/abc_tv/2010/12/want-to-know-why-youll-turn-abc-tv-on-in-2011.html |title=Want to know why you'll turn ABC TV on in 2011? - ABC TV Blog |accessdate=2010-12-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204041525/http://blogs.abc.net.au/abc_tv/2010/12/want-to-know-why-youll-turn-abc-tv-on-in-2011.html |archive-date=4 December 2010 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://www.theweeklyreview.com.au/article-display/Social-Networker/3433 |title=Social Networker @ the Weekly Review |accessdate=2010-12-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125093725/http://www.theweeklyreview.com.au/article-display/Social-Networker/3433 |archive-date=25 November 2010 |df=dmy-all }} Scott has been a strong defender of the value of social media in journalism{{Cite web|date=2010-11-24|title=The Golden Age for Australian journalism|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-11-25/the-golden-age-for-australian-journalism/2349850|access-date=2020-09-02|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}} and skeptical on the capacity of news organisations to charge for content they have previously provided free of charge.{{Cite web|date=2009-10-14|title=THE FALL OF ROME: MEDIA AFTER EMPIRE|website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/0937_ansmith.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202103937/http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/0937_ansmith.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 February 2010|access-date=2020-09-02}}

In November 2014, as managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Scott announced that after 55 years, the Collinswood ABC television studios in South Australia would be closed.{{Cite web |date=2014-11-24 |title=ABC Adelaide television studios to close after 55 years |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-24/abc-adelaide-television-studios-to-close-after-55-years/5913624 |access-date=2020-09-02 |website=www.abc.net.au |language=en-AU}} The announcement, following the 2011 demolition of the ABC TV facility in Perth{{Cite web |last=Says |first=Dialashop |title=Western Australian Television History (WA TV History) » Blog Archive » UPDATE: Demolition of ABW Channel 2 Studios in Perth WA |url=http://watvhistory.com/2011/01/update-demolition-of-abw-channel-2-studios-in-perth-wa/ |access-date=2020-09-02 |language=en-US}} and the 2012 closure of Tasmania's TV production unit{{Cite web |date=2012-11-20 |title=ABC TV closes Tas production unit |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-20/abc-tv-closes-tas-production-unit/4381976 |access-date=2020-09-02 |website=www.abc.net.au |language=en-AU}} also revealed the end of state based current affairs show 7.30 Report (state editions) - formally Stateline.

Responding to 2014 Liberal government budget cuts of $254 million over 5 years,{{Cite web |date=2014-11-19 |title=Turnbull confirms $254 million cut from ABC funding |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-19/abc-funding-cuts-announced-by-malcolm-turnbull/5902774 |access-date=2020-09-02 |website=ABC News |language=en-AU}} Mark Scott axed ABC Radio National program Bush Telegraph and five regional radio outposts.{{Cite web |last=Idato |first=Michael |date=2014-11-24 |title=ABC's death by a thousand cuts the work of political bastardry |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/abcs-death-by-a-thousand-cuts-the-work-of-political-bastardry-20141124-11so0m.html |access-date=2020-09-02 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} In a senate inquiry about the cuts, Scott rejected claims that ABC management was using the Abbott government's cuts as an excuse to pursue unpopular cost-saving initiatives.{{Cite web |last=Lynch |first=Jared |date=2014-12-01 |title=ABC chief Mark Scott defends cuts at Senate hearing |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/abc-chief-mark-scott-defends-cuts-at-senate-hearing-20141201-11xo6t.html |access-date=2020-09-02 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}

In September 2015, Scott announced he would be retiring as managing director and would be leaving the ABC.{{cite news|title=Mark Scott confirms he will step down as ABC managing director in 2016|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-14/mark-scott-abc-managing-director-announces-he-will-step-down/6774236|accessdate=16 September 2015|work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=14 September 2015}} In December 2015, Michelle Guthrie was announced as Scott's replacement,{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-21/google-executive-michelle-guthrie-to-replace-abc-boss-mark-scott/7044940 |title=Google executive Michelle Guthrie to replace Mark Scott as ABC managing director |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=21 December 2015 |accessdate=22 December 2015 }} and took over the role on 2 May 2016.{{cite news |last1=Mitchell|first1=Jake |title=ABC needs more diversity, new boss Michelle Guthrie says |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/broadcast/abc-needs-more-diversity-new-boss-michelle-guthrie-says/news-story/96500b473587aea38f1e063a9a026169 |accessdate=23 May 2016 |newspaper=The Australian |publisher=News Corp Australia |date=2 May 2016}}

In June 2016, Scott was appointed secretary of the New South Wales Department of Education. He was responsible for more than 2000 schools and around 49,000 teachers in the state.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/education/mark-scott-appointed-as-secretary-of-nsw-department-of-education-20160602-gp9wv1.html|title=Mark Scott appointed as secretary of NSW Department of Education|first1=Eryk|last1=Bagshaw|first2=Sean|last2=Nicholls|date=2 June 2016|publisher=Fairfax Media|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160606143853/http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/mark-scott-appointed-as-secretary-of-nsw-department-of-education-20160602-gp9wv1.html|archive-date=6 June 2016}}

Scott is the author of On Us, published in 2019 by Melbourne University Press.{{Cite web |last=Fidler |first=Richard |date=2019-04-17 |title=Mark Scott on stepping outside the echo chamber |url=https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/mark-scott/10991072 |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=ABC listen |language=en-AU}}

In March 2021, Scott was announced as being appointed the 27th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney, commencing in July 2021.{{cite web |title=Mark Scott appointed Vice-Chancellor of University of Sydney |url=https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2021/03/12/mark-scott-appointed-vice-chancellor-of-university-of-sydney.html |access-date=11 March 2021 |website=University of Sydney}} In September 2024, Scott admitted to the Australian Senate that he had failed the university's Jewish students, apologising to them for his mishandling of pro-Palestinian protests that followed the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.{{cite news |last=Roe |first=Isobel |date=20 September 2024 |title=University of Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott apologises to Jewish students over Students for Palestine encampment |url= https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-20/sydney-uni-vc-mark-scott-apologises-for-anti-semitism-on-campus/104376840 |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |location= |access-date=24 September 2024 }}

Awards and honours

On 13 June 2011, Scott was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to media and communications, and to the community through advisory and governance roles with a range of social justice and educational bodies.{{cite web|title=Mark Scott AO|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1144247|publisher=Australian Honours Database|accessdate=13 June 2011}}