The Last Mogul: Sun Sets on Kerry Stokes’ Media Ambitions

Bye bye Kerry — your time in the sun was so short

Kerry Stokes will retire as chair of Seven next February, with Seven West Media set to merge with Southern Cross.

The last mogul: Sun sets on Kerry Stokes’ media ambitions

Having fought tooth and nail to build his media empire from scratch, Kerry Stokes will bow out with plenty of hits and some major misses.

Kerry Stokes to step down as Seven West Media chair

Media Groups Plan Merger - southburnett.com.au

October 1, 2025 Southern Cross Media – owners of hit89.1 South Burnett – has announced plans to merge with Seven West Media, owners of the Channel 7 TV network. If the deal goes ahead, media magnate Kerry Stokes would stand down as chair of Seven West Media in February, to make way for Heith Mackay-Cruise, current chair of Southern Cross Austereo. Seven West Media managing director and CEO Jeff Howard would become CEO of the merged entity. The m…