David Chau will replace the retiring Alan Kohler as the ABC’s finance presenter on its 7pm news bulletins, the national broadcaster has announced.
Kohler, a veteran finance journalist, announced his retirement last month after 31 years at the ABC. He will present his final finance segment on Wednesday night’s 7pm bulletins, the ABC said on Monday.
Chau, who joined the ABC as a digital producer in 2017, will replace him. Chau began presenting finance reports on the ABC’s News Channel in 2019, and on Monday said he was “honoured for this opportunity to continue Alan Kohler’s legacy – the man is indisputably a national treasure”.
The ABC has also announced that Jessica Irvine will join the broadcaster’s national business reporting team in the newly created role of money correspondent, reporting on the intersection of the economy, business and people’s personal finances. Irvine was previously an economics journalist at the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age for nearly two decades. She subsequently produced personal finance content for the Commonwealth Bank.
Irvine will start at the ABC in November.
Kohler joined what was then called the 7.30 Report in December 1995 as business and economics correspondent, after three years as editor of the Age – a stint he described this week as “turbulent”.
He later took over as the lead finance presenter on the 7pm bulletins, becoming known for his signoff: “And that’s finance.”
Kohler also hosted the show Inside Business, wrote a weekly column and hosted a weekly podcast, That’s Business.
He had intended to retire at the end of the year but brought the date forward so that he could join his son Chris on a new podcast, titled Kohler and Kohler. He had planned to continue writing for finance publications and making his podcast Money Cafe while in retirement, he told industry media in September.
The ABC’s managing director, Hugh Marks, has said Kohler “helped Australians make sense of complex issues with insight, clarity and a uniquely engaging style, always delivered with warmth, humour and that trademark cheeky grin.”
In a statement, the ABC’s news director, Simon Robinson, said: “On behalf of the ABC I extend to Alan Kohler our sincere thanks for his incredible contribution and best wishes for the future. He has been a respected and admired part of the ABC family for three decades and leaves a huge legacy.”
Robinson said he was “delighted” with the “terrific” appointments to the business and finance teams.
“David has built a reputation as a clear, reliable explainer of markets and corporate news. Audiences already know the expertise and enthusiasm he brings to business and finance reporting,” Robinson said.
“The economy and cost of living issues are at the forefront of Australians’ minds and Jess brings exceptional experience to reporting in this area.”