Bruce McWilliam may not be going into the office at Seven any more, but “resignation” is unlikely to mean retirement for the man who shares a property portfolio worth tens, perhaps hundreds of millions with his lawyer wife.

McWilliam’s resignation after more than two decades as commercial director of Seven West Media was announced by the broadcasting and media giant this morning.

He joined Kerry Stokes’ Seven Network in that role in July 2003, having left News International – the UK arm of the Murdoch media empire – in 2001 after four years as general counsel, and British Sky Broadcasting Group after almost as many as executive director there. His SWM entry also notes time as a partner of law firms Gilbert & Tobin, Turnbull McWilliam and Allen Allen & Hemsley specialising in media and commercial law. 

McWilliam says he plans to focus on his corporate and media advisory and property interests.

In late January, Australian Financial Review luxury property reporter Bonnie Campbell noted the couple had listed a long-held Woollahra, Sydney property – dating to 1880 – for $14.5 million ahead of a “prestige portfolio refresh”. They had bought it in 2002 for $2.74 million. The decision comes after the 2021 sale of a mansion in Point Piper for $32.5 million, “more than three times its 2013 purchase price”.

Seven West has not named a successor to the man chairman Stokes credits with being “a fundamental part of all the corporate moves at Seven for more than two decades”.

He thanked McWilliam “for his significant contribution to Seven West Media and Seven Group Holdings” and wished him and wife Nicky “all the best in the future”.

For his part McWilliam said he had enjoyed his 21-year stint with SWM and was “honoured” to have been a part of its growth and success over the years. “Working with Kerry Stokes and James Warburton in his two iterations at Seven has never been dull,” he said.

Of the future, he told The Australian, “I reckon I’ll be contacted by people”.

Pictured: Bruce McWilliam (photo Seven West Media); and (top) the Point Piper house