Julian Clarke a News man to the core Julian Clarke represents the ultimate safe pair of hands for News Corp Australia. An advertising man who started as a schoolkid at Standard Newspapers in 1960, he rose to prominence as general manager of newspapers at Melbourne publisher Herald & Weekly Times before its takeover by News Corporation in 1987. Company man: Julian Clarke will succeed Kim Williams as chief executive of News Corp Australia. Mr Clarke did not just survive the takeover of HWT, which publishes the Herald Sun - he prospered, becoming managing director of HWT in 1991. Well-regarded by employees and the Murdoch family, he spent 16 years as managing director of HWT before stepping down in favour of former Herald Sun editor Peter Blunden in 2007. His years at the top of the commercially dominant publisher earned him a gala farewell dinner at the National Gallery of Victoria attended by News Corporation executive chairman Rupert Murdoch, his mother Dame Elisabeth, son Lachlan, politicians, sports stars and business leaders. Quit: Kim Williams Photo: Josh Robenstone The then chairman of HWT, Rupert Murdoch's sister Janet Calvert-Jones, told guests Mr Clarke had "made a wonderful contribution to our company," praising his "loyalty, his wisdom, his sense of humour and his patient persistence." Mr Clarke's services were again required in 2009 when he was appointed chairman of HWT, replacing Ms Calvert-Jones. He and Ms Calvert-Jones resigned as HWT directors in June this year as News Corporation shrank the company's board from six members to four. One of Mr Clarke's rare public spats came in 2010 when he told a court that the appointment of Bruce Guthrie as Herald Sun editor in chief was a "serious mistake." Mr Guthrie sued HWT in the Victorian Supreme Court for breaching his employment contract when he was abruptly sacked in November 2008 after a breakdown in relations with Mr Blunden. Justice Stephen Kaye found Mr Guthrie was wrongfully dismissed and ordered News Corporation to pay him $580,000, plus costs and interest.