Chris Wharton AM was the WA CEO of Seven West Media from 2011 to 2016, a position which oversaw the Perth operations of Channel Seven, WA publisher The West Australian newspaper and various other media assets and investments. Mr Wharton was previously managing director of Channel Seven Perth from 2000 and then CEO of The West Australian from 2008 until it was merged into Seven West Media and the publishing and broadcast assets where combined under one management.
His newspaper career began as a journalist and he worked in every area of newspaper management in Sydney before being appointed as CEO of Perth’s Community Newspaper Group in 1995.
Mr Wharton's community and business involvement includes membership of the Telethon Trust, Australian Olympic & Commonwealth Games Team – WA Appeal Committee, Gold Corporation, Committee for Perth, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
In 2016, Mr Wharton was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the print and broadcast industries and services to the community.
