The agreement includes non-disparagement clauses that are binding on Ms Guthrie and the ABC directors and managers involved in the case, including former chairman Justin Milne.

Ms Guthrie insisted on the clauses to prevent further information about her employment and firing being discussed in the media, according to a person familiar with discussions.

Associates say Ms Guthrie has indicated that she plans to return to her previous home city of Singapore towards the end of the year, when her daughter completes year 12, to resume her corporate career.

Before being selected the ABC's first female managing director in 2015, Ms Guthrie worked for a private equity fund, in advertising at Google, and for a satellite TV services controlled by Rupert Murdoch.

On Monday Ms Guthrie referred questions to her spokesman, Andrew Butcher, who declined to comment. A spokeswoman for ABC acting manager director David Anderson and the previous acting chairman Kirstin Ferguson declined to comment. Reached by phone on Monday evening, Mr Mordant said: "I have no comment to make."

Happier times: former ABC Chairman Justin Milne (left) and former Managing Director Michelle Guthrie during the ABC Annual Public Meeting in Sydney. JOEL CARRETT

Legal team

A parliamentary inquiry is scheduled to question the ABC board on Tuesday about the circumstances of Ms Guthrie's departure. ABC executives are also scheduled to take questions from a Senate committee this week about the affair, which raised allegations about political independence in the broadcaster and cost Mr Milne his job.

Ms Guthrie filed the law suit in the Federal Court against the ABC, Mr Milne and three directors, Donny Walford, Joseph Gersh and Vanessa Guthrie. She hired two aggressive lawyers: human rights barrister Kate Eastman and Ruveni Kelleher, a solicitor who conducted the legal case against Seven Media secretary Amber Harrison last year.

Ms Guthrie asked to be reinstated as managing director and to be paid compensation by the ABC and the individual board members for losses and damages. It is unclear if the individual directors have contributed to the settlement or if the ABC will cover the full amount.