The long-time ABC executive Ian Carroll has passed away at 64 (Image: ABC)

Ian Carroll, a long-time ABC executive and one of the corporation's most influential figures, has passed away from pancreatic cancer.

The ABC said on Friday evening that the 64-year-old had died earlier in the day surrounded by family and friends, including his wife Geraldine Doogue, a veteran journalist and presenter at the broadcaster.

Carroll had stepped down from his position as the ABC's director of innovation just two weeks ago due to ill health, although he continued to be employed at the corporation as a consultant. He was first diagnosed with cancer a year ago.

His passing came on a day when the broadcaster and its staff were already struggling to come to terms with the tragic deaths of Paul Lockyer, John Bean and Gary Ticehurst, three of the ABC's most respected and loved personnel.

The executive had previously been described by the ABC's managing director Mark Scott as "a brave industry pioneer" for his work spanning several decades.

"We loved him. So clever, so generous, so energetic, so wise. We valued every minute we shared with him," Scott said this evening.

Carroll played a key role in launching and developing some of the broadcaster's most ambitious news and current affairs programmes, including The 7.30 Report, Four Corners and Lateline.

Later, he was appointed to head up the Australia Network, the ABC-operated broadcaster to the Asia-Pacific region. In his most recent role as the director of innovation, Carroll oversaw the revamping and expansion of the ABC's online and digital presences, including the launch of the iview catch-up service and dedicated applications for mobile devices.

Colleagues past and present celebrated his contribution to the ABC with a farewell event held at the broadcaster's Sydney headquarters earlier this month.

Also in The Spy Report: ABC mourns the deaths of Paul Lockyer, John Bean and Gary Ticehurst

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