Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been handed a shortlist of three candidates for the prized role of ABC chairman following last year's implosion at the highest levels of the public broadcaster.

The ABC has been without a permanent chairman and a managing director for more than four months after Justin Milne resigned as chairman amid allegations he told sacked managing director Michelle Guthrie to fire journalists the government didn’t like.

Former ABC chairman Justin Milne and then managing director Michelle Guthrie. Credit:AAP

Global recruitment firm Korn Ferry started the recruitment process, and an independent nominations panel assessed the best candidates.

The nomination panel is chaired by former Treasury head and ex-Westpac board member Ted Evans and includes former Ten and Seven news anchor, newspaper columnist and media director of Ogilvy Public Relations Anne Fulwood, and University of Queensland adjunct professor Sally Pitkin, who was previously a corporate partner with Clayton Utz.