He moved with his parents and sister to Essex in the 1970s where he attended local state schools, before going to Oxford University in 1981 to study Modern History at Magdalen College.
In the UK, client conflicts prompted an employee buy-out of the business, led by Andy Law and Abraham,[6] who became Chief Operating Officer.
Abraham succeeded interim chief executive Anne Bulford in May 2010 following a period of relative uncertainty at Channel 4 involving a debate about the organisation's self-sufficiency, leading to what was described as a 'public begging bowl' strategy.
Abraham became immediately involved in programming issues such as whether Jonathan Ross should return,[10] and in defending a controversial Frankie Boyle sketch about Katie Price's family.
[11] Abraham assembled a new leadership team including appointing Jay Hunt from BBC One as chief creative officer to revive programming.
[12] Over the next few years, Channel 4's programmes included 24 Hours in A&E, The 2012 Paralympic Games, The Grand National, Black Mirror, Gogglebox, The Last Leg, Humans, The Undateables, Educating Yorkshire, The Island, Indian Summers, Southcliffe, UKIP; The First 100 Days, Sri Lanka's Killing Fields, Benefits Street, Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and MPs For Hire.
[40] In May 2011, Abraham set out his planned vision for Channel 4 at a Royal Television Society event in which he stressed the importance of its organisational independence and how it would keep innovating both editorially and technologically.
[41] On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of Channel 4 in 2012, he delivered a speech at the Freeword Centre London entitled: Freedom of Expression and Free Television.
[42] In 2013 Abraham chaired the Royal Television Society Cambridge Convention during which he announced a new £20m Growth Fund for UK independent production companies.
[43] This fund has invested in companies such as Lightbox, True North, Arrow, Eleven Films and production entities involving Sacha Baron Cohen and David Coulthard.